On Monday, July 24, 2006 at 11:26 PM EST WWE Raw
July 24, 2006
Cleveland, OH
Commentators: Jim Ross and Jerry “The King” Lawler
Reported By: Hunter Golden of WrestleView.com
The opening pyro hit and JR and King welcomed us to the show!
Shawn Michaels came out to the DX theme without Triple H. He got on the mic and began talking about how we all knew a few weeks ago that they pulled a little bit of a prank on the McMahons. They told them that one Stephanie McMahon had gone into labor and that was a lie. It seemed however, life imitates art. He said at this very moment, Stephanie McMahon was in a hospital in Connecticut giving birth to her first child. Thankfully by her side he said, was her father Vince and brother Shane. He said unknown to them Triple H, at this very moment was in that same hospital. Somehow, HBK said HHH had some sort of inside scoop on this whole pregnancy thing. He said between these folks and him, he said he thought he knew who the father was.
He said that not withstanding, though we only have half of DX tonight, he promised to deliver twice the fun. Coach’s new music hit and he came down to the ring on his cell phone. He appeared to be talking to someone on the phone. He said he hated to interrupt HBK and burst his bubble, but just because Vince and Shane were not here tonight, didn’t mean he’d run amok. He said he wouldn’t because Coach was now in charge of Raw tonight.
HBK whistled at him and Coach got flustered. He said he was the only person with Vince on speed dial in the world. HBK asked if he was on the phone and then took the phone from Coach. He said it was a few years before he was in a delivery room, but Vince shouldn’t use that kind of language. He had the Cleveland crowd tell Vince to suck it via the telephone. HBK ran down some lamaz breathing but then gave the phone back to Coach who apologized to Vince for HBK’s outburst.
Vince apparently told him over the phone that HBK would have a match tonight on Raw. HBK said he knew he’d take on all five members of the Spirit Squad tonight. Coach said that wasn’t the case, that instead, he’d be facing Coach tonight instead. HBK looked at him very seriously before bursting out in laughter and falling on Coach’s chest. Coach looked less than thrilled. Once he collected himself, he began laughing again and rolled around on the mat. He motioned to Coach to suck it some more before his music played again and Coach walked off.
The played a clip of the incident between Randy Orton and Hulk Hogan from Saturday Night’s main event. Hogan will appear later tonight.
****Commercial****
World Tag Team Championship
The Spirit Squad v. The Highlanders
Kenny and Rory started of the match with a rope exchange in which Kenny got the upper hand. Rory regained the advantage ramming Kenny’s head into the buckles. Kenny ran off tagging in Mikey who went right after Rory but got caught in a huge body slam.
Robbie tagged in and was body slammed onto Mikey and went for a cover, but it was broken up by Kenny. All four members ended up in the ring at once and the Highlanders did their ten punches and kilt smother. Both came running out of their respective corners but Robbie got nailed with a clothesline.
Kenny tagged in and connected with a nice drop kick that got him a two count. Kenny clubbed Robbie to the corner and tagged Mikey back in. Mikey went back to work, hitting some knees, but missed a back body drop attempt which Robbie turned into a neck breaker.
Rory got the hot tag and floored both members of the Spirit Squad before hitting a brutal back breaker on Mikey as the exclamation point. The Highlanders went for the Scot Drop, but the Nicky and Johnny interfered. Kenny hit a brutal leg lariat to pick up the win.
Winners and STILL Tag Team Champions: The Spirit Squad
Mick Foley was at the Stamford WWE offices. Foley said he was a little remised that Foley was called “Fat Boy”. He wanted to know what had become of Ric Flair. He said the worst things to see was Flair proving to the world that he had the creativity and intellect of an average fourth grader. He said he saw a weak and feeble man who was digging into a bag of clichés because he had nothing left. He said Flair made him sick. He said Flair was a second rate circus side show, falling on tacks on ECW all to try and lour him back. He said it wouldn’t work ever. He said not only was Flair a sick Circus side show, but he was assaulting women in a vain attempt to prove his manhood. He challenged Flair to a ‘confrontation’ next week on Raw where he said he’d put Flair out of his misery forever.
