WWE RAW
January 5, 2009
New Orleans, LA
Commentators: Michael Cole & Jerry ???The King??? Lawler
Reported By: Hunter Golden of WrestleView.com
A video aired putting over the events between HBK and JBL last week.
Chris Jericho and Randy Orton are in the middle of the ring and they’re livid over what happened in last week’s match with HBK and JBL. Orton and Jericho have filed a joint protest over what happened last week. They feel that JBL should be removed from his championship match with John Cena at the Royal Rumble and Shawn Michaels should not be able to compete for the title again. Chris and he have talked and agreed to wrestle each other tonight with the winner earning the title match against John Cena. Jericho said it didn’t matter if us hypocrites like them or respect them, but you can’t deny they fought an honest match while HBK and JBL were corrupt and underhanded.
JBL’s music hit and his limo came out. HBK got out of the back of the limo with JBL and they somberly made their way to the ring. JBL said they could protest all they wanted to, but he won the title shot and would be winning the championship in three weeks at the Rumble. He told them to lose with dignity. He said they had some audacity casting aspersions at him with their track record. He said they’d do the exact same thing if they had the resources. Jericho said that wasn’t the case. Jericho began crapping on HBK. He said he was the first one to point out HBK was a sell out and a phony. He said he made him look like a prophet.
Orton said Shawn took a turn for the worse. He said it turned out that Ric Flair’s career was ended by a weak, pathetic sell out. He said once their protest was heard, the decision would be overturn.
Stephanie McMahon’s music hit and she came out to make sense of this mess. Steph said the protest didn’t stand and JBL would be moving along to the Royal Rumble. She said this was her show and her decision stands. She said Orton and Jericho could whine all they wanted. JBL said he’d yield to that demand though. He said Michaels would be in his corner when he won the world title and that would be his only function at the show. Steph said she’d accept that but she was worried about tonight.
She said we’d find out how much integrity HBK has left as he’d team with Shawn Michaels and take on Orton and Jericho.
****Commercial****
Melina & Goldust v. Santino Marella & Beth Phoenix
Beth and Melina started us off. Beth hit a big head butt that sent Melina to the canvas. She picked Melina up off the canvas only for Melina to pound her way out of the hold. She came bounding off the ropes but was shoulder blocked to the mat and then hit with the big arm bar slam.
Santino tagged in and after a comedy slap with Melina, had to deal with Goldust. He arm dragged him and hit some forearms to the back for a one count. Marella slapped on a side headlock and wrenched it in on the mat as Melina cheered him on. Goldust fought out with a right hand and an invested atomic drop before laying Marella out with a lariat. Goldust hit a flying backside to the face for a two count, but Phoenix broke up the cover attempt.
Goldust and Marella fought on the outside while Melina and Beth went at it inside the ring. The two fought to the buckles before Melina hit a super face buster before rolling her up for a three count.
Winners: Melina & Goldust via pin fall
After the match, Rosa jumped the guard rail again and attacked Melina. Security pulled them apart, but Melina seemed to be eager to get back into the scuffle and the two brawler into the crowd before security pulled them apart.
Todd Grisham is with CM Punk, whose challenging William Regal for the IC title. Grisham asked him how he felt about the match. Punk said he was ‘stoked’. He said since he was a kid, the IC title was the thing to watch on WWE programming and he wanted to add to his list. He said he hadn’t forgotten his finals loss to Regal last year and certainly hadn’t forgotten the cheap shot from last week. He said tonight, he’d get his revenge.
****Commercial****
WWE Intercontinental Championship
CM Punk v. William Regal
Punk came right at Regal with some kicks and a snap suplex. He gathered the champion and hit some big knees to the face before looking for his running knee in the corner. Regal ducked the knee attempt and bailed to the outside. He used Leyla as a human shield before dragging Punk to the outside and ramming him into the side of the ring.
Regal went right at Punk viciously on the inside of the ring before planting some big knees into the skull of Punk. He whipped the challenger to the buckles before laying him out with a big right to the face. Regal slapped on a full nelson, but Punk fought out.
Punk hit some big strikes, but Regal cut him off with a right of his own. Punk countered right back with a round house kick to the skull. Punk hit his high knee and almost grabbed Go 2 Sleep. Regal held onto the ropes, but Punk dragged him off. He then grabbed the referee before slapping him and causing a disqualification.
Winner: CM Punk via DQ
Punk was livid after the match and as Layla and Regal retreated up the ramp, Stephanie McMahon popped up on the Titan Tron, none too pleased herself. She said she was upset the first title match of 2009 ended the way it did and they would be having a rematch where if Regal got DQ’d, he’d lose his title.
