On Tuesday, October 25, 2005 at 12:29 AM EST WWE RAW
October 24, 2005
Fresno, CA
Commentators: Jonathon Coachman & Jerry “The King” Lawler
Reported By: Hunter Golden of WrestleView.com
A video aired recapping last week’s events on Raw concerning the WWE Championship.
Shawn Michaels v. Big Show v. Kane
Michaels and Kane teamed up on Show but he came back with some head-butts, sending both back. Show went to work on Kane and then Michaels, landing some clubbing blows and getting a near fall on Michaels. Kane tried landing some offense, but Show knocked him back and went for a cover but HBK interrupted. Show landed his being frying pan chop in the corner. He turned around and went to choke slam Kane but HBK broke up the attempt. Kane and HBK worked over show but again, got tossed back into the corner. Big Show sent Kane reeling over the top rope and military pressed Shawn Michaels over the top rope and on top of Kane as we went to commercial.
****Commercial****
We came back to Kane and Big Show one on one. Kane backed up the big man with some punches but was whipped back into the corner by Show. He came at Show with a big boot but was power-slammed. HBK broke up the cover attempt.
HBK took some chops from Show and nipped up right into a choke slam attempt. Kane broke up the attempt and punched Show into the corner and booted HBK to his back. He hit a running clothesline on Big Show before tossing Michaels out and over the top rope. He came back and had an Irish whip attempt reversed by Big Show but managed to avoid the follow up splash. Kane grabbed the rebounding Big Show and back suplexed him to the mat. He went to the top rope and tossed HBK down to the floor again.
Show caught him on the turnbuckles and hit a huge super-plex off the top rope. HBK capitalized and dropped his elbow on Big Show before tuning up the band. He nailed Show with the super kick before getting nailed with a Kane clothesline. Kane went for the cover but only got a two count. Kane got angry and went to the ringside area and began throwing some furniture into the ring.
With the referee’s back turned, Kane nailed Big Show in the head with a chair shot before scaling the ropes. He came flying out of nowhere but got nailed with Sweet Chin Music on the way down by Shawn Michaels. Big Show stammered to his feet but HBK nailed him with Sweet Chin Music as well and made the cover for the 1, 2, 3.
Winner: Shawn Michaels via pin fall
Coach and King put over the Cena-Angle match later tonight. Mick Foley is slated to be the special guest referee.
Footage aired of John Cena riding shotgun with a NEXTEL Cup racecar driver.
****Commercial****
Footage aired of the triple threat match that took place before the break.
Jerry Lawler ran down the three choices for the Coach-Steve Austin matches. The first was an arm wrestling match, the second option was a Coach said he wasn’t afraid of Steve Austin. He said that in fact he was going to call Steve Austin out and do so right now. He said he’d walk down to that ring and dare Austin to come meet him face to face.
****Commercial****
Coach called out Austin and sure enough the glass shattered and his pickup truck came smashing through the back of the arena. It parked next to the stage and Stephanie McMahon popped out of the sunroof with a hat on, drinking some beers. She came down to the ring to talk with Coach. Coach said Stephanie almost had him. Stephanie said she almost believed he was afraid of Austin.
Stephanie said Steve Austin would not be here tonight. Coach said if Austin showed up at Raw next week, he’d call Austin out again. Stephanie said it was that attitude that made Coach the new voice of Raw. Stephanie put over JR’s successful colon surgery this weekend as well.
Stephanie said in one week, he’d be facing Steve Austin at Taboo Tuesday. She put over the stipulation in the match as well. Stephanie said she was looking forward to Coach putting an end to Austin’s career. She bantered on some more before Mick Foley’s music hit the arena.
Foley said he didn’t feel like he could sit in the back and listen to someone who was so full of crap. She said JR was full of crap but it had been taken care of. Foley said he didn’t think her comment was funny but knew they didn’t get along. He said during the McMahon-Helmsley era, she and her family made his life a living hell. He was saddened by Linda lowering herself to Stephanie’s level as well. He said he couldn’t watch her ruin the business he loved. Stephanie said without her family there would be no business for him to love.
He said Mick couldn’t come down and intimidate her as he’d have to intimidate his opponent at Taboo Tuesday, Carlito.
Stephanie nailed Foley with a low blow and Carlito went to work on Foley with stomps and punches on the ground. Carlito spread Foley’s legs and nailed him with a low blow. He took a bite of his apple and spit it directly in the face of Mick Foley.