****Commercial****
Ric Flair’s music hit and he came out to the ramp and headed for the ring. Flair asked Foley what happened to his buddy Terry Funk when they wrestled in 1988. He said it wasn’t about tacks or being fat, it was about being a man. He asked Foley to be half the man that he was every day of his life.
WWE Champion Edge’s music hit and he came down the ramp. He said Foley wasn’t the man anymore and nor was Flair. He said he was the rated R superstar and the WWE champion. He was the man now. He said he wasn’t going to listen to Flair’s rants anymore. He said he was the MVP of the show and he’d tell him what was going on. IC Champion Johnny Nitro tried to jump Flair from behind but Flair caught him. Edge pounced and the two began to pummel Flair.
John Cena quickly came running down to make the save. Flair and Cena taunted Nitro and Edge from the ring.
Carlito and Trish were in the back. Carlito said he had something to say to her and mumbled something to her in Spanish. She said she didn’t speak Spanish. Carlito asked Trish if after his match, they could hang out. Trish agreed.
****Commercial****
Coach was in the back on the phone with Vince. He said he didn’t think his match with HBK was a good idea. Edge and Lita stormed into the locker room and demanded that the ‘disrespect’ shown to them was addressed. He said tonight, Edge would team up with Johnny Nitro and take on Ric Flair and John Cena. He said if Edge would excuse him, he had a match to get ready for.
Todd Grisham came out to the ramp and announced that Stephanie McMahon gave birth to a daughter Aurora Rose and she weighed 8 lbs.
#1 Contender’s Match for the Intercontinental Championship
Shelton Benjamin v. Carlito
Carlito went for an early inside cradle and hit a boot to Shelton’s gut. He came off the ropes and hit a million dollar knee lift that floored Benjamin. Carlito continued to work over Benjamin with a great springboard drop kick and got a near fall. Shelton hit a kick to Carlito’s face but Carlito blocked suplex attempt. Carlito attempted one of his own, but Shelton fought out and nailed Carlito in the back and sent him shoulder first into the ring post.
Shelton continued his assault, hitting an arm breaker take down but only got a two count on the cover attempt. Shelton cinched in a deep arm bar. Shelton mugged Carlito in the corner but got caught eventually with a standing hurricanranna. Carlito fought back with some punches and nailed Benjamin with a modified flat liner.
Carlito hit his springboard reverse elbow and again went for a cover and again only got two. Carlito whipped Shelton to the buckles but got caught with an elbow and a drop kick. Carlito eventually mounted the top turnbuckle but Benjamin with one leap, met him on the top rope. Carlito leapt off the buckles but Shelton snared him in a brutal back arm bar who barely reached the ropes to break the hold.
Shelton loaded Carlito up for a power bomb, but it was countered into a two count on the roll up. Shelton hoarded Carlito to the corner but found himself on the business end of a back cracker. Carlito went for the cover, but Shelton got his feet on the ropes. Shelton undid the corner turn buckle pad but Carlito caught him with a back body drop. Carlito saw the buckle and un did it himself. The referee saw the buckle drop and went to put it back on. Shelton sling shotted Carlito towards the official and the buckle, but Carlito somer saulted off the top buckle. Shelton turned around and hit a low blow and roll up on Carlito for the pin fall and the victory.
Winner: Shelton Benjamin via pin fall
Highlights of the Diva Dance off from Smackdown aired. Marlena won immunity in the contest.
Hulk Hogan is up next!
****Commercial****
Hulk Hogan’s music hit and he came out to a MONSTER pop. The fans went absolutely berserk for Hogan. Hogan couldn’t even get any words out. It continued for about five minutes before Hogan put over all the Hulkamaniacs in Cleveland. He said Randy Orton was in a hell of a lot of trouble. He said Orton came out and interrupted him and his Daughter. He said Orton talked all about respect and lectured him on it. He said first off, Randy Orton didn’t know anything about respect and didn’t know anything about respecting the WWE fans. He said back in the day when the maniacs were running around in his diapers, he ran around with Orton’s dad and there was a lot of respect despite the blood between them.
