On Monday, August 27, 2007 at 11:35 PM EST WWE RAW
August 27, 2007
Boston, MA
Commentators: Jim Ross & Jerry “The King” Lawler
Reported By: Hunter Golden of WrestleView.com
Randy Orton’s music hit and he came out to the ring looking quite obviously disappointed. The crowd heat folks, is off the charts and Orton’s facial expressions were pretty f-ing genuine.
Orton said he spent the entire day in church. Orton said he was there because he was convinced he saw a miracle, and that was John Cena still walking out the WWE Champion. The crowd is CRAPPING on him. Holy smokes Boston is Cena town. Orton said he had an epiphany today and that he knew he should’ve won and should be WWE Champion. He said though, the guy who should be on his knees and thanking god that he survived last night was John Cena. He said he should thank god he didn’t end Cena’s career like he did everyone /*’s. He said the next time, Cena wouldn’t be so lucky.
He said there would be a next time and he’d be demanding a rematch for the WWE title. He said Orton would either come out here and accept the challenge or two.. Cena’s music hits and crowd explodes. Cena marched down to the ring with a huge ear to ear smile on his face and laughing at Orton. Cena’s Dad’s here tonight, btw.
Cena said ‘give me a rematch.. Or WHAT?”. He said Orton could whine all he wanted about how he was faced with destiny, etc. He said all that talk really just meant nothing. He said Orton was a choker. He said with everything on the line and everything in his favor, he still failed to get the job done. Cena said there weren’t any hard feelings, he’d made plenty of statements these past few weeks, but he had a statement of his own for him, and that was ‘the champ is here’.
Cena said he wasn’t stupid though so Orton lost his shot and others moved up. There was a certain guy who returned last night and the last time he checked, we were in Boston. SOOO if the people wouldn’t get the opportunity to see Orton v. Cena, how about one night they get Cena v. Triple H?
William Regal came out to the ramp and he told Cena he wouldn’t be facing Triple H tonight. Orton thanked Regal for the opportunity before Regal cut him off and told him a regal man himself who’d like to forget all about Summerslam and it was King Booker. Cena will be in action tonight against the royal one.
While Cena was staring at Booker, Orton snuck up and tried a cheap shot but Cena avoided him and Orton missed. Orton is having a fit in the middle of the ring.
Apparently, Vince McMahon is the special guest on Carlito’s Cabana and Triple H is returning to Raw tonight. Oh joy.
****Commercial****
Mr. Kennedy v. Jeff Hardy
Well look who’s back!
The two locked horns before Kennedy grabbed a headlock. Hardy reversed but was quickly backed into the corner by the stronger man from Green Bay. The two circled it up again and locked horns with Kennedy again gaining the advantage before slapping Hardy in the face. Hardy slapped back and Kennedy wants a time out.
Kennedy came back swinging at hardy and punched him into the corner where he hit some nasty strikes that floored the former IC champ. Kennedy whipped Hardy but Hardy avoided him and dragged him onto his face and Kennedy wants another time out.
We got another lock up and this time Kennedy hit some knees and again began to club away on Hardy, keeping the agile Hardy off balance. Kennedy booted away on Hardy in the corner before Hardy began fighting back. Hardy back dropped Kennedy onto the apron and hit a step up enzeguiri and hit a cross body over the top leaving both laid out on the floor.
****Commercial****
We came back to Kennedy holding the upper hand with a body scissors. Hardy rolled out of the hold and came back with some kicks but Kennedy quickly regained the advantage, hurling Hardy into the ring post and stretching him across the ring post. Kennedy stomped away on Hardy before being shoved off the prone Hardy by the referee.
Kennedy went for a cover attempt but Hardy kicked out. Kennedy laid the boots to Hardy some more before gathering him from the mat and cutting off a brief comeback with a knee and then went for another cover.
Kennedy slapped on the good old abdominal stretch and used the rope for leverage on a few occasions. The crowd rallied hardy who broke the hold before getting planted upside down in the corner. Kennedy laid into Hardy with some more boots to the chest before propping him up on the top buckle and looked for a suplex. Hardy fought Kennedy off and knocked him to the canvas before connecting with whisper in the wind.
Kennedy missed a lariat and hardy hit a DDT before hitting a sit out roll up for a two count. Hardy hit some standing lariats before dumping Kennedy in the corner and hitting his sling shot double drop kick. Hardy went to the top rope and looked for the Swanton but Kennedy got the knees up and Hardy crashed and burned in a big way. Kennedy went for the pin but Umaga’s music hit.
