Monday, January 15th, 2007
CenturyTel Center
Bossier City, Louisiana
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We get a quick Martin Luther King Jr. video before the WWE intro. John Cena's music hits and he's out for our opening segment. I have to say that I have never heard of Bossier City, Louisiana. Jonathan Coachman is already in the ring with a table and two chairs. Coachman then introduces Umaga to the chat. Coach says that it can't be any old match at Royal Rumble, so he let Armando Estrada choose the type of match. He announces that his decision has been made and that it's a Last Man Standing match. Cena says that he's full of surprises and leaps over the table to attack Umaga. These guys had such underrated chemistry. He hits Umaga with the steel steps and then hits a FU on Estrada through the table. The crowd absolutely loved this and honestly, so did I.
Mixed Tag Team Match
Melina & Johnny Nitro vs. Maria & Jeff Hardy
Maria is full of spunk to start, even hitting a bulldog. Melina fakes an injury and Nitro distracted Maria enough to take control of the match. Melina puts on a camel clutch, but Maria kind of hits a headscissors that makes her tag in Nitro. Hardy comes in and hits Whisper In The Wind. He climbs up top, but Melina grabs his leg. Maria comes in and knocks her off the apron, but it gave Nitro enough time to get up there. Hardy knocks him off and hits the Senton for the pinfall victory. I have to say that was a little surprising. I assumed they'd just have Melina pin Maria here. This was really short, but a lot of fun. This has been a hot start to the show for once.
Match Rating: **
We go back to Coach and Vince McMahon. Vince is trying to get a hold of Donald Trump, but isn't able to. He leaves a message with an assistant and tells him it's urgent. He almost gives out his phone number, but then says that he knows it.
Edge and Randy Orton are out and they play the intro of the DX music followed by the sound of when you die at the hospital. They face Shawn Michaels in a handicap match and talk about Triple H being at home in a wheelchair. Orton says he has something to check on backstage, leaving Edge to say that Michaels' last match will take place here tonight. Edge goes to help Orton backstage. They drag out Jim Duggan and he's bleeding and injured. Edge hits the One Man Con-chair-to despite officials trying to stop him.
Ric Flair vs. Kenny Dykstra
Oh boy, I was dying to see this one again. Flair chops away to start until Kenny hits a dropkick to the knee of Flair. Kenny goes for the Figure Four and locks it in despite Flair attempting to block it. Flair grabs the bottom rope, but Kenny drags him in the middle to try it again. This time Flair kicks him out of the ring and then Flair hits a back body drop. Flair goes up top and he actually hits a clothesline for the rare success. Kenny rolls Flair up, but he had the rope and the ref catches him. Flair tries a pin by using the tights, but Kenny kicks out. Flair rolls up Kenny and uses the rope with one leg and this time it works. This wasn't great or anything, but it was shorter and more entertaining than the New Year's Revolution match.
Match Rating: *
After a SmackDown Rebound, we see Shawn Michaels arriving. Todd Grisham informs him that Rated RKO took out Jim Duggan and he says that he didn't want anyone else involved. Ric Flair comes up and says he's not letting him go out alone, he'll be his partner.
Vince is wondering why Trump hasn't called him. Coach asks him why he needs to speak to him so badly. Vince pulls out a letter from Trump from last week that criticizes the fake Trump/Rosie O'Donnell segment. He then hyped The Apprentice. Vince says that if Trump wants some compelling television, he's about to give him some compelling television.
Here comes Vince to ruin the show. He goes on and on about last week and I've already tuned out. He talks about something with Miss USA and that's how Rosie and Donald's feud started. He brings out Miss USA, but after a few introductions, it's Torrie Wilson who comes out. He makes her say that she's been a bad girl, which leads to Carlito coming out. He makes fun of the skit last week and says Vince isn't cool. Vince acts as if he's going to fight him, but instead introduces Great Khali. He obviously destroys Carlito and puts this segment out of its misery.
WWE Women's Championship Match
Mickie James vs. Victoria
It seems like it would have been a natural fit to do a specialty match of some sort of this feud at Royal Rumble. Mickie gets hit with a baseball slide dropkick before throwing her across the ring by her hair. Mickie battles back with a headscissors takedown. Victoria hits a spinning side slam, but Mickie kicks out. Mickie hits a spin kick out of nowhere and that's enough for her to retain her title. This was too short to be anything memorable.
Match Rating: *
Chris Masters is out and mentions the Royal Rumble, as if anyone in the world thinks he has a chance. He then says that he has a signed document from Vince McMahon saying that due to interference, the Master Lock was never broken in Iraq. He then challenges people in the crowd, but Ron Simmons comes out instead. Simmons shoves him down before going through with the challenge. Super Crazy is out and he attacks Masters with a flurry of offense. Simmons then does what he does and that's that. They're claiming Simmons broke the Master Lock.
We get a WrestleMania Recall and it's the Money In The Bank match from WrestleMania 22.
JR announces that once again the Master Lock is being declared as being not broken. We then go backstage to see Flair on the ground and getting medical attention.
JTG vs. Shelton Benjamin
I guess they're giving JTG a chance to see what he can do against a proven competitor. JTG hits a couple of dropkicks, but Shelton is able to come back with a kick. Shad rips off the turnbuckle pad behind the ref's back. Charlie Haas goes over there to put it back on, which distracts the referee. Shad then goes to Shelton and trips him up so that JTG falls on top of Shelton and picks up the victory. This was way too short.
Match Rating: 1/2*
Todd Grisham updates us on Flair's condition until interrupted by a mad Michaels. He then hits Sweet Chin Music on Grisham.
We get a video package on Triple H's injury.
Rated RKO are out and they mock the DX intro. Orton then orders security to get rid of all of the DX signs.
Handicap Match
Rated RKO vs. Shawn Michaels
Shawn starts off hot, but the numbers game catches up to him. Edge pulls down the top rope while Michaels is running the ropes and he's down to the floor. Edge levels him with a clothesline and then later gets in a ton of closed fists to the head of Michaels. Michaels is now busted open and Orton hits him with his modified backbreaker. Michaels makes his comeback and hits the top rope elbow drop on Edge. Michaels goes for Sweet Chin Music, but he's hit by Orton with a Thesz Press. They continue to double team and are disqualified. After the belll rings, they set up Michaels for a One Man Con-chair-to, but he counters out of it. Instead, it's Orton who gets hit by one courtesy of Michaels. The match was your usual Michaels TV match with some blood sprinkled in.
Match Rating: **1/4
I was really liking this episode and then Vince had to go and ruin it. The crowd was really into the first half and the main event, which made the show more enjoyable as well. The Vince/Trump stuff is just really going to suck this show down for the next couple of months.
Overall Rating: 57%
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