He said Orton raised the bar on the Hulk Hogan ass kicking at Summerslam. He said when Orton felt his wrath, Orton would know all about respect. Orton’s music hit and he came out to the ramp.
Orton met a chorus of boos from the crowd. Randy said Hogan would have to wait until Summerslam to beat some ‘sense’ into him. He said he wanted to talk about Hogan’s daughter. Hogan told him not to go there. Orton said there was a lot of chemistry between him and Brooke. He said Hogan was at the age where he’d lose his eye sight and maybe it was understandable he couldn’t see it. He said they talked at least 10 minutes before he showed up near the car. He said Brooke had so much to say and told him how handsome she thought he was and what a magnificent appearance he had and how she loved the color of his eyes.
He said his only regret was that his daughter was going to have to see him destroy the legend of Hulkamania. Hogan told him that fear didn’t have to hold him back and called him out right now. Orton made his way down to the ringside area but failed to get in the ring. Orton tried a second time to get into the ring but again, Hogan chased him off. Orton came at King who retaliated and tossed him in the ring with Hogan. Hogan hit three rights and barely missed his big boot as Orton ran off like a scalded dog. Hogan’s music played and he jawed at Orton who was on the ramp frustrated.
JR and King put over the Flair/Cena v. Edge/Nitro match later tonight.
****Commercial****
WWE Women’s Championship
Mickie James v. Candice Michelle
James jumped Michelle right off the bat, and drove a boot right into the back of her neck. She went for a cover but only got a one count. She took Candice down with a snap mare and clamped in a hard sleeper hold. Candice fought to her feet but got taken down but a hard knee to the gut. James bull rushed her to the corner and hit some hard shoulder thrusts. She perched Candice on the top rope but Candice fought back and clamped in reverse leg choke over the ropes. Candice broke the hold at four and began to press the advantage. Candice went to the top and hit a cross body block but Mickie James reversed the momentum to get the win.
Winner and STILL Women’s Champion: Mickie James
****Commercial****
Shawn Michaels came out and did his suck it routine solo. Coach’s music interrupted the routine which left HBK dismayed.
Shawn Michaels v. Jonathon Coachman
Coach and Michaels tied up but Michaels rolled out to the ringside area and went under the time keepers table and threw on a bathing cap. The two locked up and Michaels backed Coach into the corner and Coach reversed but found himself on the receiving end of some HBK punches.
HBK took down Coach’s pants and floored him with another right hand. Coach caught a thumb to the eye but got nailed with a flying forearm. Michaels hit his inverted atomic drop and another punch. Michaels body slammed Coach and went to the top rope to drop his elbow. He came sailing off and nailed the move and began tuning up the band.
The Spirit Squad came down to the ring but were quickly cleaned out by HBK. Michaels tuned up the band and cracked coach with sweet chin music.
Out of nowhere, Umaga showed up and hit a scary looking Samoan drop on Michaels. He dropped a hard Samoan spike onto Michael’s throat, leaving HBK crumpled in the ring.
Winner by DQ: Shawn Michaels
Umaga stood over what was left of Michaels.
****Commercial****
Maria was in the back with John Cena. She couldn’t get right who Cena was taking on or who his partner was. Cena said it was okay and that he thought she was beautiful but wondered if she ate paint chips as a kid. He said it was a steamy night here. He said Steph had a kid tonight which meant Raw was being run through a cell phone. He said Edge was rated PG-13 and Lita was NC-17 for the fact that the lumps you’d get from kissing her go away only after 17 days. He said Nitro was named after natural gas. He said Orton was trying to put moves on Hulk Hogan’s daughter but Hogan still knew best. He made fun of Armando Estrada and Umaga. He said Carlito’s hair was out of control and he was just going to lose it. He said amidst the chaos, he had Ric Flair as a partner and he’d kick Edge’s butt.
