WWE RAW
June 15, 2009
Charlotte, NC
Commentators: Michael Cole & Jerry ?The King? Lawler
Reported By: Hunter Golden of WrestleView.com
WWE Intercontinental Champion Chris Jericho came out to the ring and began running down the Raw brand and its fans. He said it was a mess since he left and tonight, he’d beat Rey Mysterio to retain his Intercontinental Championship. He put over how Rey’s mask would continue to be his downfall.
WWE Intercontinental Championship
Chris Jericho v. Rey Mysterio
Rey took Chris’ legs out from under him and flailed away with right hands before catching Jericho on a whip attempt and clotheslining the champion to the floor. He caught Jericho with a kick on his way back into the ring before dropping a leg across his neck for a two count. Rey ran into the ring post attempting a spear in the corner before resourcefully dragging Jericho over the top rope and to the floor. Rey collected himself briefly before launching himself over the top rope, looking for a senton. Jericho caught him however and fell backwards, dropping Rey chest-first on the announce table. The two writhed in pain on the floor as we went to commercial
****Commercial****
Jericho had Mysterio In a cross face chicken wing when we got back before Rey hit a step up enzeguiri. He went to press his luck before Jericho countered into a DISGUSTING Torture rack back breaker for a two count.
Jericho attempted to rip Rey’s mask off, only for Mysterio to fight back with Kawada kicks to the head. Jericho caught a kick to the gut and went for a sunset flip, but Mysterio countered out and hit a double drop kick. Rey threw some mustard behind some strikes before hitting a hurricanranna and a big snap mare on the top rope. He looked for a springboard senton for a two count, but Jericho kicked out.
Jericho looked for his whip/bulldog combo in desperation, but Rey easily countered and sent Jericho to the corner and took his legs out with a drop kick and Jericho went reeling to the outside. Rey came flying through the middle rope with a tope. Before looking for something off the top rope.
Jericho cut Mysterio off and the two fought it out on the top rope before Rey flipped over and hit a big power bomb for a two count. Rey went for a wheelbarrow roll up, but Jericho sat out and almost snagged a two count. Jericho looked for the Walls of Jericho, but Mysterio powered out. Jericho hung Rey up on the ropes and almost went for his own version of the 619 but Mysterio hit a springboard moonsault for a MOLTEN two count.
Mysterio went to finish him off, and looked to drop the dime after a 619, but Jericho was with it enough to move Rey’s mask off to the side. Rey staggered back, enabling Jericho to hit the code breaker for the 1, 2, 3.
Winner and STILL Intercontinental Champion: Rey Mysterio via pin fall
****Commercial****
Todd Grisham is interviewing Randy Orton when they’re interrupted by John Cena. Cena reminded Orton that he and Big Show wouldn’t just be sitting around.. Orton would be in for a fight tonight.
Mr. McMahon is live via Satellite. He announces that he’s selling Monday Night Raw.
****Commercial****
ECW Championship
Tommy Dreamer v. Christian
The two started off pretty quickly, with Dreamer catching a kip up kick and hitting neck breaker. Christian fought back with a flying European uppercut which knocked Dreamer back and to the floor. Christian vaulted over the top rope and crashed into Dreamer on the outside before gathering him and sending him back into the ring for a two count.
Dreamer fought out of the headlock before Christian caught him on an Irish whip attempt. Dreamer kept up the pressure however with a flurry of fists and an inverted DDT for a two count. Dreamer hit a huge lariat for a two count. Christian took the advantage, crawling to the top rope and hitting a sunset flip for two. Christian hit a throat thrust and looked for the Killswitch, but Dreamer countered. Christian attempted a counter of his own and flipped out of a slam attempt but came up limping upon landing. Dreamer capitalized and hit a roll up for the win.
Winner and STILL ECW Champion: Tommy Dreamer via pin fall
****Commercial****
The Bella Twins and Kelly Kelly are bantering about the Raw acquisition. They think Oprah bought it.
