On Tuesday, August 5, 2008 at 12:07 AM EST WWE RAW
August 4, 2008
Knoxville, TN
Commentators: Michael Cole & Jerry “The King” Lawler
Reported By: Hunter Golden of WrestleView.com
We opened up with new Raw GM Mike Adamle on the ramp and he introduces himself before making some remarks. Adamle said there was a guy who wasn’t taken seriously and he wasn’t very good at his job. Adamle said he was talking about Ronald Reagan. He said he went from B-rated movie actor to one of the greatest Presidents the country has ever seen. He said first impressions could be deceiving. Ronald Regan once was on screen with a monkey. He called Jeff Hardy “Jeff Harvey”.
He said he wasn’t the greatest announcer and said there were even petitions asking for his resignation. He said it was their right in America. He said it wasn’t the America he wanted to be a part of. Adamle went over for his reasoning for putting Michael Cole into the tag title match, and then said tonight there’d be three championship matches tonight.
The first would be the tag team championship match between the team of Cody Rhodes & Ted Dibiase against John Cena & Batista. JBL came out of nowhere to congratulate Adamle on his recent promotion. He said first impressions could be deceiving as he showed off a copy of the newest issue of Fortune magazine.
JBL said as a football player, he knew what Adamle was made of.. He said he already made one blockbuster call last week making Cena-Batista, but wanted him to make a second one and put him in a title match with JBL.
Chris Jericho popped up out of nowhere and made HIS case for a title match. He put HBK out, right? JBL and Jericho began going back and forth, Adamle said that he could just make it a Triple Threat match, but that was the easy way out. He said tonight, he’d have JBL & Jericho take on Punk in a handicapped match. The man who defeated Punk would get the title shot. If they lost though, neither guy would get a shot at the big belt.
****Commercial****
WWE Intercontinental Championship
Kofi Kingston v. Paul Burchill
The two locked it up before Burchill took an arm wringer. Kingston tried to spin out of it but Burchill was able to use his strength to keep Kingston down to the mat. Kingston eventually shimmied out and attempted a key lock but Burchill shoved him off and slammed him to the mat.
The two criss crossed before Kingston hit a wheel kick and hit some punches and shoulder thrusts in the corner before flat backing the challenger with an uppercut for a one count.
Katie Lea interjected herself just long enough for Burchill to hit a forearm from behind before putting some brutal stomps to the back of Kingston’s head. Burchill hit a hangman’s neck breaker for a two count before bullying the smaller champion into the corner and working him over some more. Kingston shot out with a roll up attempt, but Burchill kicked out and floored him with an uppercut before slapping on the good old rear chin lock.
Kofi hit an arm drag to take Burchill down and hit some kicks, but Burchill was able to whip him to the ropes. Kingston bounded off and began hitting a flurry of kicks and strikes before connecting with a high cross body and a drop kick followed by the boom boom leg drop. One step up enzeguiri later, it’s all over.
Winner and STILL Intercontinental Champion: Kofi Kingston via pin fall
After the match Katie got in Kofi’s face. Kofi didn’t fall for the distraction this time though, and side stepped the oncoming Burchill and tossed him to the outside. The two tussled on the ring apron before Kofi chased his adversary back to the locker room.
Mickie James’ music hit and the next title match is on deck.
****Commercial****
WWE Women’s Champion
Mickie James v. Katie Lea Burchill
We came back to James in total control, bullying Katie around the ring. Mickie was laying it in with some forearm and a not so friendly drop kick to the mush of Katie. Mickie followed her challenger to the outside of the ring, hitting a Lou Thesz press before bringing her into the corner and cracking her in the ribs with some kicks.
Mickie’s emotions got the better and lost control as Katie clocked her with a kick to the back of the head and a neck breaker off the second rope. Katie went for the cover but James kicked out. Katie went to work on James’ back before hitting a snap mare out of the corner and booting her square in the back of the head.
Katie slapped on a bow and arrow and Mickie countered out into a cover attempt. The spurt didn’t last long though as Katie went back on the offense only for Mickie to hit the head scissors. James hit some forearms before hitting a STIFF funning forearm to the grill of Burchill. Mickie hit a huge neck breaker only for Katie to kick out.