****Commercial****
JBL is with HBK backstage. He’s all excited about HBK being in the match with Cena. He said if he could cold cock Cena tonight, he’d get it big time. He’d get taken care of for the rest of his life. He hired HBK to get him to Wrestlemania 25 as champion. He said if he got the job done, he wouldn’t ever have to worry about a bill again.
Randy Orton was with Sim Snuka and Cody Rhodes. He said if they won tonight, they were in. Manu showed up and said Orton lost last week, too, so he should get a second chance. Orton totally buried him, telling him he was worthless and that half the people didn’t know his name. He didn’t want to even associate himself with him. Manu seethed as Orton walked off.
Dolph Ziggler introduced himself to Mickie before Rey and Kofi made their way to the ring for their match.
****Commercial****
Miz and Morrison said any city that took over the top murder rate in the country had no business booing htem. They said who they were and for us to be jealous.
Rey Mysterio & Kofi Kingston v. The Miz & John Morrison
Kofi threw some rights at the Miz before hitting a cross body block. The Miz took a break under the rope and after a feigned plancha, the heels are upset and the baby faces celebrating a bit in the ring.
****Commercial****
Mysterio and Miz were going at it when we got back. Miz whippped him to the corner but Mysterio leap frogged him and hit a hurricanranna before tagging Kofi who promptly botched another spot. He hit some drop kicks and his clothesline before taking some time to throw Morrison to the floor. Miz distracted the ref while Morrison came in and sent him to the mat.
The Miz worked over the leg before Morrison tagged in and put on a reverse toe hold. Miz tagged back in after a little while and stomped away on Kingston’s midsection. He went back to the toe hold only for Kofi to eventually break it. He went for a hot tag to Rey, but Rey was knocked off the apron by Miz.
Morrison tagged in and laid in some shots on the mat. He went for the drop toe hold, and after holding onto it for a little while, dropped an elbow on it and tagged Miz back in. The fight went to the buckles where Kofi was able to fend off the Miz and send him crashing to the canvas. Rey hyped the crowd up for the big hot tag.
Rey came into the match, hitting a hurricanranna and a sit out drop kick for a one count. Rey hit a kick to the gut only for Morrison to catch him on a wheel barrel bulldog attempt and instead, hit a face buster. Rey countered out of an arm hold though and hit a DDT for a two count, but it was broken up by Miz. Kofi took out Miz on the outside and Rey hit the 619. Miz was able to pop up just in time though to at least distract Rey. Rey kicked him off the apron and went for the Senton, but the momentary distraction enabled Morrison to hit a big kick to the ribs for the pin fall victory.
Winners: The Miz & John Morrison via pin fall
Mike Knox showed up after the match and began bullying Rey again. He crotched Mysterio on the top rope before booting him off it and to the floor.
John Cena confronted HBK in the back. He wants to know if he’ll get HBK or JBL’s puppet. Michaels snapped on him, telling him he was no one’s puppet and as far as what he’d do, well what does history tell him? Michaels then walked off, leaving Cena by himself.
****Commercial****
Jillian v. Kelly Kelly
Jillian landed some kicks and went for a cover. She yanked at Kelly’s hair and planted a kick in her back before standing on her head. After some camel clutch fun, she tossed Kelly across the ring by her hair and slapped on a full nelson. Kelly countered out of the hold and flipped out of a caught kick before hitting her hurricanranna.
She ran over to the ropes and hit a cross body block for a two count. Kelly hit a big lariat and a second before hitting a drop kick for a one count. She connected with some elbows and went for a victory roll, but Jillian countered with a cover attempt of her own.
Jillian went for her hand spring back elbow, but Kelly hit a boot to the back. She bounded off the back of Jillian and hit a big leg drop for the win.
Winner: Kelly via pin fall
Jillian didn’t take kindly to the loss and tried beating up Kelly. She got some shots in before Kane came out to the ring. Kane said he had a match with Randy Orton next week and she should feel free to watch.
****Commercial****
Cryme Tyme v. Sim Snuka & Cody Rhodes
Snuka and JTG started things off. After eating a big shoulder block, Shaad tagged in and flat backed Snuka on the mat with a shoulder block of his own before tagging his partner right back in. Snuka hit a back kick but was quickly drop kicked back to the mat. Snuka hit a knee to the face to buy him enough time to get a tag.
Cody came in and hit some stomps on the mat before going for a quick cover attempt. Rhodes landed a big right hand before gathering JTG and hitting a slam. Snuka tagged in and hit a running knee lift before locking in a chin lock. Eventually JTG hit a jaw breaker and got out of the hold.