WWE Championship
Randy Orton v. The Big Show v. John Cena v. Triple H
The bell rang and the rivals all went at it. Show worked over Cena in the corner while Triple H chased Orton to the side. Show flung Cena out of the ring as Triple H tossed Orton into the crowd. Triple H returns to the ring to face Show as we go to commercial.
****Commercial****
We came back to all four men being in the ring. Randy Orton was working over Triple H while Show and Cena were back in another corner. Triple H dodged an Orton leg drop and hit some signature spots on Show. Cena and Triple H tried to chop down the tree before Cena was able to knock Show to the floor with a shoulder block.
Cena and Triple H squared off before Cena took the upper hand with two shoulder blocks and an inverted power bomb. Cena looked for the Five Knuckle shuffle only for Triple H to try and load him up for a pedigree. Cena countered out and looked for an FU, but as Triple H wiggled BACK out, Show came bounding into the ring to flat back both men with a double clothesline.
Show hit an awesome looking belly to belly and the cover attempt was broken up by Orton, and a stare down between the two ensued. Show caught both Triple H and Cena in a choke slam, but was countered and the two hit a vertical suplex. Orton pounced on Show after that and went for a punt to the head, but Show caught the move, and pummeled Orton all over the ring until dispatching him with a clothesline.
Show went for the Vader bomb on Cena and nailed it, but Orton broke the cover up. He hit a super running spear on Triple H for a two count before setting up the Vader bomb. Show missed this time, and it gave Orton chance for an RKO. Show pushed him off and went to charge Triple H, but Triple H dodged out of the way and was able to hit a pedigree on the big man.
Triple H went to go for the cover, only for Cena to catch him and FU him. Triple H tumbled out of the ring, so Cena went to cover Show but the Big Show kicked out. Orton had re-gathered himself and took Cena and ran him into the ring post and dumped him to the outside of the ring. With everyone more or less in la-la land, Orton finally connected with a big RKO on Big Show and covered him for the win and the WWE Championship.
Winner and NEW WWE Champion: Randy Orton via pin fall
Vince McMahon is on his way to the ring to sell Monday Night Raw.
****Commercial****
McMahon walked out to the ring and announced that the new owner of Monday Night Raw would be DONALD TRUMP. Trump showed up via Titan Tron and cut a promo on Vince telling him he never really gave the fans what they wanted. There was a ton of back and forth that didn’t come off so hot thanks to the pre-taped segment from Trump, but at least got through the big thrust of next week’s show, which will be commercial-free.
Mickie James v. Rosa Mendez
Mickie hit a quick arm drag on Rosa, who decided to play a little chicken outside of the ring. She snap mared Mickie’s head off the top rope before going to work on her in the ring. She hit a big clothesline before choking Mickie out on the top rope. Rosa slapped on a rear chin lock before Mickie eventually fought out of the hold and hit an arm drag.
Mickie hit a series of clotheslines before hitting a nice sit out drop kick that Rosa kicked out of. Mendez looked for swinging neckbreaker but Mickie countered out and hit a huge implant DDT for the win.
****Commercial****
The Mis is out in the ring and said if Donald Trump wanted to take this show to the next level, he’d start pushing him. He said he told Maryse and the WWE Universe that he’d back up everything he said about Cena and he did. He said tonight, he’d throw him over the top rope and earn a WWE title match at the Bash. He said he wouldn’t stop at the WWE title, he wanted it all. He wants to be on the covers of magazines, movies, he wants his face everywhere. Goldust interrupted him. After some humorous back and forth, Miz decked Godlust and DDT’d him to the mat before shooting Horsnwoggle with a T-Shirt gun.
****Commercial****
CM Punk and Matt Hardy are in the back. Hardy tells Punk not to worry, because if it were him, he’d have done things the exact same way. Punk said the difference between him and Hardy is that he actually WON Money in the Bank and earned his opportunity. Hardy didn’t seem to like it.
****Commercial****
World Heavyweight Championship
CM Punk v. Edge v. Jeff Hardy
Hardy went right after Punk and tossed him into Edge’s groin. Hardy rolled the champion up for a two count before Edge pounced and attempted the same. Punk gained the advantage and went after both men, clotheslining Edge to the floor. Punk launched himself through the ropes and hit a tope onto Edge. As he re-gathered himself Hardy raised the stakes, throwing himself up and over the top rope with a suicida.
