On Monday, August 22, 2005 at 11:51 PM EST WWE Raw
August 22, 2005
Hampton, VA
Commentators: Jim Ross, Jerry “The King” Lawler, and Jonathan Coachman
Reported By: Hunter Golden of WrestleView.com
A video package aired recapping last night’s Summerslam pay per view.
Shawn Michael’s music hit the arena as JR welcomed us to the show.
The crowd chanted HBK as he began to speak. HE said that as much as he hated to admit it, last night, Hulk Hogan was the better man. He said people had to be there to appreciate his performance. Michaels put over his ring prowess and the fact that he couldn’t figure out Hogan’s style. He said he fell victim to the leg drop like so many did before him. HBK pounded his chest as if having a heart attack.
HBK said that we were back to reality. He said that Hogan was on a jet plane waiting for the fans to give him what he wants motioning with some money grubbing gestures. Michael’s said he was here to give the fans what they want TONIGHT. Just then Chris Master’s music hit the arena.
Masters came to the ring and gave his usual cocky glances towards the crowd before grabbing a mic.
Masters said that he always admired HBK. He said he had watched him since he was a little kid, and that was when he was LITTLE. He said HBK wasn’t the ‘sexy boy’ anymore. He said old guys like HBK didn’t know when to step aside and pass the torch.
HBK said he appreciated what he was trying to, trying to steal the spotlight and all but warned Masters that he may have bitten off a little more than he could chew.
Masters insisted he already HAD stolen the spotlight.
HBK called him a green horn and said he was going to teach him some lessons. He said there was a pecking order. He said he was at the top, and then motioned to the floor and said that’s where Chris Masters was. HBK said he was digging Master’s tenacity but said at the top, it’s a lot tougher to breathe. Masters said that was funny because the air was a little thin ‘up here’, mocking HBK’s height.
HBK said he appreciated what Masters was doing so he said ‘let’s do this thing’ and slapped Masters and the two scuffled. HBK hit him with a flying forearm and knocked him from the ring. The two jaw jacked back and forth as Masters walked backwards up the ramp and to the back to end the segment.
JR put over the edition of Carlito’s cabana later tonight that will feature Ric Flair.
Chris Jericho was in the back with Eric Bischoff. Jericho said Cena got lucky. Bischoff said he was right and that Jericho deserved a rematch. He said it wouldn’t be any rematch, that it would be a ‘you’re fired’ match, with the loser of course being fired. Jericho thanked him and the two hugged to end the segment.
****Commercial****
Kurt Angle v. Shelton Benjamin
The two locked up in the middle of the ring and Angle caught Benji in a hammerlock before Shelton hit the single leg take down. Angle countered with a headlock which was turned into a Shelton Benjamin back suplex.
Angle went for the headlock but Benjamin got the go behind and then the take down. Angle rolled out into a wristlock which was countered into a wristlock again. The two tussled around some more until they were broken up in the ropes.
Angle hit a kick to the gut and clamed on a modified Fujiwara arm bar. Shelton writhed in pain on the mat as Angle continued to gain more leverage. Shelton fought his way back to his feet but Angle clamped on more pressure with an extra twist. Shelton spring boarded off the ropes and fought out of the hold, hitting two successive arm drags which turned into an arm bar. Angle countered out of it and went for a big German but Shelton flipped out of it and tossed Angle up and over the top rope.
****Commercial****
We came back to Shelton kicking out of a two count. Angle put on a deep STF on Shelton as they showed a clip over the commercial of Angle German suplexing Benjamin over the top rope and to the floor. Shelton fought to his feet with some elbows and whipped angle in to the corner, but Angle avoided the follow up rush and hit another release German suplex. Angle locked Shelton back in the wristlock before stomping away at Benjamin in the ropes.
Angle connected with a European upper cut and a straight kick right to the head. Angle hit a nice looking vertical suplex and two successive pin fall attempts, with Benjamin kicking out of both at two. Angle clamped on a body scissors.
Shelton fought out of it with some elbows and got to his feet while in a headlock but Angle landed some axe handles and whipped Shelton into the corner hard. Angle came rushing at Shelton but the youngster ducked and Angle hit the ring post. Both men were on the mat and beat the 10 count.
Shelton landed three right hands before coming off the ropes with a flying forearm. Shelton knocked Angle down a few times before whipping Angle into the corner and catching him in a Samoan drop on the rebound. He got a two count on the cover and went for a shoulder block but Angle knocked him down.
