On Monday, February 11, 2008 at 11:41 PM EST WWE RAW
February 11, 2008
Austin, TX
Commentators: Jim Ross & Jerry “The King” Lawler
Reported By: Hunter Golden of WrestleView.com
No Disqualification
Hornswoggle v. Mr. McMahon
This looks like a little bit of a mismatch. They ‘locked up’ and McMahon tossed his child aside. Vince tossed Hornswoggle aside easily a second time and posed for the benefit of all of us.
Vince continued to mock Hornswoggle with a test of strength before getting on one knee and goading Hornswoggle to take the first shot. Hornswoggle couldn’t bring himself to do it at first and then decked him. Vince was a little surprised and removed his belt to resume his beating.
Finlay jumped in the ring in the nick of time and saved his little friend. Vince fled and got on the mic and accosted Finlay for interfering in family business. Vince said he was about to throw his entire career away in one moment all for a dwarf. Vince said friendship and loyalty was stupid and feigned saying you’re fired before Finlay backed off.
Vince began mocking Hornswoggle some more and called Finlay a coward. Finlay didn’t take to that too well and decked McMahon with the sheleighleigh. Finlay motioned for Hornswoggle to put on the finishing touches. The smallest superstar mounted the top rope and nailed Vince with the tad pole splash for the win.
Winner: Hornswoggle via pin fall
Hornswoggle and Finlay celebrated as they walked back up the ramp.
****Commercial****
Vince was in the back. He was being attended to by medics. William Regal came in asking for an excuse to do anything. He said he wanted to get some dismissal papers, because tonight, they’d fire Finlay.
JBL v. Chris Jericho
The two locked it up and JBL backed Jericho into the corner before we got a clean break. The two locked up again before JBL hit a head butt and a stiff right hand to floor Jericho.
JBL missed the big boot and Jericho fired back with fists to the face before the action spilled out to the ringside area. On the outside, Jericho mounted a full scale assault slamming JBL into the guard rails and then smashed his face off the steel steps.
Jericho brought the action back into the ring and hit some stiff shots before landing a drop kick and biting JBL. Jericho attempted the Walls of Jericho, but JBL made the ropes before the hold could really be cinched in. JBL briefly hung Jericho up on the top rope before eating a baseball slide drop kick that sent him to the outside.
JBL crawled back into the ring only to eat a few chops in the corner before catching Jericho with a thumb to the eye. JBL took the advantage with two super stiff boots to the head, but Jericho fought back with a drop kick. Jericho tried his springboard drop kick, but JBL caught him coming in with a boot over the top rope, flooring the former undisputed champion.
****Commercial****
We came back to JBL hammering Jericho with a clothesline from hell. JBL hit a second clothesline before plopping Jericho in the corner and stomping on him for fun. Jericho fought back and came off the ropes, but JBL hit a great sleeper in the middle of the ring.
Jericho struggled a bit before finally beginning to fade. JBL sat Jericho up on the top rope eventually and began to land bomb after bomb before attempting a super plex. Jericho fought back again and knocked JBL from his perch before hitting a flying forearm to the back of JBL’s head. The move got Jericho a fleeting near fall, but JBL kicked out.
The two fought back to their feet before Jericho got the advantage with a forearm and a shoulder block. Jericho hit an enzeguiri before hitting a missile drop kick for a two count but quickly found himself almost caught in a Fall away slam. Jericho countered however and hit a DDT for another fantastic near fall.
Jericho charged JBL in the corner only to eat a big boot and was sent crashing to the mat. JBL bull charged himself and was reversed into the corner. JBL bobbled out of the corner only to get nailed with the code breaker and that’s all she wrote.
Winner: Chris Jericho via pin fall
After the match Umaga showed up and flattened Jericho with a Samoan spike. JR and King put him over as JBL’s hired gun, but unfortunately for JBL, that wasn’t the case as the Samoan planted a thumb to his throat to boot.
****Commercial****
A mind-blowing AWESOME promo video aired putting over the John Cena v. Randy Orton championship match at No Way Out.
William Regal went in a tirade to McMahon putting over how Finlay would pay tonight. Vince decided he wouldn’t fire Finlay after all. That was too good for him. Instead, he was going to force Finlay to watch him beat the hell out of Hornswaggle inside a steel cage next week.