Umaga came down to the ring to guard Hardy. He picked up Hardy and yelled at Kennedy from the ring. Umaga turned around and cold cocked Hardy with a kick to the face for fun before beating him down in the corner and lining up a running bump butt much to Kennedy’s delight. That’s a DQ.
Winner: Jeff Hardy via DQ
Umaga continued his demolition of Hardy, decking him with a spike. Umaga stared down Hardy from the ramp after the match.
****Commercial****
A recap of Triple H’s victory over King Booker aired.
Coach is in the back with Vince. Apparently Vince has a big announcement to make. Kennedy wished him a happy birthday and before Vince reminded him that his middle name was Kennedy. He said he wasn’t a bad kid at all as Kennedy walked off. Coach paused and looked back as Vince walked off.
Carlito’s music hit and it’s Cabana time.
****Commercial****
Carlito’s Cabana
Carlito introduced his guest tonight, Mr. McMahon.
Vince said it was a pleasure to be here on the Cabana. Carlito said it was an honor to have him here and wished him a happy birthday. Vince put himself over as being 50 years old and still growing just like his Grape fruits. He mentioned this bastard son thing and realized he didn’t need to be ashamed, in fact he shouldn’t be intimidated, but intimidate others.
He said it was time to intimidate the woman who had the child and he said he’d be suing her. He said he would be suing her if she didn’t reveal herself in the next two weeks. Carlito played stooge before Triple H’s music hit.
Triple H made his entrance to a colossal pop and made his way into the ring. Vince told the crowd to shut up repeatedly before asking Triple H what the hell he was doing here. He said for all these years he was bummed that Vince wasn’t more excited to see him and wished him a happy 70th birthday.
He said he should be worrying about his bed pan but being Vince, he had a bastard son. Triple H said he did extensive research on the mother of the illegitimate son and he brought the four women he narrowed down. He said he understood that he hadn’t seen most of these women and might not recognize them. Triple H introduced the women.
The first woman, “Mary” came out to the ramp that Vince slept with at Wrestlemania III, mistaking her for Aretha Franklin. Carlito was all about the queen of soul. Triple H said this woman.. Well, Vince missed the target and her name is “One Eyed Wendy” and she came out with an eye patch. Carlito said he had missed the target. Sounds like a hole in one. Vince was remorseful and said he must’ve poked her in the eye.
He introduced the next one who’d be embarrassing to both of them, and introduced Carlito’s sister. Carlito yelled at the woman who licked an apple. Vince said Carlito was only four and he thought he was asleep. Triple H cut him off and said there wasn’t anything to be upset about, at least she’s not spitting. Carilto was going bananas.
The fourth one he truly believed was the mother, who was Francis, but to everyone /*, she was known as Frank. A tranny came out and waved at Vince. Triple H said he’d get to the bottom of this.
He asked the ladies to raise their hand if they had intimate relations with Vince and they all did. They all raised their hands when asked if they could be the mother. Frank didn’t raise the hand and Triple H said he figured it out. He asked them to raise their hand if, unknown to McMahon, they had a penis. Frank raised her.. Uhh his.. Um. Good lord.
Vince went ballistic and kicked em all off stage. Vince said he wouldn’t accept this kind of embarrassment. Triple H was so let down, he said Vince should be worried about his image right now, especially about the new problems that surfaced today. Vince asked him what the new problems were and Triple H said the people knew. He said with all the Michael Vick dog fighting ring, the people knew he was running an illegal rooster fighting ring. He said it was true, PETA was outside and Vince hated animals. The two exchanged words before Vince said he loved cocks.
………….
*cue Vince loves cocks chant*
Vince told him he wished he never came back and that he hated him. Vince walked off as everyone was chanting.
Carlito cut off Triple H and said he’d put him on the shelf for another eight months. Triple H said it was ok that he was tough guy and knew he was good at spitting apple and sucking grape fruits. Carlito munched some apple before spitting it right in Triple H’s face. Triple H cleaned the apple off his face and smiled at the crowd. Triple H began beating Carlito all over the ring punctuating it with a spine buster. He gave Carlito a crotch chop and a pedigree to conclude the segment.