Angle tried to catch him with the ankle lock but Benjamin kicked him off his leg. Shelton hit a flying wheel kick and went to the top rope but Angle caught him with a big release belly to belly suplex off the buckles. Angle went for the cover but only got a two count.
Angle took off the straps and stomped, signaling for the angle slam. Angle got him up but Shelton countered and hit a big DDT. Angle kicked out of the two count. The crowd was super hot at this point.
Shelton coiled himself waiting to slap Angle in the T-bone suplex but Angle countered into the ankle lock. Angle clamped on hard and grape-vined the leg. The pain was too much and Shelton tapped out.
Winner: Kurt Angle via submission
After the match, Angle grabbed a chair and came into the ring. He had the referee place his gold medal around his neck again to end the segment.
King put over tonight’s edition of Carlito’s Cabana with Ric Flair and Coach put over the WWE Championship “You’re Fired Match” featuring John Cena and Chris Jericho.
****Commercial****
JR thanked the fans for being a part of Summerslam last night.
Kerwinn White was in the back in a golf cart. He said he represented middle class America. He said he was the official spokesman of middle class America. He said he was here to say what others were scared to say. He said the crowd gave Shelton a ‘polite clap’. He said prejudice and racism runs rampant in America especially in Hampton, VA. He said Shelton was incredible as an athlete, but he said Shelton wasn’t ‘one of us’ and that he’d never be. He said it was simply because Shelton was white. He told us to remember, “if it’s not white, it’s not right’.
Maria was in the back being dumb again when Snitsky came up to help her tie her shoe. He said he had a story to tell her while he played the piggies game on her feet. Snitsky smelled her feet and bet her that her toes were very tasty. He then looked down in disgust and Big Show was there. Show slapped him and called him a weirdo and said he was a pervert for wanting to suck her toes. He told Maria to be careful whom she talked to. Maria asked what a pervert was and the two walked off with Big Show shaking his head.
Matt Hardy was seen on his way to the ring.
****Commercial****
Matt Hardy v. Rob Conway
The bell rang and then Edge’s music hit the arena. Hardy motioned for him to come to the ring but Conway jumped him. Conway pounded away at Hardy’s head in the corner. Hardy fought back but to no avail. Conway slammed Hardy’s head off the turnbuckle and pounded away on Hardy while he was on the mat. Conway slapped Hardy and went for a punch but it was avoided.
Eventually Conway clamped a sleeper on which turned into a side headlock. Hardy hit a jaw-breaker He landed three punches knocking Conway to the mat and stomped him on the mat. Hardy followed it up with a whip to the corner and a clothesline. Hardy landed some more forearms before punching Conway in the head hard. Conway caught Hardy coming in with a boot to the face and scaled the topes to the top buckle.
Hardy punched Conway in the ribs and made his way up to equal footing with him. The two exchanged blows before Conway knocked Hardy to the mat. Conway came off with the flying elbow drop and scored the pin fall victory.
Winner: Rob Conway via pin fall
Edge made his way down to the ring after doing commentary during the match. Edge punched away on Hardy before Matt eventually fought back. Edge eventually got the upper hand and put Hardy’s head between the steps and the ring and BOOTED the steps into Hardy’s head. Lita and Edge sauntered off as Hardy looked up at the lights looking as if he had a concussion.
Big Show v. Snitsky is on for later tonight and Carlito’s Cabana is next!
****Commercial****
Carlito’s Cabana
Carlito said his show was back by popular demand. He said he had a very special guest tonight. He said he quite possibly may be the greatest guest in the history of the Cabana. He introduced Ric Flair.
Carlito welcomed Flair to the Cabana. Flair welcomed Carlito to “Flaaaaaiiiir Country”. Carlito asked him what was with the woo stuff and ‘woo’d’ himself. He did it again to a chorus of boo’s. He said woo-ing wasn’t cool. The crowd chanted Flair’s name. Carlito asked the crowd to relax. He wanted to talk about Flair. He said he remembers the legendary matches with his father and Flair.
Carlito said his father didn’t think he was all that great. He said standing in the ring with Flair, he could tell his Dad was right. He said it wasn’t a big deal to win the World Title 16 times. He said it meant that he really LOST the title 16 times. He said anyone can win as many matches as he loses. He said he was a one time Intercontinental Champion. He said it was a title that Flair never won. He said by being one-time Intercontinental Champion, it meant that no one had ever defeated him for that title. He said that was cool.
He said that Flair, on the other hand, wasn’t cool. Flair grabbed the mic and called him son. He said he wasn’t cool, that he was the Nature Boy, a limousine driving, kiss stealing, wheeling, dealing, sonova gun that his father referred to as the “King of the Caribbean”. He said every woman down there had three words to say to him; “All Night Long”.