The Diva Search is next!
****Commercial****
The Miz came out to introduce the Diva Search contestants. Marise was eliminated from the competition. He congratulated the rest of the contestants. The Divas will be competing in a musical chairs competition on Smackdown this coming week.
****Commercial****
Edge & Johnny Nitro v. John Cena & Ric Flair
Flair and Nitro started off the match with a tie up. Nitro missed a punch and Flair came at him with some hard chops. Edge tagged in and got similar treatment. Pretty soon all hell broke loose and Edge was dumped over the top rope and Nitro followed suit. Flair and Cena stood in the ring celebrating as we went to the break.
****Commercial****
Nitro was working over Cena in his corner. Edge tagged in and hit some stomps of his own and taunted the crowd. Edge reigned blows down on Cena’s head and distracted the ref while Nitro choked him out in the corner.
Nitro tagged in and went to work on Cena in the corner. He whipped Cena into the opposite buckle but missed the follow up and tagged in Flair. Flair landed a hard chop and some punches before tossing Nitro off the ropes and hitting a back elbow. He began punching away on Nitro some more before hitting another back body drop. Flair chop blocked Nitro’s leg and immediately went for the figure four and locked it in but Edge broke up the hold. Cena came in to aid Flair but Edge tossed him well over the top rope. Edge hit the spear on Flair but Cena barely go in the ring to break up the cover.
Nitro tagged in and planted Flair with a neck breaker. Nitro continued to choke Flair out on the apron and distracted the referee while Melina and Lita mugged him on the outside. Nitro gathered Flair and brought him in the ring only to get chopped hard four or five times before Flair missed a clothesline and Nitro connected with one of his own.
Edge tagged in and he and Nitro hit a double clothesline on Flair. They tossed Flair to the outside while Edge distracted the ref and Nitro continued the abuse.
Back in the ring, Edge and Flair continued to trade shots until Edge gained the upper hand. Flair reversed whip on Edge but got caught with a boot to the face. Edge came flying off the second rope but Flair caught him with a huge chop to the chest. The crowd cheered Flair to the corner who tagged Cena.
Cena cleaned out Nitro and Edge. Cena hit a shoulder block on Nitro before planting him with his proto-plex. Cena signaled for the five knuckle shuffle but Lita distracted him. Cena came off the ropes but Edge nailed him with a chair and flattened Flair on the outside. Nitro went for the cover but somehow, Cena kicked out. Nitro went for his DDT, but Cena countered and cinched in the STFU while Flair hung onto Edge’s foot from the outside of the ring. Nitro tapped, barely out of the reach of Edge.
Winners: John Cena & Ric Flair via submissionRAW THOUGHTSThe Good— Mick Foley’s promo was incredibly good. This feud with Flair has been the best thing I can remember on Raw since Triple H-Flair last year. Great stuff from both of these two.
John Cena was excellent tonight. He was certainly over the top in his promo but worked a very solid match in the main event. All four meshed really well and put together an extremely fun main event. Edge needs to start getting the upper hand in this feud soon though.
Maybe I’m the only one, but I’m completely digging HBK-Umaga if that’s the way they’re heading. Umaga has been great in the past two weeks and really came off as the unstoppable monster he needs to be. Michaels, as always, did one hell of a sell-job.
Finally, the Orton-Hogan feud hooked me tonight. The atmosphere the two had tonight was awesome and it really had that big match feel to it. Orton is playing the perfect heel right now and this feud, god willing, will be the one to really vault him into that main event status we all know he’s capable of.
The Bad—Try as I might, the DX stuff just doesn’t fit right now. At least they didn’t come out on top tonight and we got a little new blood with Umaga. Let’s see how it pans out next week, but as of now, I’m still a little meh about it all.