He hit a hot tag to Shaad who hammered Cody with a lariat and a big back body drop. Shaad hit a big power slam and amped up before hitting a big elbow drop for a two count. He dispatched Snuka over the top rope before missing a spear in the corner, resulting in him crashing into the post.
JTG tagged in and almost scored a roll up victory, but Cody kicked out. Cody went for the DDT and when JTG avoided the hold, Rhodes hit a swinging neck breaker variation for the win.
Winners: Cody Rhodes & Sim Snuka via pin fall
****Commercial****
Snuka and Rhodes were congratulating each other when Orton walked up. He slapped Cody on the shoulder and welcomed him to the group. He said that Snuka, however, was out. He said that he didn’t get the pin. He asked Cody if he had an opinion to which Cody said that he won the match.
Santino, Beth and Stephanie McMahon were discussing the Rosa Mendez issue. Steph said there was just too much of a security issue around here. After some horsing around, Beth and Santino left and Chris Jericho walked in. He wanted to know what was up with Stephanie. He advised her he’d filed his protest with her, but also her father. He said that Vince would be back on Raw in two weeks.
****Commercial****
The rematch between CM Punk and William Regal was announced for next week.
Randy Orton & Chris Jericho v. John Cena & Shawn Michaels
After some back and forth between HBK and Jericho, JBL’s popped up on the ramp.
****Commercial****
We came back to a total mele in the ring. Cena went for an FU on Orton and had his eyes raked. Cena went for the FU on HBK on accident, and after a brief squabble, Orton came out of nowhere and decked Cena. Jericho tagged into the match and hit a body slam and some slaps before heading back to the corner. Orton tagged in and after hitting some stomps he tagged in Jericho.
Jericho slapped on a chin lock but Cena powered out and looked for an FU. Jericho countered out with a DDT before tagging in Orton. Orton smashed rights and lefts into the head of Cena before pushing him to the corner and choking him out. Jericho tagged in and after a brief scramble, was able to settle Cena down in a sleeper hold.
Cena eventually powered out of the hold before the fight went to the top rope. Cena pushed Jericho off the ropes and hit a big leg drop. He got to within a hand away for the hot tag, but Orton got to him just in time and began pounding away on his forehead. Cena eventually broke free and tagged Michaels, who starred him down.
Jericho jumped HBK and after eating knees on the lion sault attempt, gave HBK a receipt with some knees on the elbow drop. Jericho went for the Walls of Jericho but HBK rolled him up for a two count. Cena came in to block Orton and sent him directly into an HBK super kick. Jericho got one too and Cena backed off to allow HBK to get the pin.
Winners: John Cena & Shawn Michaels via pin fall
After the match Cena tried to make sure everything was ok. JBL was with Todd Grisham in the back. JBL said he was impressed by his employee’s performance tonight and we’d see how with it he’d be next week when he faced John Cena 1 on 1.
Show Thoughts— Overall an unspectacular Raw ‘buzz’ wise, but certainly one with some fun action.
The two tag matches especially, I felt brought a lot to the table. The HBK/Cena tag was able to weave a bunch of zany stories together into one neat, tag match, a match where I thought Cena really stole the show. Cena’s best in matches where he’s on the defensive, selling a lot and scoring comebacks. He was fantastic here, setting up some great hope spots, with great struggles out of rest holds, and some great stuff on the top rope with Jericho. His hesitation and emotive excellence really carried the match and made it what it was.
The Miz & Morrison seem to be great every week, but this week, they were lucky enough to have Rey Mysterio to work with them. While these two can be a lot of fun, their control segments can get a bit drawn out at times and you can get a little bored watching them work someone over. With Rey, keeping the crowd into it and providing some fantastic stuff off the hot tag, it really negated that weakness and while things DID drag a BIT, it was still mostly solid stuff. And poor Kofi, he botched a move for the third time in four weeks.
I’m glad to see they’ve dumped both Snuka and Manu from the Legacy angle. I’d assume they’d be headed to a tag team with each other of some sorts, but really, these two weren’t in any way, shape, or form ready for this kind of a push yet. Orton’s a little TOO busy these days, but I’ve got newfound hope for this group seeing as it’s been pretty selective thus far.
Some people were a little miffed with the Regal-Punk DQ ending, but all in all, I thought it ended up ok. The feud could use a little heat and let’s face it, these two work well together. If they can get a few weeks worth of matches out of it, no harm no foul I say.
The main event was great and the HBK-JBL storyline has me a bit at a loss right now, just because there’s some stuff I really like about the angle, especially how the tag ended up tonight, but there’s also stuff I think is not so great, especially NOT using JBL as a real, bona fide antagonist in the program. Still though, things are coming along just fine.
Oh yeah, and Vince is coming back in a few weeks.