Carlito spat apple in the face of Flair and Flair thumbed him in the eyes and knocked Carlito to the canvas. He landed some heavy chops on the champion and knocked him out of the ring. He dropped the elbow on his own jacket and strutted around the ring. Carlito stumbled to the back cursing at Flair.
JR put over John Cena’s WWE title defense against Chris Jericho later tonight!
****Commercial****
Big Show v. Snitsky
Snitsky landed a kick to the guy followed by some punches to the head to start things off. Show turned Snitsky into the corner and landed a huge chop. Show followed it up with another choke up against the opposite ropes and then another shhhh chop in the near corner. Show tossed Snitsky into the corner hard and shh’d the crowd again and landed another really big chop. Show gathered Snitsky and landed a big punch to the head that knocked Snitsky to the outside. Snitsky fought back landing some punches but Show tossed him into the ring post. Show missed the follow up charge hitting the post before rolling back into the ring.
Snitsky went to work with some more punches in the corner but had an Irish whip countered. Again, however, Show missed the follow up. Snitsky chopped Show down knocking him to the mat after two clotheslines. Show kicked out of a cover attempt.
Snitsky went for vertical suplex which was countered. Show hit a big clothesline followed by a big hip lock. He chopped Snitsky back again before knocking him over the top rope and to the floor with a big clothesline. Snitsky decided that he had enough and ran up the ramp and to the back and was counted out.
Winner: Big Show via count out
Eric Bischoff was in the back staring at John Cena’s WWE Championship belt. The person holding the belt was cloaked in black. Bischoff said once Cena lost tonight, he’d be fired from the WWE and that he’d appreciate it. The camera panned and Cena took off his head phones and called Bischoff ‘frosty-top’ and asked him if he was talking to him before walking off.
****Commercial****
A Video package putting over the new Cade and Murdoch tag team.
Torrie Wilson’s music hit the arena and she came out with Candice Michelle. They announced that they had been traded to Raw. Candice was apparently too hot for network television. They said they had some stuff up their sleeves and that people would be pleasantly surprised. They called out the Diva Search contest winner Ashley out to the ring.
Ashley said it was a huge honor to be in the ring with them. Torrie said they knew she’d fit in great. Ashley thanked the fans. Torrie hauled off and nailed Ashley. The two beat down Ashley and walked off.
Coach put over the WWE Championship match later tonight.
****Commercial****
Another highlight video of last night’s Summerslam pay per view aired. The video was the same one that aired earlier in the show.
JR and Coach ran down the earlier happenings between Chris Masters and Shawn Michaels. Next week’s Masterlock challenge, it’ll be Shawn Michaels taking the challenge.
Todd Girsham was in the back with Chris Jericho. Jericho said that some people deserved to be fired. He said he was the first undisputed champion and multi-media superstar in the WWE. He said he couldn’t wait to see Cena in the unemployment line. He said after tonight, Cena would be fired.
Eric Bischoff’s music hit the arena and he came down to the ring escorted by security.
The WWE Championship is next!
****Commercial****
WWE Championship—You’re Fired Match
John Cena © v. Chris Jericho
The two stared down in the middle of the ring. Jericho slapped Cena and Cena tackled Jericho. He whipped off his shirt and hit an elbow in the corner and the big flying hiplock. Bischoff grabbed Cena’s leg and Jericho went for the roll up but Cena kicked out despite Jericho’s feet being on the ropes.
Jericho choked out Cena with his boot before landing a punch and hitting a running elbow off the ropes. Jericho got another 2 count before hitting a vertical suplex. Jericho smashed Cena’s head off the ropes before landing a chop and six kicks before choking Cena out with his boots.
Jericho whipped Cena but missed the follow up splash. Bischoff attended to Jericho on the outside while Cena came to. Cena tossed Y2J back in the ring and Bischoff kicked Cena. Bischoff hit the low blow before Cena could do anything to him. Cena was lying on the floor in pain as we went to commercial break.
****Commercial****
We came back to Jericho holding Cena in a reverse chin lock. Cena eventually fought out of the hold hitting a big back suplex. Jericho tripped up Cena with a drop toe hold and hit two elbow drops before banging Cena’s head off the mat. Jericho kicked Cena in the gut twice before mounting Cena in the corner and landing some punches. Eventually Cena shoved Jericho off but Jericho quickly followed up with a shoulder block. Jericho and Cena exchanged lefts and rights. Cena came off the ropes at Jericho but Y2J hit a spinning wheel kick. He went for the cover but only got a two count.