Back in the ring Hardy went for a pin fall, but only got a two count. He ate a big boot on the Irish Whip attempt and Punk gained a bit of an advantage. Punk connected with a kick to the body before laying Jeff out with a body slam and dropping an elbow. Punk wrapped Hardy up in a chin lock before Edge came swooping into the ring and had a pair of big boots to dish out to both the champion and the other challenger.
Edge stomped away at Punk’s back before smashing his head into the corner buckles. The two duked it out on the top rope briefly before Hardy interrupted and dragged Edge off. Hardy leaped into Edge’s place on the second rope. Edge picked up Jeff and went for an electric chair drop, but Punk tried to pick him out of the air with a lariat from the top rope. Punk swooped off but missed by a mile. Jeff almost rolled Edge up but only managed a two count.
****Commercial****
Hardy went into his big spot offense, hitting a double leg drop on both men and attempting a pin fall on Punk. Punk hit a shot to Hardy’s chin before tending to Edge on the ring apron. Hardy slid through the bottom rope and snap mared both men. Hardy went to the top rope and looked for a swanton until Edge pushed him off the top rope and crotched him. Edge looked for a spear but Punk hit a huge running power slam for a two count. Hardy went at Punk, trying to prevent Punk from the pin fall. Punk caught him and went for a Go 2 Sleep, only for Hardy to drop out of the hold. Edge came looking for the spear but Punk leap frogged him and Edge smashed into Hardy.
Punk went to the top rope, only for Edge to shove him off the top rope. Punk landed funny on the ring steps and has the trainers down at the ringside area. Hardy hit a big whisper in the wind, only for Punk to barely break it up. Hardy swooped to the outside and went to work on Punk’s leg. He intercepted Edge in the ring and hit a twist of fate and connected with a swanton bomb, but Punk dragged him out of the ring yet again, except this time, he slammed him into the ring steps. Punk crawled into the ring and pinned Edge to win the match.
Winner and STILL World Heavyweight Champion: CM Punk via pin fall
****Commercial****
Primo & Carlito v. The Hart Dynasty
The Hart’s went to work on Primo, hitting him with some double teams. Smith tagged in and hit a few stomps and a body slam before looking for a double leg drop, but he whiffed. Carlito got a hot tag and hit some punches and a springboard back elbow, only for Smith to eventually catch him in a power slam attempt. Carlito wiggled out and hit a back stabber, only for the Legacy to jump into the ring and jump him.
The two stared the Colons down and posed for the crowd.
NO CONTEST
****Commercial****
Santino is in the back sitting next to Vince. He wants to know if they still have jobs. Donald calls Vince on his cell phone. He says he has one more announcement he wants that’ll make an ‘impact’ later tonight.
#1 Contender’s Battle Royal
ORDER OF ELIMINATION:
Matt Hardy (Big Show)
MVP (Big Show)
Big Show (Everyone)
Matt Hardy (Triple H)
Kofi Kingston (Rhodes & Dibiase)
William Regal (Rhodes & Dibiase)
Ted Dibiase (John Cena)
Cody Rhodes (Triple H)
The Miz (Triple H & John Cena)
John Cena (Triple H)
Winner: Triple H
Raw Owner Donald Trump popped up on the Titan Tron. He congratulated Triple H and said we wouldn’t be waiting until the Bash to settle the score. Next week, Triple H will face Orton for the title in a Last Man Standing Match for the title.
Show Thoughts— It was certainly a marathon tonight but overall, a fun show that really leaves the door open for the next couple of weeks.
The show started off with a definite bang, with a strong opener and two title matches and the McMahon announcement all within the first hour. While it was certainly a solid way to open the show, by the time we got to the third hour, things started to drag a bit for the live audience.