Carlito walked up the ramp as Foley lay in pain on the mat.
Triple H v. Viscera is next!
****Commercial****
Mick Foley was choking in the back and was approached by Eric Bischoff who told him to suck it up. He said no matter how badly his pride has been injured, he’d still be the referee for tonight’s main event and told him to have a nice night.
Viscera v. Triple H
As triple H made his way down to the ring, Ric Flair attacked him from behind. Triple H quickly assumed the advantage and slammed Flair’s head into the ring steps. The two brawled up against the guard rails but the referees tried to break up the tussle. Triple H came right back at Flair desperately trying to get at Flair. Flair followed Triple H up the ramp and jumped him again. Triple H was dragged up the ramp and screamed to Flair that he was a dead man.
Winner: NO CONTEST
Flair got in the ring and tossed his belt off and tossed it into the crowd. Flair grabbed the mic and begged the crowd to please put him in a cage with Triple H before tweaking on the camera and screaming cage over and over. He slammed the mic down and made his way back up the ramp.
We ended up out back and noticed JBL’s limo pulling up to the arena. JBL got out of the back and straightened his coat. JBL is here, but why?
****Commercial****
Eric Bischoff was out back trying to keep JBL out of the arena. Bischoff told him to go back from where he came from.
A video recap was shown of Edge and Chris Master’s invasion of Smackdown last Friday.
Edge and Masters were in the ring and congratulated JBL on finding it to the A-Show. Edge said that no one cares about JBL. That’s why he didn’t spear JBL. He said spearing Mysterio meant something because he was a bigger star. He said not to worry because he might get his chance for revenge because at Taboo Tuesday, it’d be Raw v. Smackdown. It will be Masters and Edge v. two of three Smackdown super stars.
Masters said most people wouldn’t have heard of most of the Smackdown guys, so they’d introduce to us the options. Option number 1 would be Matt Hardy. Edge laughed like crazy and said he didn’t know they had another match he could beat him in. He asked Lita why Hardy was on Smackdown and she reminded us. The second star was Rey Mysterio. Masters said it was a good thing that the show was in San Diego because it’d be a short ride from the hospital to his home. Lita congratulated him on making it to the new midget division on Smackdown. Christian was the next star and Edge said he carried him through the first six years of his career and he was most likely to get fewer votes than Matt Hardy. Hardcore Holly was also up and Masters said he’d probably rather have him in the shower than in the ring. JBL was the last choice. Edge mocked “Mr. Smackdown” and said that was like being “Mr. Titanic” or “Mr. Hindenberg”. JBL called him a hair lipped monkey boy.
JBL said he knew he didn’t have guts to come out there and face him but that Masters should come out and try to put the master lock on some one as big as him “Monkey Boy”. Edge said it didn’t matter who would be voted in, cause he’d win anyway. JBL called Lita “used merchandise”. JBL dared him to put on the master lock, divide and conquer. Mysterio came out and hit a 619 on Lita. Mysterio bailed out of the ring and left through the crowd.
****Commercial****
Victoria v. Mickie James
This played out much like a squash match with Victoria assuming the advantage for 2/3 of the match. Eventually Mickie fought back and upon rebounding off the ropes, was tripped up by Torrie outside the ring. Victoria gathered James and tried a vertical suplex but that was countered into a small package for a near fall. Torrie distracted the referee while Candice attempted to roll Victoria on top of Mickie. Ashley distracted the ref herself, and helped Trish push Mickie over just enough to score the pin fall of Victoria.
Winner: Mickie James
****Commercial****
Vince McMahon’s music hit the arena and he came down to the ring to make his announcement. Vince said that when JR was fired and he hired Coach, that he always knew JR was full of crap. He said if God wanted to give the Earth an enema, he’d stick the tube right into Fresno. He said that was enough with the toilet humor and went on with his promo.
McMahon said that it was traditional when someone has surgery that WWE send cameras to be there to tape the event. McMahon warned us about the following footage saying it was graphic because we’d be talking about bowel blockage. Vince ran the video.
The tape was a skit of McMahon dressed as a doctor talking to someone dressed up like JR. There was a fake butt there and he kept listening to Ross’ intestines and could hear the Oklahoma Sooner’s college football fight song, a toilet flushing, and other gross sounds. The nurse put some lube on Vince’s arm and he reached up JR’s butt. He yanked out a bottle of Jim Ross’s famous BBQ sauce and then a football.