Cena snared Jericho in an inside cradle but only got a 1 ½ count. Jericho hit another clothes line and got another near fall. Jericho whipped Cena into the corner and followed it up with a splash. He propped Cena up on the top rope and went for a super-plex. Cena fought off Jericho and planted him on the mat.
Jericho got to his feet just in time to avoid a flying cross body block attempt by Cena. Jericho dropped an elbow to the lower back but got called off the illegal cover attempt by referee Mike Chioda. Jericho went for a reverse chin lock but Cena fought out and the two traded blows in the middle of the ring. Eventually Jericho missed and Cena came bounding off the ropes with the flying shoulder block. Cena hit two clotheslines and whipped Jericho into the corner following up with a clothesline.
He attempted to repeat the move but Jericho caught him. Jericho came on for his running bulldog but Cena caught him and hoisted him up into position for the FU. Jericho barely fought out and countered it into the walls of Jericho. Bischoff held the ropes back so Cena couldn’t reach them and Jericho dragged Cena back into the middle of the ring.
Cena got a determined look on his face and struggled to get to the ropes and eventually did, breaking the hold. As Jericho fought with the referee, Cena took advantage and tried to plant Jericho in the FU but his back gave way initially. Cena fought and hoisted Jericho up and planted him with the finisher. Cena slowly rolled over to Jericho who was lying next to the ropes. He went for the cover attempt but Bischoff stuck Jericho’s leg on the ropes to break the count.
The ref got distracted and Bischoff handed Jericho a pair of brass knuckles. Cena went to gather Jericho and got nailed with the knucks. Jericho ditched the weapon and struggled over to Cena for the pin and got two straight 2 and three quarter counts. Bischoff jumped up on the apron with Cena’s belt as Jericho pummeled Cena on the mat.
Eventually Cena caught Jericho in a sling shot and he landed on Bischoff and the title belt. He wobbled back and Cena snared him in the FU. Jericho continued to fight but to no avail. Cena hit the FU and got the 1, 2, 3 pin fall victory.
Winner & STILL WWE Champion: John Cena via pin fall
After the match Bischoff told Chris to forget about ‘all that’. Bischoff turned around and fired Jericho in the middle of the ring saying he couldn’t get the job done. Jericho begged and pleaded for his job even with Cena who appeared baffled as well. Bischoff said he didn’t care about Jericho, his wife, or his kid. Jericho was practically crying as Bischoff called in security to take Jericho away.
Out of nowhere, Kurt Angle popped up and suplexed Cena and began attacking the champion violently. He stomped the hell out of Cena in the corner before hitting another HARD German suplex. He pounded away at Cena on the mat. He hit a huge clothesline and followed it with a big Angle slam and taunted the champion.
Bischoff rolled in the ring and told Cena to say hello to the new #1 contender for the WWE Championship, Kurt Angle. Angle’s music hit and Angle continued to stomp away on Cena. He held the championship belt and held it up taunting Cena. A replay of the initial assault aired and we left the show with Angle staring at Cena trying to pick himself off the mat. RAW THOUGHTSThe Good-- There was a TON of good to speak of tonight. The WWE did a very good job with this show. We got two quality matches. We got two comedy segments. We got a surprise heel turn. We had two decent interview segments.
First of all, THAT is how you transition from one championship feud to another. I thought Jericho and Cena topped Summerslam tonight. Jericho’s firing went off VERY well and leaves him with opportunity when he comes back. The Angle popping up, although we’ve been seeing this feud coming for a little while, was done extremely well. It also held the Cena-Bischoff dispute as well. Well done all the way around.
Shelton-Angle was a clinic as well. Just great wrestling from these two. Now it also appears as if Shelton Benjamin is going to get a feud as well. I don’t know how I feel ABOUT the angle with Kerwinn right now, but it’ll produce a good match.
Jeez, even the Masters-HBK segment came off well and seems like it’ll make sense. If HBK carries Masters to a good match, he’s my Wrestler of the Year, hands down.
The Bad-- Not a lot of bad. The Snitsky-Show match didn’t have much going for it but somehow it fit. Matt Hardy looked like a bit of a joke tonight losing to Conway, BUT, even with this, the angle was booked so incredibly well. Hardy is tired, which means Conway can get a believable win and then the Hardy-Edge feud can be progressed. Again, not much for the match, but the angle came off okay.
The Ugly-- Nothing really. I can’t believe I can’t bitch about Masters or divas or anything.