The opening match, IMO, was the best match of the night. I love this combination largely because they blend so well together and always have syalistically throughout the years. The difference in 2009 as compared to 1997 is that Rey’s offense is far more grounded and it makes it so that Jericho doesn’t have to work to Rey’s match nearly as much anymore. Rey brings it with the strikes and lower-grade throws, so it works a heck of a lot better. That’s shown through in this series as well, as Rey’s offense looks great. Jericho’s not too big to have to worry too much about over selling for Rey, and Rey’s stuff seemed really well put together and not super-contrived. He had some great ways of re-using the angles in the ring and taking some of their older spots but not beating us silly with learned psychology. This might have been the best match I’ve seen these two have, and that’s saying something. Its likely a top 10 WWE match for me so far this year.
The fatal four way was interesting from a lot of different points of view. For one, Big Show looked like a machine. He was quick, agile and they put together a fun little story, with Orton more or less avoiding Show the majority of the match, opting instead to allow Cena and Triple H to do the majority of the work and take advantage at the right point. Show more or less dominated the two most dominating figures in the WWE for the lion’s share of the 10 minutes and came close to beating both which lent itself well to the final ‘hope’ spot when Triple H and Cena finally hit the double suplex that begins the domino effect in the match. They finally get the big shot in on Show, but he’s worn them down so much, that Orton can easily dispose of them and capitalize on a beaten giant.
The World title match was a lot of fun, especially considering two of the guys I’m really not into as characters or performers. The spots were pretty well timed here and nothing was overly burned through, leaving plenty of program left for a triple threat rematch, or separate matches involving Edge & Punk or Hardy & Punk. The one thing that was noticeable is just HOW over Jeff Hardy is at this point. He might be the most over baby face in the company and considering the wishy-washy nature of how they’ve booked him, its pretty amazing and a testament as to the resilience of that character right now. Perhaps re-signing him might be more of a priority than anyone, including the WWE, may have bargained for.
The big announcement of course was Donald Trump’s purchase of the Raw brand from Vince McMahon. Wrestling has lacked a genuine buzz for years and Trump can help provide that. Both Trump and the WWE are coming off of controversial mainstream media messes, so maybe this is a good marriage right now. It won’t spike ratings, but it could 1.) be a fun angle and 2.) can help create a little buzz that might create some growth over the long term.
The rest of the show was more or less there, but a decent enough offering. They did a good job of working in some feud-developing spots, but never dove into anything too much. Four title matches and an ownership is enough for one night, I suppose. Good show tonight, not exactly as good as last week’s, but still pretty strong.
Overall Grade: B+
Quick Results
Chris Jericho def. Rey Mysterio to RETAIN the Intercontinental Championship
Tommy Dreamer def. Christian to RETAIN the ECW Championship
Randy Orton def. Triple H, Big Show & John Cena to WIN the WWE Championship
Mickie James def. Rosa Mendez
The Colons v. The Hart Foundation ended in a No Contest
CM Punk def. Jeff Hardy & Edge to RETAIN the World Heavyweight Championship
Triple H won a Battle Royal to become the #1 Contender for the WWE Championship
Who’s Hot, Who’s Not?
Biggest Pops
1. Jeff Hardy
2. Triple H
3. John Cena
4. Rey Mysterio
Most Heat
1. Randy Orton
2. Big Show
3. The Miz
4. Edge
Match of the Night: Chris Jericho v. Rey Mysterio ***3/4
Points
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
1. WWE Champion: Randy Orton 8-7-3, 21 pts. (Last Week: 1)— Thanks to the Batista injury, Orton seems back on track, and that quesitonable title change a week ago now seems like a distant hiccup. The decision to fast forward the title match is an intereting one, but I’d probably bet on a false finish.
United States Champion: Kofi Kingston 13-3, 24 points (Last Week: US Champion)— Quiet night for Kofi. Mostly just a pedestrian role in the Battle Royal.
1. John Cena 13-8-3, 30 points. (Last Week: 2)— Cena moves up this week almost by default. Despite the bump though, he’s been pretty bland the past few weeks. He could really use a big program right now, as it seems as if the Big Show program has more or less run its course. They SEEM, although its just speculation, to be keeping him on ice until next month, where I’d say he’d be the likely challenger for Randy Orton and the WWE title.