Vince also used a plunger to pull out a chopped off hand and a bag of Goldfish. The man playing JR was screaming “Bah Gawd!”. Eventually he pulled Stone Cold Steve Austin’s head from JR’s backside and said that he solved the problem of having his head up his ass.. He said he needed to release some tension and rubbed his face in the nurse’s chest.
****Commercial****
Rosey v. Cade and Murdoch
This was for the most part a glorified squash match. Rosey ended up being on the wrong end of a Cade back elbow and ended up on the floor to start the match. Gregory Helms, formerly the Hurricane, came out onto the ramp to watch. Murdoch tossed Rosey back in the ring who was hit by a Lance Cade elbow drop. The two whipped Rosey off the ropes as “Gregory Helms” looked on from the ramp, and hit him with a Murdoch knee and a running Cade elbow. Murdoch had Rosey in his corner and began to hit a series of crossfaces in the corner. He held the big man for Lance Cade, who flew off the ropes with an elbow. The two set up ‘Sweet and Sour” and hit it to retain their tag team championships.
Winners: Cade & Murdoch
John Cena v. Kurt Angle is next!
****Commercial****
The Smackdown Rebound aired.
John Cena v. Kurt Angle w/ Mick Foley as the Special Guest Referee
The two locked up and Cena took Angle down with a headlock . The two came off the ropes and Cena came out on top with two shoulder blocks. Angle fled the ring but eventually came back in. He caught a go behind on Cena and cinched in a big headlock. Eventually Cena tossed Angle into the ropes and came up on the short end of a shoulder block. Back into the ropes again and Cena hit his jumping arm drag. Eventually Cena clothes lined Angle up over the ropes and to the floor.
****Commercial****
We came back to Cena lying on the outside of the ring. Angle collected Cena and tossed his head off the ring steps. He went to work on Cena’s face raking his eyes. He tossed Cena back in the ring and hit a vertical suplex and followed it up with a near fall.
Angle stomped away at Cena before putting him in the corner and punching away. He stomped Cena before choking him out, standing on the ropes. Angle hit a nice looking back breaker on Cena and got another near fall. Angle clamped on a body scissors on the champion and squeezed away. Cena desperately tried to fight out of the hold and got Angle to a standing headlock and fought out with some punches, but when he came off the ropes, he got nailed with a belly to belly suplex. He Irish whipped Cena into the buckles then hit another belly to belly suplex as Cena rebounded off the corner.
He went for the pin fall and barely missed scoring the win and began to argue with Mick Foley. Cena snuck up and rolled Angle up for a two count. Angle came right back at Cena and hit a belly to back suplex and yet another quick cover. Angle kept going at Cena’s back, clamping on a reverse bear hug.
Cena eventually fought out and was able to hit a kick to the gut and a DDT. Both men were down on their back and fought their way to their feet to beat the ten count. Cena and Angle exchanged punches before Cena got the advantage, hitting two clotheslines and a shoulder block. Cena hit his proto plex and got a near fall. Carlito came running down to ringside and Foley began brawling with him. Carlito hit a swinging neck breaker on Foley leaving him in a heap.
Back in the ring Cena hit a back suplex and the five-knuckle shuffle on Angle. Eric Bischoff came down to ringside in an official’s shirt as Cena almost hit the FU. Out of nowhere, Angle nipped back up and nearly got the pin on a belly to back suplex. Angle immediately clamped on the ankle lock. Bischoff demanded that Cena tap, but Cena refused. Eventually Bischoff took Cena’s arm and forced it down to the canvas to make him tap and give Angle the victory.
Winner: Kurt Angle via submission
Angle stared down Cena from the ramp to end the show.RAW THOUGHTSThe Good-- For the most part, we had some decent story-line advancement tonight. Cena looks like the baby face in peril, and well, that’s about it. I am digging the new gimmick for Hurricane. Gregory Helms should be a good character and I am interested to see the direction he’s headed in. I loved the Smackdown invasion as well.
The Bad-- Hey, did anyone so happen to CATCH the reason Carlito and Foley are feuding? I must’ve missed it. Not like it matters because I could give a crap about the feud in general and who the hell Foley wrestles as at Taboo Tuesday. So who cares honestly. But for the sake of something, why do these guys not like each other?
The triple threat, while it had good energy, was an absolute match and had zero flow to it.
