Original Airdate: Monday, April 4th, 2005
Staples Center
Los Angeles, California
They show the highlight reel from WrestleMania from the night prior. As soon as it's done, Triple H's music hits and making his way to the ring by himself wearing a suit. He admits that Batista beat him last night, but that this is not the Batista era. He says that Batista was great for one night, but that he is great every night and that he will win the championship back.
Triple Threat Match For The Intercontinental Championship
Shelton Benjamin vs. Christian vs. Chris Jericho
All three guys come down to the ring selling injuries from their ladder match. Shelton and Jericho take turns beating on Christian, trying to one up another. This quickly leads to Jericho attacking him. Jericho takes down Shelton with his modified bulldog. As he goes for the Lionsault, Christian hits him from outside the ring. Shelton then takes control until Christian gives him a thumb to the eye. Christian hits a really nice neckbreaker for a 2 count. Despite being so poorly booked for years as a solo star, the crowd still digs him. They then immediately start chanting "CLB", so now they hate him. Shelton is going for a superplex, but Jericho gets underneath Shelton and they do the tower of doom spot to a nice pop from the LA crowd. Jericho tries to pin both guys, but can't get the victory. It's crazy to think that in a few months, only one of these guys will be left on the roster. Sunset flip by Shelton on Jericho for a 2 count, but then Christian sneaks in and rolls him up for a 2 count. Jericho does a double pin for a 2 count as well. Shelton hits a Stinger Splash on Jericho and then drops Christian on the ropes for a 2 count again. Shelton catches Jericho off the second rope for the Exploder, but Tomko pulls Shelton off and Christian goes for the pin, but again it's a 2 count. Christian goes for the Unprettier on Jericho, but it's reversed and Jericho eventually gets him in the Walls of Jericho. Christian is about to tap, but Benjamin comes flying out of nowhere and takes down Jericho and scores the pinfall. Talk about packing in a ton of action in an eight minute match. This was just a really good match with a good finish.
Match Rating: ***1/2 (out of 5)
Edge is back with Eric Bischoff and they make it official that he is Mr. Money In The Bank. Bischoff asks if he is ready for his match with Batista, but Edge says that he'll call the shots for when he faces the champion. Bischoff then tells him that he will be taking on Chris Benoit tonight.
Randy Orton is on his way to the ring with a defeated look on his face. He said he came close to beating the Undertaker last night. He said watching Batista win last night made him sick. He says that he at least respected Undertaker and Triple H, but not Batista. Bischoff makes his way out and Orton demands Batista tonight. Bischoff makes the match official.
They cut to Trish Stratus walking backstage carrying her championship and they say that we are getting a rematch.
WWE Women's Championship Match
Christy Hemme vs. Trish Stratus
Trish comes in and immediately hits Christy with a kick to the head. Lita and Trish start brawling and Trish kicks Lita in her injured knee and starts pulling back on her knee. There was no match, this was all angle and it was well done. Trish played her role great here and the crowd was into it.
They show about half of the Hulk Hogan segment from WrestleMania.
Shawn Michaels makes his way down to the ring limping. Shawn thanks the crowd and then asks if they would like to see him against Kurt Angle in a rematch, to which the crowd obviously loves. He says he'll do everything he can to make it happen and then Daivari and Muhammad Hassan interrupt. He said the fans cheered for a washed up wrestler in Hulk Hogan when he interrupted him and they cheered for when Shawn lost last night. Shawn takes off his sport coat and starts to roll up his sleeves as Hassan continues to ramble on. Hassan calls him a loser and said the crowd will continue to cheer for him because losers love losers. Michaels slaps him and hits the leaping forearm. As he kips up, his knee is hurting and Daivari takes him down. They go on with a double team, while the crowd chants for Hogan. Hassan puts him in the Camel Clutch while Daivari kicks him in the head. They leave Michaels laying in the ring alone. I liked how they teased the Hogan save by showing his segment from the night before.
Edge vs. Chris Benoit
Benoit comes down to the ring with stitches above his eye and his arm wrapped up. Benoit is instantly hitting Edge with some stiff knees and chops. Benoit hits a baseball slide kick to Edge, who lands face first to the mats outside the ring. As Edge gets back into the ring, he drapes Benoit's injured left arm over the rope and is quickly on the offensive. It will be interesting to re-watch Edge's ascension to a main event player, because he still is not there yet with the audience. Benoit finally makes a comeback with three German suplexes. Edge is able to avoid the diving headbutt and both men are down. Edge goes up top. but Benoit breaks it up with some headbutts and then nails an aggressive superplex. Benoit gets Edge in the Sharpshooter in the middle of the ring. After a good struggle, Edge is able to reach the bottom ropes. Benoit gets Edge in the Crippler Crossface and for some reason he no sells his arm as he wrenches back on Edge's head. Edge gets out of it and goes for the spear. Benoit sidesteps it and rolls him up for the pinfall victory. Nice lengthy match from these two. So even after the first Money In The Bank match, the winner couldn't win the next night.
Match Rating: ***1/4
After the match, Edge attacks Benoit with a chair onto the arm. JR loses it and it's wonderful. Edge walks to the back with his briefcase, while Benoit is in the ring selling it.
Simon Dean and Maven are in the ring with a table full of Simon Dean's products. They insult the crowd and then out comes Stone Cold Steve Austin. Austin takes offense to his comment about beer drinkers. Austin makes a proposition that he'll try one of his protein shakes, if Simon drinks one of his beers. Simon takes a sip and says he has to work off the calories and does a goofy pair of push ups. Austin bets him that he can't do five more and five more and then ten more. Simon does the last ones on his knees and then tells Austin it's his turn to try the protein shake. Austin spits it out and calls it worthless. Maven accidentally pats Simon too hard on the back, causing him to spill the shake all over Austin and he goes after both men. Austin takes both men out and it finishes with Stunners to both. This was probably about 3 minutes too long, but the live crowd loved it.
Randy Orton is walking in the back and runs into Kane. Kane tells him he told him he couldn't beat the Undertaker.
Randy Orton vs. Batista
Orton hits a dropkick that sends Batista outside the ring and Orton instantly capitalizes by throwing Batista shoulder first into the ring steps. Batista is back in it after he sends Orton shoulder first into the ring post. Batista then throws Orton into the ring post on the outside. Big spinebuster and Batista signals for the Batista Bomb. Batista hits it and gets the victory. Now that was a statement. Orton was about to have some time off with an injury, so it makes sense that they would use him to put Batista over.
Match Rating: 3/4*
Triple H's music hits and he gives Batista the slow clap. Triple H signals for the belt as the show goes off the air.
Well, the Raw after WrestleMania isn't the same as it is these days, but it still was a great start to the next chapter. We got two really entertaining matches, a definitive win by the new champion and some good story with Hassan/Michaels. Raw continues to be the better of the two shows for the time being.
Overall Rating: 70%
No comments:
Post a Comment