On Monday, February 26, 2007 at 11:43 PM EST WWE RAW
February 26, 2007
Fresno, CA
Commentators: Jim Ross & Jerry “The King” Lawler
Reported By: Hunter Golden of WrestleView.com
A video aired putting over Donald Trump’s appearance on Raw a few weeks ago. Trump will be announcing his pick later on tonight.
World Tag Team Championship
John Cena & Shawn Michaels © v. Rated RKO
Edge and Orton appeared on the titan tron. Orton said there must be some sort of misunderstanding. Orton said Edge and he weren’t ready to compete. He said they would be later tonight and they’d make into the match for their match. Orton told HBK to listen up. He said HBK was robbed at the Oscars last night for not winning best actor. He said Michaels may have Cena’s back, but not his sides, his back or his jaws. He told Cena to watch his back because HBK was a liar. He said to everyone who doesn’t believe him, Edge and Orton put together a little video recap of ‘historic’ Shawn Michaels.
A video aired putting over all the times Michaels had turned on people in the past. Very awesome stuff. Edge called Michaels a liar repeatedly and said Shawn said having your back and stabbing him in the back are two entirely different things and said we’d see them later tonight.
Cena turned around as HBK mouthed ‘do you trust me?”
****Commercial****
Money in the Bank Qualifying Match
Jeff Hardy v. Shelton Benjamin
The two grappled around on the mat and Shelton went for a few roll up attempts before we had the old stare-down, stalemate. Hardy hit a double leg take down then dropped both legs down across the abdomen and went for a cover. Hardy bullied Shelton to the corner and hit a snap mare take down with a drop kick to the back of Shelton’s head.
Shelton ducked under a clothesline attempt and hit a neck breaker. Shelton slapped on a rear chin lock that Hardy fought out of. Jeff hit a drop kick, sending Shelton to the outside of the ring. Hardy darted across the guardrail and hit a clothesline before rolling Shelton back into the ring.
The two exchanged some blows in the corner before Hardy hit a whisper in the wind before ascending the top rope and looking for the swanton bomb. Shelton leapt to the top rope and hit his belly to belly suplex, planting the former IC champion hard on the mat and sending him to the floor.
****Commercial****
We came back to Shelton Benjamin being in control, with a headlock. Jeff Hardy fought back again, but this time got back body dropped to the mat. Shelton went for a cover but didn’t get anything. Benjamin collected Hardy and hit another backdrop before putting the boots to him on the mat. Shelton slapped on a modified chin lock and again the crowd rallied behind Hardy.
Hardy hit his jawbreaker and hit two clotheslines before hitting a back elbow and a swinging take down. Shelton ducked under a clothesline and leapt to the apron. Shelton went for a springboard move off the top rope but completely botched it and landed on his head. Hardy went for a cover. Hardy hit a crescent kick before hitting the twist of fate. Hardy loaded up the swanton bomb and nailed it for the three count.
Winner: Jeff Hardy via pin fall
Hardy walked up the ramp before Vince McMahon appeared on the titan tron and cut off the fun. He said Umaga was the guy who dethroned Jeff Hardy last week on Raw. He then showed us a bunch of pictures of Donald Trump’s shaved head.
****Commercial****
A video was aired of Ashley’s Playboy shoot.
Melina was in the back being jealous and complaining about everything. She whined about Ashley, was pissed off about Mick Foley getting attention, especially after she ‘fired him’ last year, etc. She whined about a ‘falls count anywhere’ rematch with Mickie James and her match with Maria later tonight. Johnny Nitro exploded on her and told her to shut up, that she was all caught up in herself.
Johnny Nitro v. Super Crazy
Nitro assaulted Crazy before the bell and laid into Crazy with some super stiff punches. Nitro tossed Super Crazy into the ring steps and then hit a wheel barrel face buster on the outside of the ring. Nitro just walked off, seething still, not giving a crap about his match with Super Crazy. He looked down from the ramp, happy with his work. Crazy was left unconscious.
Winner: No Contest
JR and King put over the World Tag Team Championship later tonight.