Am I the only one who thinks it’s mindless to have the Highlanders in a tag title match at this point? Not like the titles mean anything anymore but let’s be honest here. I love these guys and they’re a very good tag team given how relatively new they are, but they need a lot of time to get over to do anything for the division, the belts, or themselves. Just a little mindless in my opinion.
The Ugly— I just hate the Diva search. It does absolutely nothing for me. The winner will be the hot thing for three months then dumped onto Smackdown and forgotten while WWE pushes the chicks they want to anyways. Waste of time and money. Someone hit Miz with a car.
Overall B- - I’m not going to totally rail tonight’s show because wrestling wise, it was leaps and bounds ahead of what we usually get but it still just lacked a lot of, I dunno, oomph. Orton-Hogan and Flair-Foley are the only feuds I’m really digging right now and the outcome of both of those are more than apparent. Nice not to see Vince for an hour tonight.
Quick Results
The Spirit Squad def. The Highlanders
Shelton Benjamin def. Carlito
Mickie James def. Candice
Shawn Michaels def. The Coach
John Cena & Rick Flair def. Edge & Johnny Nitro
Who’s Hot, Who’s Not?
Biggest pops
1. Hulk Hogan
2. John Cena
3. Ric Flair
4. HBK
Most Heat
1. Randy Orton
2. Edge
3. Umaga
4. The Spirit Squad
Match of the night: Edge & Johnny Nitro v. Ric Flair & John Cena **
Power Rankings:
WWE Champion: Edge (Last Week: WWE Champion) —Edge did a good job interjecting himself here or there but I’ve yet to see this guy look or serve any other purpose other than to be constantly running from Cena. No elaborate traps, no plans, nothing. Just gets beat down and chased off week after week. I just don’t see this lasting past Summerslam, although I’m hoping I’m really wrong.
Intercontinental Champion: Johnny Nitro (Last Week: IC Champion)— Nitro, for the first time since being on Raw, really felt like a big deal to me tonight and he stuck with the main eventers at every step and even shined through at points. His being IC champion seemed important for a change and I loved it.
1. John Cena (Last Week: 1)—Cena really is getting back into the swing of things in the ring again and is now performing well on TV on a consistent basis. That’s what being a top guy entails. Now if they could only cut down on the nonsense on the mic and they’d really see his stock rise even more.
2. Umaga (Last Week: 2)—Flat out, he’s the hottest thing going on Raw right now, save for possibly Orton. He completely trashed Michaels tonight and they couldn’t have possibly picked a better big name for him to feud with at this point. Umaga as a character is really beginning to come into his own as a character. I think I may have been wrong about Jamaal after all.
3. Randy Orton (Last Week: 3) —Wow, did Orton draw some heat tonight. Tonight’s segment was very, very well done. The roles were defined perfectly and they got the best atmosphere I think they could ever ask for to really launch this feud. I’m still a tad skeptical, but here’s to hoping... for Orton’s sake.
4. Ric Flair (Last Week: 7) —Flair is still the man and again tonight, cuts a great promo and holds his own with the youngsters. His feud with Foley has been incredible and notice the two haven’t crossed paths since Vengeance. Take out your notebooks, this is how you book a feud.
5. Shawn Michaels (Last Week: 4) —HBK gets a win this week but the DX stuff is flat out lame by now. Let’s see what Umaga and HBK can do together.
6. Triple H (Last Week: 5) —Congratulations on fatherhood, Game.
7. Carlito (Last Week: 6) —Slips a bit with the loss, but you can’t help but think the lost ground is only temporary, so I can’t drop him too much.
8. Shelton Benjamin (Last Week: 9) —Shelton picked up a win in a great match tonight, but it couldn’t be more obvious that he’ll be dropping that #1 contender bit soon. Poor guy is going nowhere.
9. Mick Foley (Last Week: 8) —Foley’s promo was flat out awesome tonight. Now granted we haven’t seen much of him but it’s a testament to the fact that it’s not how much you do, but what you do with it.
10. Matt Striker (Last Week: 10)—Out of action this week.
Dropping Out: None