****Commercial****
Paul Burchill (w/ Katie Lea) v. Brian Kendrick
Burchill grabbed a hammer lock before Kendrick wiggled out only to get flat backed with a shoulder block. Kendrick grabbed an arm drag but couldn’t hang onto the hold and was choked on the bottom rope. Paul got a near fall before grabbing the arm drag only to eat some kicks to the body.
Burchill grabbed Kendrick, bow and arrowed him before stomping his face into the mat. He hit a swinging neck breaker and that’s that.
Winner: Paul Burchill via pin fall
John Cena’s on his way out to the ring.
****Commercial****
John Cena v. Mark Henry
Randy Orton is ringside providing commentary.
Cena bum rushed Henry and got tossed to the mat. He tried to hit a cross body block and got completely planted with a front slam. Henry took the advantage and planted some punches into the skull of Cena before stalking him around the ring and tossing him to the opposite corner.
Cena fought back with some punches before Henry hit a full nelson and began hammering away at Cena. He dropped the hold and whipped Cena to the buckle before having the hold reversed. Henry smashed into the exposed buckle and staggered back. Cena tripped him up and STFU and got the tap out.
Winner: John Cena via Submission
After the match, Cena got on the mic and confronted Orton. He said Orton would get everything he had at No Way Out. He said there wasn’t any injury to talk of anymore, and there’d be no excuses for him. For Orton however, he said there’d be No Way Out.
****Commercial****
Mr. Kennedy came out to the ring and said we were finally here. He’d forfeit and retire, or they’d do this thing. He demanded an answer and wanted it right now.
Kennedy asked him what it would be. Flair said they weren’t on the same page. Flair said.. Before you were born… Kennedy cut him off and told him to spare it. Flair cut HIM off and told him it was a history lesson. Flair said if he thought he’d tell him to quit, he was crazy.
Kennedy said if he knew what was good for him, he would. He said Ric just didn’t get it. Flair said it was Kennedy who didn’t get it. He had been KENNEDY’S world champion sixteen times. He said he knew Kennedy respected that, because that’s what he wanted to be once. He said Kennedy had a great future, but not at his expense. Flair said he’d have to win to survive. He said he would walk that aisle, get in the ring and live to fight another day. Flair mockingly laughed at Kenedy, who gradually backed off.
Kennedy uncorked a drop kick to the injured leg of Flair out of nowhere before strutting in his face. He left the ring as the two stared each other down.
****Commercial****
Melina v. Maria
Santino is on commentary. Melina grabbed an arm bar but Maria countered out and hit her hand spring kick. Melina shoved her back and hit a shoulder thrust to the mid section.
Melina kept up her assault and dropped a pair of knees on Maria who was draped across the bottom rope. Melina stiffed Maria in the face before sticking her in a not so friendly looking stretch.
Maria fought out of the hold and the two exchanged kicks before Maria hit a nasty looking forearm and a lariat. She whipped Melina to the buckles and unleashed a nice looking gut buster before hanging her up on the ropes. Maria grabbed a headlock and planted Melina with a brutal looking bulldog.
All of a sudden Jillian began screaming and planted a big old kiss right on Santino. The stunt distracted her long enough for Melina to grab a roll up for the win.
Winner: Melina via pin fall
Maria was furious after the match. Santino came into the ring and apologized. He said that is what happens though when you associate yourself with the Playboy. He called it a Playboy curse. Candice Michelle, injured. Ashley, injured. He said he needed to know if it was Playboy of Santino. He said she had one week to make up her mind. He said he was the one who really loved her. He planted a big old Italian smooch on her and walked off.
****Commercial****
JR and King ran down the No Way Out Card.
WWE Championship
Randy Orton v. John Cena
World Heavyweight Championship
Edge v. Rey Mysterio
Raw Elimination Chamber--Winner Gets Title match at Wrestlemania
Triple H v. Shawn Michaels v. Chris Jericho v. JBL v. Umaga v. Jeff Hardy
Smackdown Elimination Chamber-- Winner Gets Title match at Wrestlemania
The Undertaker v. The Great Khali v. MVP v. Finlay v. Big Daddy V v. Batista
ECW Championship
Chavo Guererro v. CM Punk
Ric Flair v. Mr. Kennedy
****Commercial****
Shawn Michaels v. Jeff Hardy
The two stared each other down before HBK sucker punched Hardy and went for a quick punch. Hardy hit a back slide before Michaels fought back with some strikes. Hardy didn’t take the abuse for long though, as he fought back and dumped Michaels to the floor.