2. MVP 4-3-1, 7 Points (Last Week: 3)— Low-key night for MVP. An appearance in the Battle Royal and that was it.
3. The Miz 1-2-2, 1 Points (Last Week: 7)–For where he is on the card, there might not be a hotter act on the brand currently. His promos are beginning to get some very serious heat and they go out of their way to give him some sort of ‘action’ segment a week where he looks good. A program with Cena would be huge for him, win, lose or draw.
4. Batista 8-4, 16 Points (Last Week: WWE Champion)— Injured.
5. Triple H 2-3-0, 3 Point (Last Week: 8)— And up and down night for the Game. He sky rockets up the card winning the #1 contenders battle royal, but it seems the title match has been moved up to next week. I’m expecting some sort of no decision leading to a big gimmick blow off between the two at the Bash.
6. Cody Rhodes 8-5-1, 10 points (Last Week: 4) — Both came across pretty well on commentary. The Unified Tag belts seem to be in the near future for the other half of the Legacy faction. Every week, we seem to learn just a little bit more about these guys. Hopefully their exposure can help the tag belts that look like they’re inevitably going to end up on their shoulders.
7.Ted Dibiase, Jr. 8-3-2, 9 Points (Last Week: 5)— See Cody.
8. Big Show 2-5-0, 3 Points (Last Week: 6)— Any great momentum Big Show had seems to have come to a screeching halt. Raw seemed a little stuffed, but without anyone for him to really feud with coming off of the Cena program, it now seems remarkably bare. The good news is that its 1.) Big Show and 2.) he has looked really good in the ring, so there’s no reason to say he is in out and out free fall. Heading forward though, he really could use some wins right now.
9. Matt Hardy 3-8-0, 4 Points (Last Week: 9) – – Hardy’s really come off as mediocre as a heel and it hasn’t just been in the way he’s been booked. He’s really been the biggest disappointment of the draft. Even the usually consistent ring work hasn’t been there of late.
10. Santino Marella 4-2, 9 points (Last Week:NR)— Marella had a cute segment with Vince McMahon, but other than that, a very quiet night from America’s favorite Italian.
OTHERS
Shawn Michaels 6-3, 10 pts. (Last Week: NR)
Carlito Colon 4-2-1, 5 Points (Last Week: NR)
Primo Colon 3-1-1, 3 Points (Last Week: NR)
William Regal, 3-10, 4 points (Last Week: NR )
Brian Kendrick 1-4-0, 2 Points (Last Week: NR)
Sim Snuka 1-0, 1 Point (Last Week: NR)
Hornswaggle 1-0-0, 1 Points (Last Week: NR)
Jerry Lawler 1-0, 1 points (Last Week: NR)
Goldust 2-1-0, 2 Points (Last Week: NR)
Festus 1-1-0, 1 Points (Last Week: NR)
Chavo Guererro 1-5-0, 1 Points (Last Week: NR)
Jamie Noble 0-3, 0 Points (Last Week: NR)
Jim Duggan 0-0, 0 points (Last Week: NR)
Kane 7-7, 12 Points DRAFTED TO SMACKDOWN
Mike Knox 3-3 4 points (Last Week: DRAFTED TO SMACKDOWN)
JTG 2-4, 2 points (Last Week: DRAFTED TO SMACKDOWN)
Big Shaad 2-3 2 points (Last Week: DRAFTED TO SMACKDOWN)
Charlie Haas 0-0, 0 points (Last Week: DRAFTED TO SMACKDOWN)
Dolph Ziggler 0-3, 0 Points (Last Week: DRAFTED TO SMACKDOWN)
CM Punk 9-7, 17 Points DRAFTED TO SMACKDOWN
Rey Mysterio 11-6, 22 Points DRAFTED TO SMACKDOWN
Chris Jericho 6-6 13 pts. DRAFTED TO SMACKDOWN
JBL 1-6, 4 points (Last Week: 7) RETIRED
Mr. Kennedy 1-0-0, 1 Points (Last Week: RELEASED)