****Commercial****
Cody Rhodes, London & Kendrick v. Daivari & The World’s Greatest Tag Team
London and Daivari started things off and London quickly grabbed a hammer lock. Daivari hit body slam and missed an elbow drop and ended up in an arm bar. Kendrick tagged in and the two hit a double arm drag for a one count.
Daivari tossed Kendrick off the ropes before hitting a back elbow and tagging in Haas. Haas whipped Kendrick hard into the buckles and hit a belly to belly overhead suplex on Kendrick followed by a kick for a near fall. Shelton tagged in, blonde hair and all and planted a kick in Kendrick’s chest.
Benjamin hit a suplex for a two count but Kendrick kicked out. Another quick tag to Daivari resulted in Daivari hitting a takedown as Kendrick struggled to get out. Kendrick fought back but Daivari cut him off and went for a suplex, but Kendrick wiggled out and tagged in Rhodes who hit a body slam and a knee drag.
Cody looked for a back body drop and ate a kick to the face but quickly caught Daivari with a running power slam. All hell broke loose as Kendrick and London hit a tandem suicide dive to take care of Haas and Benjamin. Rhodes came sailing off the top rope with a cross body block for the win.
Winners: Cody Rhodes, London & Kendrick via pin fall
****Commercial****
Daivari was ranting and raving in the ring before Cryme Tyme came out and made fun of Daivari a little bit before cold cocking him and stealing his burka. Yes, they sold it for $5. Cryme Tyme was having a good old time before Cade & Murdoch’s music hit and they came down to the ring.
They look like they’re ready for a fight.
Cryme Tyme went to climb in the ring but discovered Cade’s discarded hat lying ringside. They grabbed it and took off into the crowd. Shad said he’d usually sell something like that for a lot, but tonight, they’d give it away. They tossed the hat into the crowd much to the chagrin of Cade & Murdoch.
Coach and Vince were in the back when Randy Orton came bursting into the room and demanded a rematch with Cena. Vince said Orton was a phenomenal athlete, but until he he proved he REALLY wanted that match, he wouldn’t give it to him. Orton stared him down and stormed out of the room.
Maria is in the back getting ready for some action.
****Commercial****
A replay of the Divas battle royal from Summerslam aired and recapped Beth Phoenix’s big win.
Maria was on her way down to the way for her match when Beth Phoenix jumped her.
Maria v. Beth Phoenix
Phoenix dumped Maria upside down in the corner and hit a nasty Euro uppercut before telling the ref to screw. She hit a fisherman’s buster on Maria, leaving her in a heap. Beth backed up the ramp and I guess this match never really started.
Winner: No contest
****Commercial****
Todd Grisham is backstage with Candice Michelle. He put over Beth Phoenix and asked for Candice’s comments. He said Beth dominated the match, but she wasn’t intimidated by it. Snitsky cut her off and said if we wanted to talk challenges, it was a challenge for him to stop causing pain and whatever. Generic Snitsky promo.
Vince said things didn’t always go one’s way and you have to adapt. He said he wouldn’t wait two weeks to find out who his son was. He said we’d find out next week. William Regal stepped into the office and said something happened. Regal said he didn’t feel he was at liberty to discuss it in front of Coach. McMahon told him to come out with it. He said his kids would be coming with their attorneys to confront him next week.
Booker is in the back looking exceptionally delusional.
****Commercial****
John Cena v. King Booker
The two circled it up and here we go.
The two locked horns and Cena was able to overpower Booker in the corner. Book hit a thumb to the eye and went to town on Cena with some knees. He missed a jump kick and Cena took advantage tossing Booker onto his face with a bulldog for a quick near fall.
Cena looked for a back body drop before Book plowed him with a kick to the face. Booker pressed his advantage looking for a back elbow but quickly found himself caught by a kick to the gut and a fisherman’s suplex for another near fall.
Book slapped on a Komura like hold before Book clocked him with a clean right forearm to the face. Book missed a back kick before Cena slapped on a drop toe hold and it flowed into an STFU, but Booker quickly leapt to the ropes. Book took off for a breather on the outside. Sharmell took care of her King on the outside as we went to commercial.
****Commercial****
We came back to Booker in total control of the match. Book hit a back kick, leaving the Champ laid out on the mat. Book went for a pin but Cena kicked out at two. Cena fought back with some more punches before whipping Booker to the buckles but missing the splash attempt. Book came flying out of the corner with a flying wheel kick for a near fall.