Katie busted out a northern lights suplex for a two count before booting Mickie in the gut and looking for a neck breaker. Mickie however countered out of nowhere and hit a boot to the gut followed by the implant DDT for the win.
Winner and STILL Women’s Champion: Mickie James via pin fall
Beth Phoenix popped up right after the bell rang and slammed James in to the side of the apron. Mickie fought as best she could, but Phoenix quickly nailed the front face buster and that’s it for Mickie. Santino is on the apron telling everyone who she is. She grabbed his tush and shut him up in short order. He tried to return the favor but instead gently tapped hers. She likes it.
****Commercial****
Mike Adamle is in the back thanking Stephanie and Shane on the cell phone. Beth Phoenix and Santino showed up in his office demanding title shots. Adamle said there was only room for one more title match at Summerslam. They would have to decide between the two of them who would get their match. After a little passive aggressiveness from both sides, Adamle interrupted and decided to make a match of his own. It’d be a winner take all tag team match: Kofi Kingston & Mickie James v. Beth Phoenix & Santino Marella. Winner would take the titles.
A video aired putting over John Cena.
Batista was approached by Todd Grisham in the back. Batista said if Adamle wanted to make a splash putting him and Cena in the same match, so be it. But he had the same advice for Cena this week as he did last week: stay out of his way.
****Commercial****
Layla is dancing in the ring before cutting to a conversation between her and Jamie Noble earlier in the night. Noble said he made some reservations to the waffle house. Layla said things weren’t working. She said every time he ran his mouth, he got his butt kicked. She said she doesn’t associate with losers. Noble yelled something about Pecan Waffles.
Layla’s dancing some more before William Regal’s music hit and he came down the ramp. He waved Layla off and wanted to remind the people of exactly who he was. He said he was William Regal and he was our King. He said he earned that title winning the tournament earlier this year. He went to say something before Jamie Noble’s music hit and he came down to the ring.
Noble and Regal went at it and the refs had to pull them apart. Layla looks baffled.
****Commercial****
Chris Jericho & JBL v. CM Punk
Mike Adamle popped up and let us know there was a 10 minute time limit on the match. If it does, we’re getting another triple threat at Summerslam.
Jericho is sporting the traditional wrestling tights. While he and JBL bicker, Punk dive bombs them both. Jericho and JBL went right at Punk hammering away at him before tossing him into the ring and hitting a stereo shoulder block.
The two slapped away at Punk on the mat before backing him up into the ropes and whipping him. Punk threw on the breaks and back dropped Jericho to the floor before going one on one with JBL. JBL caught him in a high cross body attempt and hit the fall away slam for a two count before going to work on the back of Punk.
JBL laid ‘em in with right hands to the face of Punk before hitting a swinging neck breaker for a two count. Jericho was crawling into the ring but JBL knocked him back to the floor. He pursued Jeircho only to get whipped to the steps.
Jericho’s turn now. Jericho went after Punk with a rear chin lock as the crowd rallied Punk to his feet. Punk fought out with some back elbows before eating a knee to the gut. Jericho dropped a knee across Punk’s face before Punk kicked out.
Jericho kept up the pressure with a body slam and mounted the top rope before Punk cut him off. Punk went for the super plex only for Jericho to fight him off. Jericho went for the flying back elbow and connected for a two count.
Jericho slapped on the abdominal stretch only for Punk to rally yet again. Punk tossed Jericho off and hit some knees to Jericho’s head only for JBL to pop up and flat back him with a clothesline for a two count. Jericho and JBL are all over each other now exchanging blows.
JBL got the better of the exchange this time and chased the champion to the outside of ther ring and nailed him into the table. JBL tossed Punk into the ring only for Jericho to hit a lion sault and almost get the cover but JBL broke it up.
JBL and Jericho are still going at it and Punk hit JBL with the flying lariat. Punk tossed Jericho into the corner crotch first and Punk’s looking good. Punk was able to hit GTS on JBL but Jericho broke up the cover. Punk caught the oncoming Jericho with a running power slam for a two count before he sling shotted Jericho into his groggy partner. He rolled Jericho up for a super-hot two count.
Jericho slapped on the Walls of Jericho as Punk writhed in pain in the middle of the ring. JBL nailed Jericho with a boot to the back of the head and sent him to the floor. JBL staggered to his feet only for Jericho to snap mare his head off the top rope. JBL staggered back and fell on Punk for the pin fall with 1 second to go.