Hardy went for the plancha, but HBK avoided him and Hardy landed on his feet only to eat a slap to the face.
Back in the ring, the two locked up and Hardy grabbed a side head lock take down. Michaels tossed him off the ropes only to eat a shoulder block. Hardy flew off the ropes again but HBK grabbed a sleeper only to get clocked with a jaw breaker. Hardy grabbed yet another side headlock take down and Michaels is right back to where he started.
HBK finally tossed Hardy to the ropes and flat backed him with a back elbow before stalking the rising star to the corner and chopping him. Michaels whipped him only to get it reversed and got doubled upside down. Hardy immediately followed up and hit a forearm and went for the super plex. HBK countered the hold to a cross body but Hardy grabbed yet another head lock.
Hardy hit a pair of shoulder blocks, but found himself dumped to the outside on the third attempt. Hardy tried to skin the cat, but HBK crushed him with a lariat. Michaels slammed Hardy’s head off the corner buckle and chopped away at him again. He whipped Hardy and dodged the leap frog and hit a kick to the gut. Michaels loaded up a suplex but Hardy ducked out and hit an atomic drop and a drop kick.
Hardy followed Michaels to the outside and ran the rails to clothesline Michaels, but HBK countered into a power slam. Both are laid out on the outside of the ring.
****Commercial****
HBK was working away at the now injured back of Hardy on the inside, hitting a hard Irish whip for a two count. HBK tossed Hardy back into the corner and began laying it in with several knees. He grabbed a head-leg bow and arrow trying to get Hardy to tap.
Hardy hit some stiff elbows to the grill of Michaels, fighting him off, but the damage seems to be done. HBK hit a back breaker and got a near fall for his efforts. Michaels kept up the pressure with some chops, but the plucky Hardy fought back.
Hardy whipped HBK to the ropes but ate a neck breaker for another near fall. Michaels backed Hardy into the corner and laid it in with some more chops before hitting the scoop slam. Michaels scaled the ropes and went for something off the top rope but Hardy got the foot off. Michaels grabbed the leg though and turned Hardy over into a half-crab.
After a lengthy struggle, Hardy reached the ropes and broke the hold. Hardy fought back with some punches before hitting a kick to the back of the head of HBK, sending him reeling to the mat. The two got to their feet and Hardy worked him over in the corner.
Michaels reversed another whip but missed the follow up and hit the ring post. Hardy whipped Michaels up onto the ropes and punted him up onto the top buckle. Hardy went for the super plex again and again, Michaels fought him off. Michaels went for the elbow drop and completely missed.
Hardy went for the cover but Michaels kicked out. Hardy took Michaels down with a lariat sweep to buy himself some time. Hardy backed Michaels up with some punches and hit a clothesline. Hardy hit a spear into the corner and hit his catapult drop kick.
Hardy dragged Michaels out of the corner by his foot and again, couldn’t keep Michaels on the mat for the pin. Hardy hit whisper in the wind but still couldn’t get the pin.
Hardy went for the twist of fate but Michaels hit a jaw breaker counter. Michaels hit his flying forearm shortly thereafter and nipped up. Michaels went into his victory sequence and hit the big scoop slam. He scaled the ropes again and went for the elbow drop and this time he connected.
Michaels juiced up the crowd some more and began tuning up the band. Hardy countered the kick into the twist of fate, but Michaels ducked out and grabbed his submission hold. Hardy writhed in pain and struggled for the ropes as best he could and reached them to break the hold.
Michaels surveyed the damage and went for the legs but Hardy kept kicking him away. Michaels went for a kick but Hardy quickly hit the twist of fate. He hit the Swanton bomb and got the clean win.
Holy smokes what a put over.
Winner: Jeff Hardy via pin fall
Hardy celebrated on the ramp as HBK looked on looking at Hardy like he was inevitable.RAW THOUGHTSShow Thoughts-- Jeez, you know, for all the people who say the WWE doesn’t do wrestling…
The Hornswoggle-McMahon thing shouldn’t have kicked the show off, but was utterly non-offensive and kind of funny. The monstrously dead crowd though didn’t help what I thought was a better segment then the crowd led on. The McMahon parenting workshops are fantastic informational sessions for anyone looking to plant their seed.