****Commercial****
Melina v. Maria
The two locked up and Melina took Maria to the mat. Maria yanked the hair and went for a roll up before Maria whacked Melina in the face with a kick. Maria missed the drop kick and Melina stepped on her face. Awesome. Melina threw Maria’s face to the mat before whipping her into the corner. Melina stuck another furry boot in Maria’s face, before stretching out her neck on the ropes and then slapping on some sort of modified Boston Crab. Melina went for a cover attempt but Maria kicked out. Melina pressed her advantage, tossing Mrs. CM Punk across the ring by the hair.
Melina sat in with a camel clutch, humbling people everywhere. Maria powered out of the move before getting hammered with a kick to the mid section. Maria caught the champion with a boot to the face and a face buster. Maria hit her bulldog and went for the cover but Melina kicked out at two. Maria hit an Irish whip and a nasty lariat before going for the broncobuster. Melina got a knee up just in time and Maria ate it in the, uh, private, uh, area. Her bronco has been busted. Melina rolled her up and got the three count for the win.
Winner: Melina via pin fall
Trump will pick his Wrestlemania 23 representative next!
****Commercial****
Vince McMahon climbed into the ring and put the match over a little bit more. Vince and down his riches and everyone /*’s riches and how embarrassed Trump would be after the match. He said he was going to give him a billionaire ‘bitch slap’. A video aired of Umaga totaling former World Champion Rey Mysterio. Vince introduced to us the man who would assure him victory at Wrestlemania, WWE Intercontinental Champion Umaga. Vince said anything Trump could do, he could do better.
After some more Vince Babbling, Donald interrupted him on the Titan Tron. Trump said Umaga was an animal. He said the proper thing to do with animals was to ‘tame’ them. He said the only way he knew how to tame someone, was to find a superior product, and he said he found that in ECW World Champion Bobby Lashley.
Lashley came out and stared Umaga down in the middle of the ring. Vince screamed for some security from the back. The two broke from security and brawled all around the ring. The two spilled to the outside of the ring and they brawled all up and down the table. The two brawled all around the announce table area before being broken up by security again. Lashley leapt off the ring steps at Umaga who spine bustered him to the floor and began whaling away with lefts and rights before being split up again.
****Commercial****
Chris Masters was in the middle of a ring and it looks like we’re getting a master lock challenge.
Master Lock Challenge
Chris Masters went to speak on the mic and was cut off before he could even get a word out by the Great Khali’s music. Masters looks like he’s going to crap himself. Masters had trouble just getting his hands around Khali. Masters looked like he was trying to cheat and avoid putting on the lock. Kane’s music hit and he came out and choke slammed the poopie out of Masters.
Kane and Khali traded big man craziness before Kane clotheslined Khali over the top rope who hit the floor hard. Kane hit a chair shot on Masters for fun and the two stared each other down.
Winner: No Contest
Vince McMahon was upset about the non-sense going on between Lashley and Kane. Vince’s phone rang and he chatted and hung up. A guy on the board of directors apparently said he wanted a gust referee for the match to preserve the integrity of the match at Wrestlemania. Vince ordered off Coach to get him a glass of water.
JR and King put over the World Tag Team Championships.
Edge and Orton are in the back doing what they do. A video replay aired of the two trying to divide Michaels and Cena earlier.
****Commercial****
Carlito v. Kenny Dykstra
This match started over the break. Kenny called Carlito ‘Ric Flair’s clunky’ over the break.
The two were exchanging blows in the corner before Carlito rammed the youngsters head into the top turnbuckle. Carlito hit a body slam and a flipping senton but only got a one count on the cover. Carlito choked out Kenny on the ropes before driving some shoulders into Kenny’s mid section.
Kenny hit a thumb to the eye and then some kicks to the gut before choking Carlito on the buckles. Carlito fired back with some punches to the face and then sent the former Spirit Squad member off the ropes and hit a flapjack. Carlito went for a cover but found nothing. He went for his spring board elbow and Kenny ducked and Carlito crashed to the mat and rolled out to the floor.