Winner and #1 Contender for the World title: JBL via pin fall
We’re going to hear from Shawn Michaels after the break.
****Commercial****
A video putting over the vicious beating Shawn Michaels received at the hands of Chris Jericho at the Great American Bash aired.
Shawn Michaels is with us via Satellite. HBK said he was going through a culmination of injuries he’s had over his career. He’s been wrestling with broken ribs has had a history with his knees and back. He said the deal was that he had a re-evaluation with the Doctors prior to Summerslam. He said he would publicly announce their decision at the Summerslam show. He said this time, he’d listen to his advice. He said if he could compete, even on a limited basis, he would. He said though, if the news was bad, he was prepared to walk away. He said he loved performing for the fans but the one thing he loved more was his family. He said maybe it was time to start putting them first.
Later tonight John Cena & Batista will face Cody Rhodes & Ted Dibiase for the tag titles.
****Commercial****
Matt Striker, our teacher, is in the ring. He said he wanted to thank GM Mike Adamle for allowing him to compete as a member of the Raw roster. He said he knew he’d get to face the finest competition…. He spoke for a while before Kane’s music hit.
Kane v. Matt Striker
Kane sized up Striker who tried a boot to the stomach but instead was punched to the mat. Striker tried to slide through Kane’s legs but Kane hit an upper cut and floored the former NYC school teacher. Kane followed up with a big boot and an Irish whip followed by a clothesline.
Kane caught a huge side walk slam after that before climbing to the top rope and connecting with his big lariat. Kane signaled for the choke slam and planted Striker to the mat for the pin fall.
Winner: Kane via pin fall
After the match, Kane grabbed a mic and said he was in a bad place lately, but he was better now. He said he figured out that ‘he wasn’t alive, he was dead’. Kane kept looking at his little man-purse with whatever’s inside it.
****Commercial****
The Smackdown rebound aired.
A video putting Batista aired after Cole & King ran down the Summerslam crowd.
John Cena put over how important Batista was to the fans of the WWE. He said he knew this was the ultimate showdown at Summerslam. He ran down the history between the two and that the day was coming, that they’d face each other. He said in his match tonight, he’d be ready for anything.
****Commercial****
Mike Adamle is in the back when Kelly stops by. She wanted to congratulate him on the job he was doing. He thanked her. She said he’s out done himself tonight. She said that Kane was something /*. Adamle agreed and said that he needed to find out what was in that bag. He said next week, they’d find out what was in there.
World Tag Team Championship
Cody Rhodes & Ted Dibiase v. Batista & John Cena
Cena and Dibiase got things started. The two locked up with a hot crowd. Dibiase hit the side head lock and the two criss crossed before Cena hit the turnbuckle shot and followed it up with the bulldog. Cena dragged Dibiase to the middle of the ring and went for a cover attempt before tagging in Batista.
Rhodes tagged in and it’s Batista-Rhodes. Batista chucked Rhodes to the side like he was absolutely nothing. Rhodes came at Batista and grabbed a headlock and a sunset flip and a…. none of it is working. Batista bullied Rhodes into the corner and began absolutely hammering him with shoulder blocks.
Rhodes caught Batista with a kick to the face but after a nice leap frog duck under sequence from Batista, got planted with a clothesline. After some stooging with Cena, Batista found himself double teamed and planted into the ring post.
****Commercial****
We came back to Cena getting the hot tag from Batista. The crowd is going bananas. Cena went through his victory sequence on the champions before getting ready to hit the five knuckle shuffle. Cena went for the FU, but Dibiase hit a blind tag and drop kicked Cena to the floor.
Dibiase whipped Cena into the ring steps before gathering the former champion and tossing him back into the ring. He went for a cover but Cena got his hand on the bottom rope. Rhodes tagged in and he and his partner hit a double suplex for a two count.
Dibiase and Rhodes picked Cena apart, hitting a back suplex and a fist drop. After nailing a vicious clothesline, Dibiase tagged in his partner and Rhodes hit a methodical drop kick for a two count. After trading blows, Rhodes surprisingly got the better of Cena and hit a side Russian leg sweep before tagging in Dibiase again.