Angle-Cena wasn’t necessarily bad, but just not what I’d call good. And dare I say it was Cena who I thought made the match, doing one hell of a sell job for Angle. The Bischoff thing, eh, I don’t care nothing different from seven years ago. Been there, done that.
The Ugly-- The McMahon promo was trash tonight. McMahon going on about colon surgery was just one of those classically tasteless moments that only Vince can supply. The feud is an excuse to get his mug on TV.
Hey anyone realize we got less that 22 minutes of actual wrestling time tonight?
Overall D--- Just complete crap tonight. Just make the show a promo show. Bring back Prime Time and have a bunch of promos and then one or two squash matches. Tonight was terrible. I couldn’t even watch for half of the time. Vince’s promo just threw me over the edge. There’s really no reason to tune in next week. Maybe next week Bischoff will make a Taboo Tuesday match between Eugene and Rosey, and the fans get to choose what color their elbow pads are.
Quick Results
HBK def. Big Show & Kane
Triple H v. Viscera ended in a no contest
Mickie James def. Victoria
Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch def. Team Hero
Kurt Angle def. John Cena
Who’s Hot, Who’s Not?
Biggest Pops
1. John Cena
2. Shawn Michaels
3. Steve Austin
4. Ric Flair
Most Heat
1. Triple H
2. Stephanie McMahon
3. Vince McMahon
4. Kurt Angle
Match of the Night: Kurt Angle v. John Cena **1/2
Power RankingsWWE Champion: John Cena (LAST WEEK: WWE Champion)-- You know, as bad as Raw was tonight, I was impressed with Cena, not for his offense, but because of his selling, which was awesome. Cena doesn’t always get the credit he deserves as a worker. Yes, the offense is limited, but his selling has just come worlds. He’s one of the better baby-faces in peril on Raw.
Intercontinental Champion: Ric Flair (LAST WEEK: IC Champion)-- Flair came out, ran down the game and got in a brawl. Then Flair threw in the interesting angle of actually BEGGING the fans to vote on a particular match. Interesting swing. This week’s interaction was a nice touch to put the breaks on just before they really accelerate the feud heading into the pay per view.
1.) Kurt Angle (LAST WEEK: 1)--For the first time maybe ever, I could have cared less how well Angle did tonight. He got the tap out win on the champion, but that was forced so it doesn’t do him any favors in the credibility department. Angle’s Mr. Intensity character isn’t cool, it’s lame.
2.) Shawn Michaels (LAST WEEK: 2)--Michaels beats the other guys on the ballot for Taboo Tuesday. Gee, no subliminal message on who the WWE wants you to vote for, is there? Michaels will be in a match where he just plays the third wheel for the hell of it. No interest here either.
3.) Edge (LAST WEEK: 3)-- Edge is the only guy on the entire show that I can say is really stepping his game up. The feud with the Smackdown guys was taken to a new level tonight. His promo was probably his funniest and best stick work since the E & C days. Good stuff from Edge tonight.
4.) Triple H (LAST WEEK:5)-- Big Show’s loss is Triple H’s gain. The game moves up the ranks as his feud cools off a bit this week, only to surely gain heat next Monday.
5.) Big Show (LAST WEEK: 4)-- So Big Show FINALLY loses his first match on Raw, getting beat the hell up by Shawn Michaels and Kane. Certainly doesn’t help him much in the big picture and really seems to be going absolutely nowhere right now.
6.) Carlito(LAST WEEK: 6)-- For whatever reason, WWE has decided to turn Carlito into some sort of ruthless bad-ass. But what they don’t seem to get, is that you need to have him actually beat someone to get to that point.
Just something to consider.
7.) Chris Masters (LAST WEEK: 7) -- Masters was surpassingly decent on the mic this week and is slowly but surely making something of himself. The stick work could be a little more natural but that’ll all come in time. Most definitely cemented as a reasonable force in the mid card.
8.) Kane (LAST WEEK: NR)-- A battle royal victory against the entire roster and then nearly comes out on top in a big triple threat match tonight gets Kane’s character back on track. Again though, it still remains to be seen how sincere this mini push of the Big Red machine really is.
9.) Rob Conway(LAST WEEK: 8)-- Little activity.
10.) Shelton Benjamin (LAST WEEK: 10)-- Little activity.
Dropping Out: Kerwinn White ( LAST WEEK: 9)
Any Questions, comments, or feedback send email me at Raw@wrestleview.com.