Book slapped on a key lock on the champ, attempting to hold the champ at bay and wear him down. The crowd rallied Cena but Booker kneed Cena in the stomach. Booker hit some more punches and floored Cena.
Book looked for something off the ropes, but Cena countered with a spine buster, but Book kicked out in the nick of time. Cena whipped Booker to the corner but ate a boot to the face. Booker punched Cena out to the ring apron and dragged the champ back into the ring and hit a sidewalk slam for yet another two count.
Cena went back to the key lock Cena gradually powered out of the hold before Cena countered into an FU attempt. Book elbowed out and killed Cena with a thrust kick and Cena crumpled to the mat. Booker got another near fall before he decided to address us loyal subjects.
Book set up the scissors kick but he whiffed and Cena caught a back elbow and super stiff lariat. Cena pummeled Booker in the corner before Orton showed up out of nowhere and went to town on Cena.
Winner: John Cena via DQ
Booker and Orton began mugging Cena beating him all about. Book connected with a scissors kick before Orton stood over Cena as Booker turned Cena over to him. Orton stalked Cena before holding up just shy of delivering a boot to his face. Orton quickly shot out of the ring and dragged Cena’s father over the railing and punted his head into the rafters. Cena recovered enough and flew out to his father’s side looking like he was going to cry. Orton walked up the ramp with a huge smile on his face. RAW THOUGHTS
Show Thoughts-- The ending angle made Raw. If you can see an angle coming a mile away and it still rules despite no real surprise, it’s a damn good angle. I loved how the whole thing was set up around Orton gaining legitimacy as this is really what his whole push has been about. The reaction of Cena afterwards and the crowd heat was through the roof. Maybe Cena winning last night WASN’T such a bad idea.
This feud really needed some genuine hate to it and it really took off here with this angle, which structurally, wasn’t anything spectacular, but just sticking with what’s worked. The heat for the pending Unforgiven match is going to be utterly through the roof. If Orton doesn’t win the belt I may hang myself. But I’ll give WWE kudos for showing patience here. It’s paid off and now I’m way more excited to see their next match then I ever was to see Summerslam.
That being said, the rest of the show was really segment heavy. Usually this is sort of a set up Raw, a lot like the Raws after Wrestlemania. The last three-four years have all been big angles: Evolution turns on Orton, Angle jumps Cena and Edge gets dumped into the Long Island sound. But this one was so much more (way more) simpler and more effective, at least for me.
This show sets up a lot of stuff for the rest of the year so the fact that there was such little wrestling isn’t much of a surprise. Triple H and McMahon will likely be intertwined in this whole child thing and Kennedy will be the likely third party.
There was stuff to be less than thrilled about tonight. The Umaga re-turn was really random. I’m a big fan of the guy as a worker and a character but the kick to Hardy just came off so weird. They’ve either gotta get this strap on Kennedy, or come up with a direction for Umaga pronto.
The two matches in the middle of the show, both the six man tag and Diva match, were totally reaction-less. London & Kendrick and The World’s Greatest Tag team are uber talented but holy smokes no one cares about them and I’ll say those are two of the biggest cases of misusing talent. I realize everyone can’t be pushed, but I’d love to see them use those two teams more.
Cody Rhodes is nothing like his Dad. Don’t get me wrong, he’s not a bad talent, in fact he’s got a TON of talent, but he works NOTHING like his Dad. Dusty was the ultimate baby face and anyone whose seen Cody’s work pre-WWE will tell ya he’s to most douche-bag-ish of heels. Cody flies, Dusty flops. It’s a cool dynamic, but the whole playing up of the Rhodes’ being father and spawn doesn’t work here for some reason. Cody should be slappin’ bitches and fixing his hair.
Other than that though, this show was really all about getting the Cena-Orton angle over and subtly setting up the surroundings for the fall. This was a pretty average show by this year’s standards, and as far as actual matches go, it might be one of the worst, although Cena-Booker hardly sucked. That ending angle though, was so good that I have a hard time going below a….
Overall Grade: B-
Quick Results
Jeff Hardy def. Ken Kennedy
Cody Rhodes, London & Kendrick def. Daivari and the World’s Greatest Tag Team
Beth Phoenix v. Maria went to a no contest
John Cena def. King Booker
Who’s Hot, Who’s Not?