Kenny rammed Carlito into the ring apron a few times before tossing Carlito back into the ring and going for a two count. He worked over the former IC champion’s mid section with some kicks before Carlito began fighting back with some knife-edge chops. Kenny cut the comeback short, bullying Carlito to the corner and hitting some shoulder thrusts. Kenny went for a cover and got nothing before loading Carlito up and hitting reverse vertical suplex.
Kenny slapped on an arm bar but Carlito fought out again. Kenny cut it off once more before dropping some knees and putting the boots to Carlito’s face on the mat. Kenny went for a cover and again, he kicked out. Kenny slapped on an abdominal stretch and pounded away at the ribs of his adversary as the crowd tried to get behind Carlito. The two traded hip toss attempts before Kenny ended up on the apron. Kenny went for a sunset flip, but Carlito blocked it.
Carlito hit some clotheslines before hitting a running million dollar knee lift and his springboard reverse elbow. Carlito went for a two count, but didn’t get anything. Carlito pounded away on Kenny before jaw jacking with the referee a little bit. Kenny blocked a hurricanranna and hit a sit out power bomb for a two count. Kenny whipped Carlito into the buckles but found no one home on the follow up. Kenny was hung up in the corner and Carlito planted him with a back cracker.
Winner: Carlito via pin fall
After the match, Ric Flair came out and clapped for Carlito and the youngster seemed to appreciate the gesture.
Coach promised everything was in Mr. McMahon’s briefcase. Vince said he was going to San Jose tonight. He said ECW was on Sci Fi tomorrow night and he was going to be there. He said he was going to make Lashley’s life a living hell. Coach wished him well.
The World Tag Team Championship match is next!
****Commercial****
World Tag Team Championship
John Cena & Shawn Michaels v. Rated RKO
Michaels and Edge started us off. The two exchanged go behinds before Edge planted an elbow to Michaels’ face. HBK countered with some chops to neutralize the challenger. Michaels grabbed an arm wringer before eating a forearm and a body slam.
Michaels decked Randy Orton as soon as he entered the match and Cena tagged in. Cena smashed Orton’s face off the buckle and then whipped the challenger to the buckles and hit a nice fisherman’s suplex before going for a cover. Orton raked Cena’s eyes and hit a drop kick before dragging Cena to the corner and tagging in his partner, Edge.
Edge rammed Cena’s head into the buckles and distracted the official while Cena got his in the corner. Edge stomped away at the WWE Champion on the mat and then jaw jacked with the crowd for a little bit. Edge hit a few more stomps and then tagged in Orton who put a beat down on Cena on the bottom rope.
Cena fought to his feet an began exchanging blows with Orton in the middle of the ring before the challenger gained the upper hand and beat Cena down in the corner. Orton choked out Cena with his boot before tagging Edge into the match. Edge hit some punches and planted an elbow in the back of Cena’s neck. Orton tagged in and missed an irish whip follow up and the champion countered with a power bomb.
Cena struggled to the corner and tagged in HBK who cleaned house on Randy Orton with a forearm and then the inverted atomic drop. He hit the scoop slam and went for the top rope elbow and connected with it. Edge came running in to cut him off and he ate an atomic drop of his own before being dumped to the outside by Cena.
Michaels tuned up the band and missed Orton by a little bit but Cena caught the kick and began exchanging words with HBK in the middle of the ring.
****Commercial****
We came back to HBK and Edge exchanging chops. Edge got the better of the exchange and slapped on a bow an arrow. The crowd rallied HBK who fought out of the hold and hit some chops before getting cut off with the Edge-o-matic. Edge went for the cover, but only got a two count. Orton tagged in and laid into the #1 contender for the WWE title with the Garvin Stomp before dropping a knee right across HBK’s face. Orton went for a cover but Michaels was able to kick out in time. Orton slapped on a rear chin lock and again, Michaels will be forced to fight to his feet. Orton nearly got two pin falls out of the hold before Michaels began to amp up again.
Orton fought to his feet and hit some shots to the gut before getting caught with a big time atomic drop. Orton went for another cover and again, only got a 2 count. Edge tagged in and whipped HBK into the ropes and slapped on a sleeper hold. HBK again used the crowd to rally and crotched Edge on the top rope before flopping his way towards his partner and he made the tag.
