Monday, February 14th, 2005
US Bank Arena
Cincinnati, Ohio
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Chris Jericho is on his way to the ring for The Highlight Reel with his guest Candice Michelle, who was recently in the Go Daddy commercial. Remember when those were a thing? Candice is really not very good here. She teases a wardrobe malfunction and out comes Muhammad Hassan. And right on cue, the crowd starts chanting U-S-A. Hassan seems a little bit more comfortable here. This goes off the rails into offensively stupid territory pretty quickly here. Jericho calls Daivari Hassan's special little Valentine. Hassan then challenges Jericho as we go to commercial.
Chris Jericho vs. Muhammad Hassan
We are joined with the match in progress and Jericho is in control. A couple of big suplexes by Jericho, who then does the standing flex pin for a 1 count. Jericho rolls through to an attempt at the Walls of Jericho, but Hassan gets to the ropes. Springboard shoulder block by Jericho and a top rope cross body gets a 2 count. Daivari tries to lower the ropes, but Jericho catches himself and stomps on Daivari's hand. That distraction gives Hassan the opening and throws Jericho into the turnbuckle. Jericho fights out of a chinlock and hits Hassan with a jumping spin kick to the face. Hassan gets out of another Walls of Jericho attempt, but hits his version of the bulldog. Daivari distracts the ref, but Jericho hits him with a springboard dropkick. Hassan hits Jericho from behind with his reverse STO and gets the victory.
Match Rating: **1/4
Ric Flair and Triple H are backstage and Triple H is ready to fight JBL, who is supposedly on his way to the arena to go after Batista. Triple H asks Flair to tell Batista to focus on his match with Edge tonight and that he will take care of JBL.
They announce the next Hall of Fame inductee, Roddy Piper. As far as mid-80s WWF wrestling goes, that's a pretty stacked class.
Randy Orton is backstage with Stacy Kiebler and he's telling her about his dad. Stacy then asks Randy out on a date. Now Batista is backstage talking with Maria until Flair interrupts. Batista announces that he is going to make his decision after No Way Out as to who he will face at WrestleMania. Thrilling television right there.
Intercontinental Championship Match
Shelton Benjamin vs. Gene Snitsky
This is an odd pairing, but I suppose it is just a throwaway TV match. Stinger Splash by Shelton, but then goes for another, but Snitsky takes him down. Snitsky then hits his own splash to the corner and gets a 2 count. Snitsky up on the second rope, but misses with an elbow drop. Shelton hits a elbow drop off the top rope and almost gets a 3 count. Shelton then gets decapitated by a big boot from Snitsky. Shelton looks really good here, taking some nice bumps and hitting all of his offense with some crispness. Snitsky and Earl Hebner argue over the count seemingly forever until he charges Shelton, who flips him over the top rope. Snitsky grabs a chair and hits Shelton with a sickening and 100% unnecessary blow. I know I can only look at this through 2019 eyes, but I don't think 2005 me would have thought that was a good idea.
Match Rating: *1/4
World Tag Team Championship Match
La Resistance vs. William Regal & Tajiri
Tajiri goes to work on Grenier with some kicks and a few open hand slaps to the chest. Tajiri went for the Tarantula, but Grenier reverses it, but Tajiri turns that into a bulldog. La Resistance then hits him with a sloppy double team and have 0 heat here. It's safe to say their gimmick had run its course here. La Resistance controls the next minute or so until Tajiri hits his springboard elbow and gets the hot tag to Regal. Regal hits a running knee and they get the victory in an abrupt ending. The tag team division was running on empty in 2005.
Match Rating: 1/2*
Randy Orton vs. Christian
Christian would get my vote for Orton's best opponent. Christian gets in Orton's face and Orton goes after him. Orton is getting a lot female reactions from the crowd tonight. Orton is getting in just about all the offense here until Christian is able to flip over the top rope and then Tomko throws him into the steps. So the ref obviously had to hear that and then he also saw him laying next to the steps that were knocked over, but I guess that's not enough for him to call for a disqualification. After a close call, Orton fights back and throw's Christian face first into the turnbuckle, Bret Hart style. Orton then hits a really nice dropkick, clothesline and back body drop. Orton then destroys Christian's chest with some fists. Christian tries to get the turnbuckle cover off, which distracts the ref and Tomko levels Orton with a big boot, but Orton kicks out. Thumb to the eye by Christian, but Orton reverses the Unprettier with his reverse backbreaker. Orton signals for the RKO, but Christian reverses for an Unprettier who Orton turns into the RKO and a victory. Good match and the crowd was there for it from start to finish. Can't ask for much more than that on a Raw.
Match Rating: ***1/2
Bischoff is on the phone talking to Teddy Long about JBL coming to Raw. Edge then walks in and is sick of everyone talking about Batista. Edge says that if Batista chooses to face JBL at WrestleMania, that he wants to be Triple H's opponent.
Trish Status is out to let us know that the Divas on Raw are trying to steal Trish's spotlight. Trish then calls out Christy Hemme. Christy finally comes out to mild applause. Trish mocks Christy's walk down to the ring. Trish announces that Christy is going to be posing in Playboy. They get into some embarrassingly bad 2005 era stuff, which causes Trish to slap Christy and head to the back. Christy had no business in this spot.
Simon Dean vs. Kane
Simon Dean talks about being worried about this match, but then insult the crowd by calling them Cinci-fatty. Kane then attacks him with a chokeslam. Dean tries to throw his protein power at Kane, but Kane knocks it out. Kane mocks Dean by doing push ups and then pulls Dean by his throat and gives him a chokeslam and gets the victory.
Match Rating: 1/4*
Earlier tonight Shawn Michaels (dressed in a suit?) is met by Jonathan Coachman. He asks him about Kurt Angle and Shawn says that he should stay focused on his match at No Way Out.
Batista lets Triple H know that he will handle JBL by himself. Triple H tries to talk him out of it, but Batista is having none of that.
Chris Masters is finally making his debut next week. He would have been a 1992 Superstars favorite if he were born 15 years earlier.
Batista vs. Edge
Batista's entrance certainly doesn't have the same effect without the pyro. Triple H walks out about 30 seconds after Batista does. Edge gets in a little more offense than I was expecting here and then Batista swats him away. The crowd is still hesitant on Batista here. Edge truly wasn't 100% over as a heel at this time either, so that probably isn't helping. Edge reverses a spinebuster and turns it into a DDT. Edge goes for a spear, but Batista hits the spinebuster this time. Batista Bomb, but then Triple H comes in and pushes the ref down and shows Batista the Titan Tron that's showing JBL's limo. The ref calls for the bell and DQs Batista, as Evolution heads for the back.
Match Rating: *3/4
Triple H is in full cheese mode here as they show them walking back to find JBL. Batista then yells at Triple H and says he will be the one to take care of it. He's out there yelling for JBL and JBL's limo attempts to run over Batista, but Triple H is there to push him into a conveniently placed pile of garbage. Batista is fuming and declares that he will be going to SmackDown Thursday on his own.
There wasn't a whole lot of substance to this show, as pretty much everything on here was throwaway. However, we did get a really solid match between Christian and Orton and a fun opener with Jericho and Hassan. Batista and Edge was just filler to continue the Triple H/Batista story for WrestleMania. The rest was completely forgettable.
Overall Rating: 49%
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