Biggest Pops
1. John Cena
2. Triple H
3. Jeff Hardy
4. Maria
Most Heat
1. Randy Orton
2. Vince McMahon
3. King Booker
4. Carlito
Match of the Night: John Cena v. King Booker **1/4
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 (26-8-1, 68 points) (Last Week: WWE Champion)— Jesus if Cena gets booed in this feud, fans are idiots. Not because they despise Cena, but because Orton is the way biggest douche in the world.
Intercontinental Champion: Umaga 20-11-1, 43 Points (Last Week: IC Champion) — Incredibly awkward turn tonight that just didn’t work at all for me. I love the guy but this constant flip flopping stuff doesn’t work. Sure, he’s an unpredictable monster, but honestly, that’s a little TOO unpredictable for my tastes.
1. Randy Orton 12-18-2 28pts. (Last Week: 1) -- Puts on the match of his life and then kicks a senior citizen in the head. Awesome.
2. King Booker 3-6, 6 pts. (Last Week: 2) -- Sure, Book lost at Summerslam, but the whole ‘handing over’ of Cena to Orton was so old-school awesome, it was scary. BTW, good stuff out of Book in the ring tonight. Seriously.
3. Jeff Hardy 25-11, 47 points (Last Week: 6)-- Hardy looked pretty good in a fun surprise turn and seems headed for another match with Umaga where he’ll die. Works for me.
4. Carlito 12-14-4, 21 pts. (Last Week: 3) — For the second straight week, I’m struggling to punish Carlito. I hate being too repetitious here, but he’s really doing a good job of finding a niche for himself as a stooge to every major heel on the brand. Nothing wrong with role players.
5. Ken Kennedy 3-5-1, 6 pts (Last Week: 4) — The last couple of weeks, I’ve had a really hard time getting into Kennedy just because he seems to be floating around, and honestly, hasn’t been all that fun in the ring either. I’m sure the pending angle will do a lot for him, but lately he’s been nothing to get excited about.
6. Triple H 3-0, 6pts (Last Week: INJURED) — It’s really hard to put him behind Rhodes, whose defeated no one worth mentioning and Snitsky, whose a ‘ditto’ to Rhodes. He’s setting up the roadmap here, so #6 seems like a totally sensible place to put him this week.
7. Cody Rhodes 4-2, 7pts. (Last Week: 7)-- Rhodes gives himself another win, to keep himself atop the lower mid card right now. Sure, he hasn’t beaten anyone worth caring about, but a win’s a win.
8. Snitsky 4-1, 8pts. (Last Week: 5) -- Snitsky TOTALLY lacks direction. I’m really hoping we see some sort of stable thing in the future so they can find someway to play to his strengths. This psycho character just doesn’t have potential and totally lacks anything resembling direction. Again, I love a lot of what Snitsky’s gotta offer, namely his humor (not in a bad way, seriously), but I just don’t feel like they’ve played to any of those strengths in any way. A comedic big man in the lower mid card would’ve been the ideal place for him, but alas…
9. Paul London 4-1, 5pts. (Last Week: NR)-- The most underutilized talents on Raw right now, they keep winning. Cade and Murdoch are great and all, but they’ve just done nothing to warrant staying in the top 10.
10. Brian Kendrick 3-1, 3pts. (Last Week: NR) -- See Paul London.
OTHERS :
Trevor Murdoch 7-12, 12pts. (Last Week: 8)
Lance Cade 6-11, 10pts. (Last Week: 9)
William Regal 3-1, 5pts (Last Week: 10)
Santino Marella 5-5, 13pts. (Last Week: NR)
Shawn Michaels 10-7-1, 19 points (Last Week: INJURED)
Bobby Lashley 3-4 5pts. (Last Week: INJURED)
Super Crazy 4-7-1, 7 points (Last Week: NR)
JTG 5-6, 6pts. (Last Week: NR)
Big Shad 4-6, 4pts. (Last Week: NR)
The Sandman 1-5, 2pts. (Last Week: NR)
Shelton Benjamin 2-12-1, 2pts. (Last Week: NR)
Charlie Haas 2-10-1, 1pts. (Last Week: NR)
Rory 0-5, 0pts. (Last Week: NR)
Robbie 0-7 0pts. (Last Week: NR)
Jim Duggan 0-4, 0pts. (Last Week: NR)
Val Venis 0-3 0pts. (Last Week: NR)
Daivari 0-3, 0pts. (Last Week: NR)
Mick Foley 0-1-1, 0 pts. (Last Week: NR)
Sgt. Slaughter 0-2. 0 pts. (Last Week: NR)