Dibiase hit a top rope axe handle on Cena for a two count before tagging Rhodes right back in. The two hit dueling back elbows for another two count but Cena kicked out.
Rhodes booted away on Cena’s head, taunting him. Rhodes hit a sleeper hold on Cena and began to bring him to his knees. Cena struggled to his feet and Batista doesn’t look excited to get the tag. Rhodes brought Cena to the corner and went for a pin, but Cena kicked out.
Dibiase tagged in and slapped on a sleeper hold of his own, but Cena fought out and went for a sleeper of his own, but Cody Rhodes blind tagged and cut Cena off again. Cena eventually fought to his corner where he slapped Batista into the ring. Batista absolutely unloaded on Cody and Dibiase. Cena half-reluctantly disposed of Cody while Batista put away Dibiase for the win.
Winners and NEW Tag Team Champions: Batista & John Cena via pin fall
After the match Cena and Batista posed with their belts to dueling crowd reactions.RAW THOUGHTSShow Thoughts-- Well, I’m a little mixed on tonight’s show, not because of the stuff that was actually on the show, but rather for the stuff surrounding it.
First off, I’ll get the good out of the way here. Mike Adamle as the guy looking to prove something is actually pretty good. He LEGIT looks like a guy trying to make an impression and ‘find himself’. I really like the job he did tonight.
Second, good LORD that was a sensational tag team match tonight in the main event. I mean really good stuff. The Women’s match was great, the triple threat was awesome. In the ring, this show was as good as any I’ve recently seen. I really mean that.
But there’s just one thing I can’t get past. I’ve tried hard, I’ve done all I can, but I just can’t swallow the idea of Batista-Cena at Summerslam. It is the first booking decision in the history of the show that’s actually made me, almost embarrassed to say, angry.
I’m not a guy who gets into the whole tell Vince how to run DA BIZ~ stuff, but this time I just can’t help myself. This is your ace in the hole. It’s you’re HUGE money match. It’s the two top guys in the company over the past four years. I can’t think of a bigger match to have at Wrestlemania than this match. But instead, we’ve got it now, MAYBE the main event… at Summerslam!?
Let me get this straight… you are taking the biggest match in your deck of cards and playing it NOW? When you’ve got Edge-Taker which has been their biggest feud this last year concluding there!? What match do you book ahead of the other? How about CM Punk-JBL, which is a great match up, but should it be that low on the card? And Triple H’s reign is almost running on fumes these days after totally hot-shotting the Edge match, so you toss him in a match against a guy no one cares about (if they ever did to begin with) and pile HIM in the mid card, too? With Jericho and Kane, arguably the two most interesting guys on WWE tv week in and week out NOT getting matches? Ask me if I’m missing something here?
Make Batista-Cena the next hot-shotted feud that should’ve been held off on this year. And to make matters worse, Rhodes and Dibiase, another fun and interesting act, lost their tag belts because of it so Cena and Batista can pose for three weeks?
I apologize for the rantings, but I can’t remember a time where I felt this strongly about a booking decision in the WWE. In business, you want to grab all the money on the table you can. I feel by throwing Cena-Batista out there, they’re leaving a TON of money on that table. Should it play second fiddle to Edge-Taker or vice versa? Is that a decision you should force your road agents to make?
I remember Wrestlemania X8 and the atrocious decision to NOT have Rock-Hogan main event the show. Remember HOW DEAD the crowd was for Triple H-Jericho? The problem is that you’re not going to get the reaction you want. A year or work put into Taker-Edge and it might have to play second fiddle to someone /*? Ugh, please.
Cena and Batista, while being the top guys the past four years, have both had waning periods. What keeps those reactions going are new match ups and the hope for dream matches. It’s keeping the carrot on the stick. That’s why people stuck with Hogan and Hart. Warrior and Sting, and tons of others. Because there was that big match everyone wanted to see, that they were willing to tolerate what might be stale for the big reward in the end. I feel like they just took the carrot and juiced it.
Someone shake the creative team here. It’s a colossal blunder.
Overall Grade: B
Quick Results
Kofi Kingston def. Paul Burchill
Mickie James def. Katie Lea Burchill
JBL def. CM Punk & Chris Jericho
Kane def. Matt Striker
Batista & John Cena def. Cody Rhodes & Ted Dibiase to WIN the World Tag Team Championship
Who’s Hot, Who’s Not?