Cena met a freshly tagged in Randy Orton head-on and nailed him with two clotheslines and an inverted power bomb. Cena loaded up for the five-knuckle shuffle and then loaded up the FU. Orton was grabbed by Edge to save him and when Cena yanked Orton out of Edge’s hands, he knocked the referee out.
Edge knocked HBK to the outside leaving him and Cena alone in the ring together. Edge looked for the spear and found himself stuck in an FU attempt. Edge wiggled out and slammed Cena into the corner. HBK brought the tag belt into the ring and clocked Edge in the back. HBK backed off and tossed the belt into Orton’s hands. Edge turned around and saw the belt in Orton’s hand and the two began arguing. Edge stormed out of the ring, leaving Orton all alone. HBK hammered Orton with sweet chin music before Orton wobbled into Cena’s arms and was FU’d. Once cover later, the match was over.
Winners and STILL World Tag Team Champions: Shawn Michaels & John Cena via pin fallRAW THOUGHTSShow Thoughts-- This show had a great feel to it. I was into virtually every single segment they did. The stuff you’d figure would be a waste ended up having something to take away from it and while the Vince-Trump stuff may have gone long, the way they re-focused it to Lashley and Umaga was unexpected but a good move. They’re not treating the two as sideshows, which is good to see.
The Cena-HBK program is moving along at a perfect clip. I smell someone going heel for just the WM main event itself, and I think they may have it be Cena, taking the ‘better safe than sorry’ route. This has been a sensationally booked feud so far though, and there’s not much I’d change.
What a cool Eddie Guererro-esque ending to the tag match tonight with it progressing another angle. Orton and Edge are both being booked as utter douche bags and the old saying ‘there’s no honor among thieves’ really fits this feud well so far. So far, so good.
Even Kane-Khali had a really awesome aura around it. JR and King’s reaction was pretty spot-on and the fans totally ate these two up in the ring. Props to Khali for taking a pretty nasty bump to the floor for a guy his size. Masters, despite clearly being the third wheel, actually helped make the segment pretty awesome, with his smarmy heel antics and getting beat around. He’s the only guy who can get booked like a dork and still look great.
Every segment had something to take away from it tonight and made the show pretty enjoyable. This is literally the best consecutive string of shows that Raw has put on since the brand split occurred in 2002. Every show has a particular energy about it. Every show is centered around what’s going on in the ring and you get plenty of action. Most importantly, there just doesn’t seem to be a lot of wasted segments. WWE gets the most out of everything they’re tossing on television right now, at least on this brand, which is something I haven’t seen in a long time, and is even more surprising considering how utterly awful the product was in mid-December. Hats off to Raw.
Overall- B --- Another really solid Raw. The thing that’s made the show so much better than it’s been in forever lately is the overall feeling of the shows. Nothing seems like an incredible chore to sit through and the flow is just fine. Nothing spectacular tonight, but still a really solid show that I really enjoyed.
Quick Results
Jeff Hardy def. Shelton Benjamin
Johnny Nitro and Super Crazy fought to a No Contest
Melina def. Maria
Carlito def. Kenny Dykstra
John Cena & Shawn Michaels def. Rated RKO to RETAIN the World Tag Team Championship
Who’s Hot, Who’s Not?
Biggest Pops
1. John Cena
2. Shawn Michaels
3. Kane
4. Jeff Hardy
Most Heat
1. Umaga
2. Mr. McMahon
3. Edge
4. The Great Khali
Match of the night: HBK/Cena v. Orton/Edge **1/2
Power Rankings5 Points= Title Win
4 Points= World Title defense/win
3 Points= Singles PPV Win
2 Points= Tag PPV Win
2 Points= TV Singles Win
1 Point= TV Tag Win
0 Points= Loss
WWE Champion: John Cena (8-3, 20 points) (Last Week: WWE Champion)—Cena and Michaels are absolute heat magnets so far with this whole ‘tension between friends’ thing they’re doing. The video of HBK turns in the past was really well done and keeps us all guessing. Good feud and more good action from the champion again this week.