Overall—A- Such a good show tonight. Everything moved along very well and for a show that is usually transitional, it SO did the trick. We’ve got a good looking line-up for Unforgiven already. My buddy PAT (yes I didn’t forget boss) and I were sort of lamenting the state of things. Tonight gives us a reason for hope. Let’s hope the WWE keeps it up. By the way, I was 6-2 for my Summerslam picks.
Who’s Hot, Who’s Not?
Biggest Pops
1. John Cena
2. Ric Flair
3. Shawn Michaels
4. Shelton Benjamin
Most Heat
1. Chris Jericho
2. Chris Masters
3. Kurt Angle
4. Eric Bischoff
Match of the Night: Kurt Angle v. Shelton Benjamin ***3/4
Power RankingsWWE Champion: John Cena (LAST WEEK: WWE Champion)-- I thought this week was productive for the Champion. Tonight's match with Jericho was probobly his best TV showing since 2003. The feud for Angle is going to be VERY interesting. A definite step in the right direction for Cena and his title reign.
Intercontinental Champion: Carlito (LAST WEEK: IC Champion)-- Carlito's going a different direction now but i'm almost fearing that he'll lose the title to Flair in the next week or two. Of course I think he'll win it back at Unforgiven, but i'm nervous about the fued. The Cabana segment was bland tonight, but passable. A slight step forward.
1.) Shawn Michaels(LAST WEEK: 1)--Although HBK didn’t stay heel for very long, I thought his program with Masters is going to come off well. I fully appreciate the fact that Michaels has stepped up to challenge after challenge this year. If he carries Masters to a good match at Unforgiven, he’s the runaway winner for Wrestler of the Year, in my opinion.
2.) Kurt Angle (LAST WEEK: 6)--Angle was gold all the way around tonight. He put on another TV classic with Shelton Benjamin and interjected himself brilliantly into his WWE Championship feud with John Cena. Angle is the first legitimate threat to Cena’s reign. I’m really looking forward to this feud.
3.) Edge(LAST WEEK: 4)-- I flipped Edge this week with Big Show. Edge progressed the Hardy feud well tonight I thought and got a good deal of heat in doing so. People are beginning to short change this angle but for some reason I think the best is still to come. Keep your eyes peeled for this one.
4.) Big Show (LAST WEEK:3)-- Big Show gets another win and is thus far undefeated since moving to Raw. I have every reason to think Show may potentially be the guy who gets the first crack at whomever takes the belt off of Cena. WWE has kept him on TV every week which means they don’t want us to forget about him.
5.) Chris Jericho (LAST WEEK: 2)-- Jericho lost his second title match in a row but put on an incredibly better match with Cena tonight than last night’s offering. Jericho left on a good note and there’s potential heat with Bischoff or even a potential leap to Smackdown in the wings. Again, He’s gone and is on a big losing streak now, but even though he’s dropped, his character is a hot potato and will be a good gate when he comes back..
6.) Chris Masters (LAST WEEK: 8)-- Masters is finally in the ring with a guy who can carry him. This is going to be a feud where Masters can get over well and learn a ton in the process. His time is coming. This is a make or break feud for him.
7.) Rob Conway (LAST WEEK: 10)-- Conway was booked brilliantly tonight and is slowly building credibility as a singles wrestler. I don’t see his push culminating in much in the near future, but he’s looked decent in the ring of late. This’ll be a work in progress so keep a way on the Con Man.
8.) Shelton Benjamin (LAST WEEK: 9)-- Shelton worked such a solid match with Angle tonight and stuck with him move for move and in parts looked even better. I’m glad they’re swallowing their usual formula, sucking it up, and putting Shelton in a feud with Kerwinn, who’s a guy who can work the stick. It could be a good starting point for both. Again, I’m not wild about the angle, but it’ll be high on drama and that’s something that Shelton needs right now. It’s only good for him in the long run developmentally.
9.) Matt Hardy (LAST WEEK: NR)-- Hardy didn’t look so hot tonight, but that was really the intention. The feud is gaining steam. The verdict is still out on Hardy and this angle with Edge as a whole. I’ll keep my eyes peeled for this though.
10.) Ric Flair (Last Week: NR)-- Flair is back and it looks like he’ll be getting a shot at Carlito’s Intercontinental title soon. I’m not sure how much I think it’ll help Carlito, but it should make for some interesting TV.
Dropping Out: Eugene (LAST WEEK: 5)
Any Questions, comments, or feedback send email me at Raw@wrestleview.com.