Biggest Pops
1. Batista
2. John Cena
3. CM Punk
4. Kofi Kingston
Most Heat
1. JBL
2. Chris Jericho
3. Mike Adamle
4. Cody Rhodes & Ted Dibiase
Match of the Night: John Cena & Batista v. Cody Rhodes & Ted Dibiase ***1/24
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
World Heavyweight Champion: CM Punk 5-2-2, 15 Points (Last Week: World Heavyweight Champion) -- This poor guy. I hate seeing him get pushed to the back burner at Summerslam, but it looks like that’s what will happen. Still, a quality performance from him tonight.
Intercontinental Champion: Kofi Kingston 6-1, 15 points (Last Week: IC Champion) -- Another solid title defense against Burchill and Santino is coming down the pike, which I’m sure will give us some fun segments.
1. Chris Jericho 12-14-1, 26pts. (Last Week: 1)-- It’s a travesty this guy has been left off the Summerslam card. This guy and Kane are arguably the hottest acts on Raw right now and neither one will get a match at Summerslam.
2. John Cena 18-11, 32 points. (Last Week: 3) -- So Cena wins him another title tonight, and definitely seemed to have the crowd behind him. Strikes looked good and his selling was out of this world. Good stuff tonight from the, uh, ‘champ’.
3. JBL 12-17, 22 points (Last Week: 2)-- Wins the #1 contendership and the title shot at Summerslam which you could kind of see coming. This guy has been the one heel on Raw whose been getting a consistently hot reaction. He’s the right pick to face Punk right now.
4. Batista 3-1-2, 7 Points (Last Week: 5)-- Something about this guy, his promo work has just been so sensational since coming back to Raw.
5. Shawn Michaels 15-4-1, 20pts. (Last Week: 4) -- Great emotional program from HBK this week. SO Flair-Race.
6. Paul Burchill 5-3, 7 points (Last Week: 6)-- Kind of a flat performance from Paul this week. Nothing bad, but certainly flat.
7. Rey Mysterio 1-0, 3 Points (Last Week: 7) --Not in action.
8. Kane 1-4, 2 Points (Last Week: 10)-- Finally makes a bit of headway into the top 10 and begins his climb. We’ll find out what’s in his man purse next week.
9. Ted Dibiase, Jr. 2-3, 5 Points (Last Week: 8)-- God Ted and Cody are becoming a highlight for me every week. Sensational stuff this week from these two, it’s just a shame they ended up as residual for the hopelessly hot-shotted Cena-Batista feud.
10. Cody Rhodes 8-8, 8 points (Last Week: 9)-- See Dibiase.
OTHERS :
D-Lo Brown 1-1, 2 points (Last Week: NR)
Santino Marella 6-9, 6 points (Last Week: NR)
Jamie Noble 0-1, 0 Points (Last Week: NR)
Deuce 0-0, 0 Points (Last Week: NR)
Chuck Palumbo 0-0, 0 Points (Last Week: NR)
Matt Striker 0-1, 0 Points (Last Week: NR
Randy Orton 10-9-2, 20pts. (Last Week: INJURED)
William Regal, 3-5, 9 points (Last Week: NR)
Paul London 3-6, 3 points(Last Week: NR)
Jerry Lawler 0-1, 0 points (Last Week: NR)
Lance Cade 2-5, 4 points (Last Week: NR)
Jim Duggan 0-1, 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 0-1 0pts. (Last Week: NR)
Snitsky 2-6, 3 points (Last Week: NR)
JTG 4-2, 6 points (Last Week: NR)
Big Shaad 4-2, 4 points (Last Week: NR)
Ken Kennedy 10-7, 22pts. (DRAFTED TO SMACKDOWN)
Carlito 9-9, 13 pts. (Last Week: DRAFTED TO SMACKDOWN)
Brian Kendrick, 3-8, 3 points (Last Week: DRAFTED TO SMACKDOWN)
Trevor Murdoch 0-8, 0 points (Last Week: DRAFTED TO SMACKDOWN)
Super Crazy 0-3, 0 points (Last Week: DRAFTED TO ECW)
Harry Smith 0-1, 0 points (DRAFTED TO SMACKDOWN)