Intercontinental Champion: Umaga 4-2, 9 Points (Last Week: IC Champion) — It was kind of funny how heat-less the Lashley stare down was until Umaga went ballistic on Lashley and pounded his half-retarded face in. I hope Umaga boils Lashley’s kids, your kids, and mine and then sticks both Trump and McMahon with a spear. I love Umaga. By the way the look on his face while he was looking at McMahon tonight was priceless. Estrada carrying that IC title around is funny too. Was I ever wrong about this guy.
1. HBK 6-2, 12 points (Last Week: 1)— I know I talk a bit much about the ‘big moment’ these days, but no two guys get ‘big moments’ in wrestling like Taker and HBK do. HBK is so good at adding tension to things. You expect things to happen and sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t, but Michaels always keeps you guessing, which is the important thing.
2. The Great Khali, 5-0, 9pts. (Last Week: 2 )— I was stunned more so at myself for getting as pumped up for the Kane-Khali showdown tonight. The crowd really went banana-cakes for it and it’s a great Wrestlemania feud to get Khali over as a monster. Masters’ reactions to him were pretty great.
3. Jeff Hardy (9-2, 21 points.) (Last Week: 4 )— I’m going to move Hardy up a rung with his being placed into the Money in the Bank match. For as un-crazy as I am about Hardy’s ability and his future as a top guy, WWE’s booked him well and surprisingly strong in the mid card. Money in the bank is really his kind of match as he’ll supply plenty of crazy moves and nutty bumps. He’s also got the second best record on the brand, and the second most points. With Edge and Orton’s inability to beat a sack of potatoes lately, Hardy moves up.
4. Edge 3-5, 8pts. (Last Week: 3) — Edge cuts a pretty good heel promo and then walks off on Orton, who takes fall #4,527 of the year for Rated RKO. Edge has managed to maintain some heat with some pretty decent performances, but Rated RKO’s credibility is pretty much zilch. I’m glad they put the kibosh on it tonight.
5. Ric Flair, 3-3, 5pts. (Last Week: 5)-- It was a pretty quiet night for Flair tonight. No action minus some incredible looking, ****3/4 claps at the top of the entrance ramp for Carlito. The left hand should have sold more.
6. Carlito 4-5, 7pts. (Last Week: 10)— Carlito’s finally starting to look strong again and being booked as a younger guy who’s finally found some focus. I’m not really sure where they’re going with all this, but hopefully it leads somewhere useful. Thanks to Super Crazy’s draw, Masters not really looking great, his own clean win over Dykstra and Orton’s overall incompetence, Carlito moves all the way up to #6.
7. Randy Orton 1-6 , 4 pts. (Last Week: 6) —I can’t possibly find reasons to keep Orton anywhere near the top five so long as he continues to look like a boob and take falls week after week. He’s won about four matches since last July and in half of them was the guy who got scraped off the mat with a spatula at the end of the match. Sure, WWE’s got him towards the top of the card but it’s impossible to buy him as a top guy if he never wins. Ever.
8. Super Crazy 3-3-1, 5 points (Last Week: 7) — Gets his face kicked in by Johnny Nitro. Huntie Likey.
9. Chris Masters, 3-4, 6 pts. (Last Week: 9) )— Masters feels like the only guy who can take his weak booking and make it look great. He was booked as a total wiener tonight and managed to make it look awesome. He looked so baffled by what he was going to do with Khali and his getting brained in the head a few times with the chair worked for some freaking reason. Orton looks like an idiot, but this guy maintains a degree of believability despite being booted out of the ring every week.
10. Johnny Nitro, (2-4-1, 2pts ) (last week NR) — I am kind of surprised to see Nitro and Melina getting at each other this early in the game. Nitro, as solid as he can be in the ring and he and Melina can deliver the basics on the mic, although the delivery is absolutely terrible. I still think they need each other. I like the more intense, sinister Nitro though.
DROPPING OUT: Kenny Dykstra 3-5, 6pts. (Last Week: 8)