Overall, it was a good paint by the numbers show with some good action and some moderate storyline movement. I fully expect to see things really pick up next week, as we hit that magic three weeks out from the Rumble where things start to really heat up.
Overall Grade: B-
Quick Results
Melina & Goldust def. Santino Marella & Beth Phoenix
CM Punk def. William Regal
Kelly Kelly def. Jillian Hall
The Miz & John Morrison def. Rey Mysterio & Kofi Kingston
Cody Rhodes & Sim Snuka def. Cryme Tyme
Shawn Michaels & John Cena def. Randy Orton & Chris Jericho
Who??’s Hot, Who??’s Not?
Biggest Pops
1. Shawn Michaels
2. John Cena
3. Rey Mysterio
4. CM Punk
Most Heat
1. JBL
2. Randy Orton
3. Chris Jericho
4. Stephanie McMahon
Match of the Night: John Cena & HBK v. Chris Jericho & Randy Orton **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
World Heavyweight Champion: John Cena 1-0, 1point. (Last Week: World Heavyweight Champion) — Cena proves that it’s the little things that can help make a match week in and week out. Loved the sleeper struggle with Jericho. Loved the break of the chin lock later in the match. Small things.
Intercontinental Champion:William Regal, 0-1, 0 points (Last Week: Intercontinental Champion)— Regal always brings the ruckus, but tonight it seemed like he was just sort of running through his mean spots to rush to the DQ. I like the overall call in terms of giving this some more heat, but tonight’s effort seemed really rushed.
1. Chris Jericho 0-1 0pts. (Last Week: 1)— Is fun week in and week out it seems. I’m going to be really interested to see what direction Jericho heads in after the Rumble is over and done with.
2. Shawn Michaels 1-0, 1 pt. (Last Week: 2) — Strong tag wins vaults him ahead of Jericho tonight, especially gaining the pin fall. In easily the most interesting feud right now, it’s nice they’re sort of using it as a center piece. Still though, they need to focus on JBL a bit more.
3. JBL 0-0, 0 points (Last Week: 6)- – He’s getting his quips in every week, but I’d still like to see something more forceful from him. Maybe be a little bit more of a jerk.
4. Randy Orton 0-1, 0 pts. (Last Week: 5)— Got almighty, they seem to have about 20 things going for Orton between the Kelly nonsense, his chasing the title, the Legacy.. I’m hoping they give him the win at the Rumble so they can focus this character a bit.
5. CM Punk 1-0, 2 Points Points (Last Week: 4) — Overall, he’s headed in the right direction, but for the most part, this match with Regal tonight was roll through the motions. Hopefully we get a better effort next time.
6. Rey Mysterio 0-1, 0 Points (Last Week: 7) — Totally brought the heat to that tag match tonight. Great hot tag spots, great cut off spots, everything. He really held the match together.
7. Kane 0-0, 0 Points (Last Week: 8) — Classic case of dragging something beyond the point of caring about it. This Kelly thing has been progressing TOO slowly. Find out what you want to do with it, commit to it, or ditch it. Just do something with it.
8. Kofi Kingston 0-1, 0 points (Last Week: 9) — This kid has botched some move three of the last four weeks, now. They’ve gotta settle him down. I love the energy, but one of those road agents needs to ground him a bit.
9. Cody Rhodes 1-0, 1 point (Last Week: 10) — Cody’s in and the only one in thus far. Thank god for that.
10.Sim Snuka 1-0, 1 Point (Last Week: NR)— Tag win and lack of activity breaks him into the top 10, but don’t count on him staying here.
OTHERS:
Mike Knox 0-0 point (Last Week: NR)
Batista 0-0, 0 Points (Last Week: 2)
Santino Marella 0-0, 0 points (Last Week:NR)
Ted Dibiase, Jr. 0-0, 0 Points (Last Week: NR)
Mike Knox 0-0, 0 points (Last Week: NR)
JTG 0-1, 0 points (Last Week: NR)
Big Shaad 0-0 0 points (Last Week: NR)
Jamie Noble 0-0, 0 Points (Last Week: NR)
D-Lo Brown 0-0, 0 points (Last Week: NR)
Manu 0-0, 0 Points (Last Week: NR)
Charlie Haas 0-0, 0 points (Last Week: NR)
Dolph Ziggler 0-0, 0 Points (Last Week: NR)
Jerry Lawler 0-0, 0 points (Last Week: NR)
Jim Duggan 0-0, 0 points (Last Week: NR)
Rory 0-0, 0 points (Last Week: NR)
Robbie 0-0, 0 points (Last Week: NR)
Val Venis 0-0 0pts. (Last Week: NR