The JBL-Jericho match was fantastic. Lots of punches, lots of kicks, lots of nasty revenge spots and well done counters that didn’t go overboard, but got over the point that they knew each other well enough to counter certain spots. Again, the dead crowd wouldn’t have let you know this was a million times better than their Rumble match. Sure, it’s probably not the blood-bath brawl we might have all anticipated, but it was as good as it could get for being a straight up rules match brawl thingy.
Paul Burchill will be a good bet on Raw. The lower mid card needs some heels they can legitimately push and as good as Carlito and Santino are on the mic, they’re nowhere near the overall talent of Birchall and probably won’t be getting any bumps anytime soon. Brian Kendrick is AWESOME in squash matches as you feel like you get what he does best all in like three minutes without the loss a.) feeling like it hurts him and b.) feeling shortchanged.
Cena-Henry was a fabulous short match. Cena went into Khali-mode early on, just selling his nards off for the big guy. Cena does comebacks well, Cena sells well, but what he does BEST now that he NEVER bothered to do say, in 05-06 was really set the table for the match. He lets himself get overpowered on the lock up and then EATS a front slam getting all stupid. Everything you need to know is done in two moves. Cena’s overmatched. Cena cant’ wrestle stupid. He gets a lucky break with Henry’s heelishness undoing him and good overcomes evil, even if it’s a little lucky. Easy, not match of the year or even close to it, but a really good snap shot of why Cena’s better than any ‘regular’ sized dude at working big men. Mark Henry, when he’s with the right guy, does the monster thing awesomely.
Speaking of setting tables, the Orton-Cena match, at least to me, seems like it’s headed for an Orton put over. Call me crazy. The ball just seems to be in Cena’s court so much that I’d be surprised to see Orton not go over. So I’ll make what might be a wildly stupid prediction and say that Orton’s getting the win at No Way Out. You heard it here first.
And then, the main event. I think tonight’s the first night I’m genuinely sold on Hardy as a guy who should be headlining Wrestlemania and for a lot of reasons.
First off, let me say I’m not generally one for counter-based matches. They can be good when you’ve got guys who’ve got discipline, but get a guy like say, Kurt Angle, who has zero restraint in the ring, and you’ve got a debacle made up of so many counters that they utterly lose all meaning and all you get is an athletic exhibition of overly-choreographed garbage that just makes one guy look lucky and the other guy not as lucky.
There are some guys who can work that match well. Bryan Danielson immediately comes to mind, but there are others. Michaels does it well, especially since he became the grumpy old guy yelling at kids to get off his lawn. His sense of being almost insulted that some kids don’t just lay down for him has added a lot of color that he’s lacked in the ring before it over the past year.
Michaels though, as good as he can work that kind of a match, can lose a handle on it when he’s got a guy like Angle (see Vengeance 05 and the Raw Iron Man match). Hardy’s a guy I’d totally expect an Angle like performance from in this sort of match, but by god, again I’m wrong and then it hit me. Hardy’s improved so much because he’s toned his wildness down.
His Swanton means something now because he’s not hitting it all over the place. The Whisper in the wind isn’t just used for a big spot, but it always leads to something or is used as a good stopping off point. The twist of fate isn’t a finisher like it is for his brother, but a well learned match turner or at least something he can use effectively to swing the pace of a match. What does all that have in common? He learned how to use his spots.
Hardy finally laid off the caffeine and now I think he looks like a million bucks. While he IS lacking the psychology department at times still and certainly moves too fast for his own good, Cena also gets the ‘someone put something where they shouldn’t have’ look on his face a bit much. Everyone can’t be perfect.
It wasn’t that the crowd popped it was how Hardy took a completely dead crowd that couldn’t even pop for a sensational JBL-Jericho match and ripped a reaction out of them. They reacted to Cena because he’s Cena and they’re supposed to but man, this crowd WANTED Hardy to win and BADLY. And people still say it ain’t so real anymore.
Hardy’s win over Michaels now gives him a win over Triple H and Shawn Michaels. Orton’s defeated both as well. Ditto times ten for Cena. All three guys have gone over the establishment in the last few months and to be honest, a three way confrontation between the three leaders of the new generation seems almost inevitable.
Overall Grade: B
Quick Results
Hornswoggle def. Mr. McMahon
Chris Jericho def. JBL
Paul Burchill def. Brian Kendrick
John Cena def. Mark Henry
Melina def. Maria
Jeff Hardy def. Shawn Michaels
Who’s Hot, Who’s Not?
Biggest Pops
1. Jeff Hardy
2. John Cena
3. Shawn Michaels
4. Chris Jericho
Most Heat
1. Randy Orton
2. JBL
3. Mr. McMahon
4. Mr. Kennedy
Match of the Night: Six Man Tag match **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: Randy Orton 3-1, 5pts. (Last Week: WWE Champion) --The Orton-Cena thing has been all about confidence this time around, rather than personal bad blood and to be honest, I feel like the WWE’s seeing the writing on the wall here, wrapping up this past year’s inevitable confrontation and getting ready to write a new chapter with Jeff Hardy included. Either or, Orton’s looked like a million bucks during his reign. SO LONG as he headlines Wrestlemania, even if he drops the title on Sunday, he’s in a good spot.
Intercontinental Champion: Jeff Hardy 4-2, 7pts. (Last Week: IC Champion)— February 11, 2008. The night Hunter Golden became a Jeff Hardy fan. Hell is chilly.
1. Shawn Michaels 5-1, 7pts. (Last Week: 1) —Kudos to Michaels over the past few months for putting over Orton, Kennedy and now Hardy all cleanly. He loses his first match of the year, but looks like a million bucks doing it, so I’ll keep him here.
2. Ken Kennedy 3-1, 7pts. (Last Week: 2)-- Kennedy should take a page from Hardy’s book and tone it down a notch or a million. The mockery is good and all, but focusing on the main point is really what he should be worrying about.
3. Chris Jericho 3-3, 5pts. (Last Week: 5)-- That was the best Jericho match I’ve seen since 2004 with JBL tonight. In fact, both were awesome. Stupid crowd. F-in morons I tell ya.
4. Triple H 3-1, 5pts.(Last Week: 3) -- Where or where has our little Game gone?
5. John Cena 2-0, 5 points. (Last Week: 6) -- Another great performance from Cena in a match that didn’t need to do anymore than it did. Henry was the perfect third element to toss into this whole thing and despite tapping, Cena makes him look like a monstrous monstrosity of a monster.
6. Ric Flair 2-0, 4 points (Last Week: 5) -- $10 Flair grabs Kennedy’s junk this weekend.
7. Umaga 1-3, 2 points(Last Week: 8) -- I think Umaga will be sort of wandering a little while longer before they move him to Smackdown and resume the harvest. A change of scenery would be a big help for the big guy right now.
8. JBL 2-3, 4 points (Last Week: 7) -- Not the best night for JBL. He eats some Jericho knuckle pie before eating some Umaga style finger food.
9. Carlito 3-1, 5 pts. (Last Week: 9) -- Not in action.
10. Hardcore Holly 2-1, 2pt.. (Last Week: 10) — Not in action.
OTHERS :
Cody Rhodes 1-1, 1 point (Last Week: NR)
Paul Birchall 1-0, 2 points (Last Week: NR)
Jerry Lawler 0-0 points (Last Week: NR)
Lance Cade 0-1, 0 points (Last Week: NR)
Santino Marella 1-0, 1 point (Last Week: NR)
Paul London 0-1, 0 points(Last Week: NR)
Brian Kendrick, 0-4, 0 points (Last Week: NR)
Trevor Murdoch 0-3, 0 points (Last Week: NR)
Super Crazy 0-1, 0 points (Last Week: NR)
William Regal 0-2 0 points (Last Week: NR)
Bobby Lashley 0-0, 0 points (Last Week: INJURED)
Ron Simmons 0-0, 0 points (Last Week: NR)
Harry Smith 0-0, 0 points (Last Week: NR)
Jim Duggan 0-0, 0 points (Last Week: NR)
Rory 0-2, 0 points (Last Week: NR)
Charlie Haas 0-1, 0 points (Last Week: NR)
Robbie 0-2, 0 points (Last Week: NR)
Mick Foley 1-0, 1 point (Last Week: NR)
Sgt. Slaughter 0-0. 0 pts. (Last Week: NR)
Val Venis 0-0 0pts. (Last Week: NR)
Snitsky 1-3, 2 points (Last Week: NR)