Monday, February 5th, 2007
Tyson Event Center
Sioux City, Iowa
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After a quick recap of the finals of the Royal Rumble match, Undertaker's music hits and he's out to start the show. After his usual 20 minute entrance, out comes John Cena. He holds up his title and Bobby Lashley is now out. As you would expect, Batista is out here next. We're about 8 minutes into the show and all we've had are entrances and a recap. Taker stares into each man's eyes before signaling to his throat in front of Batista. Out comes Shawn Michaels immediately after to gloat over Taker's decision. It leaves John Cena without an opponent at WrestleMania and now Randy Orton is out to crash the party. He talks about how he will be the next WWE Champion and unless you've never seen this show before, you'd know that Edge is now out to interrupt. He talks about never losing at WrestleMania, which they will ruin in a couple of months for no reason. Out comes Mr. McMahon and makes fun of Iowa. He notices that no one is out challenging Lashley. Vince speculates that it may be because he's the best champion in the ring. He says that someone will challenge Lashley here tonight on Raw. He then announces that Randy Orton, Edge and Shawn Michaels will face off tonight in a triple threat match to face Cena at WrestleMania. Vince then says that he's not going to drop money from the ceiling, but that main event is value. After Vince leaves, Batista feels Taker still staring at him in the ring. He turns around and holds up his title. Taker hits him with a chokeslam and signals for the title before leaving to the back. This was your usual multi-man interruption promo to kick off the show.
Carlito & Cryme Tyme vs. The World's Greatest Tag Team & Chris Masters
We get shortened entrances, so the opening segment probably ran long. They all start brawling until it comes down to Shelton and JTG. JTG hits a Lou Thesz Press, but Shelton quickly turns things around. He eventually tags in Carlito so that he can hit some of the least impressive clotheslines you will see. The match breaks down quickly and it leads to Carlito rolling up Haas. Masters distracts the referee and it allows for Benjamin to hit a leaping neckbreaker and they steal the victory. This was rushed, but it at least is helping build Benjamin and Haas as contenders.
Match Rating: 3/4*
They show a recap of the two morons fighting over what the WWE fans want. Kenny Dykstra then interrupts Vince and Coach, saying he wants a match with Bobby Lashley tonight. So I guess that's happening. Coach then gives Vince a letter from Trump saying that he'll be on Raw next week to give him a business proposal that will change Vince's life forever. Vince then says that maybe Trump will join an exclusive club next week.
We go to Maria with Ric Flair. He rambles on something about taking on Jeff Hardy and if he wins he fights him at WrestleMania.
Candice Michelle and Melina are talking about Candice's Super Bowl commercial. In comes Johnny Nitro and he tells her that he will take care of Super Crazy. He tells her that the paparazzi will be ready for her tonight after her match with Mickie James.
Balls Mahoney is in the ring and out comes Coach. He says that Vince has had some issues with ECW originals lately, so he has picked someone to take care of Mahoney.
Balls Mahoney vs. Umaga
This all just leads to Jerry Lawler making an Umaga playing with Balls joke. Umaga hits the butt bop. He hits the Samoan Spike and that's all.
Match Rating: 1/4*
Johnny Nitro vs. Super Crazy
I don't like that both women are out for this match so close to their title match later tonight. Super Crazy rolls through a sunset flip and hits a low dropkick on Nitro. Melina grabs Crazy's leg and that lets Nitro get control. Mickie returns the favor and that gives him a brief opening. He tries going up top, but Nitro meets him there. Crazy elbows him off and hits a moonsault for the victory. It's pretty wild to look back and see Crazy getting a little bit of a push here in 2007. Obviously, it didn't last. This was way too short to mean anything.
Match Rating: 1/2*
WWE Women's Championship Match
Melina vs. Mickie James
Well, I guess after the commercial break we are going right into this match. I guess that explains the women coming out. I'm sure they will get 20 minutes here. They have some pretty spirited action to start, with Melina getting a nearfall after a kick to the head. The crowd is very much into this one too. Mickie fights back. Nitro tries to interfere, but Crazy is able to stop that from happening. Mickie hits a kick to the stomach, but then gets tossed through the ropes to the floor. Mickie tries a sunset flip off the top, but Melina blocks it. She uses the ropes and gets caught by the ref. Mickie reverses it and retains her title. This was pretty good for the time given. After the match, the paparazzi Nitro promised comes out to watch her have a meltdown.
Match Rating: *
Shawn Michaels and John Cena are backstage. Michaels says he knows why Cena is coming back here and it's to wish him luck because he knows they will have a classic at WrestleMania. Cena disagrees and says that he's hoping Edge will win because he knows he can beat him.
Apparently next week, Raw is on Thursday. I guarantee I forget that.
Jeff Hardy vs. Ric Flair
Hardy sells an accidental knee injury after leaping over Flair in the corner and Flair goes after it. Hardy eventually is able to hit an enzuigiri and battles back with a limp. He sort of hits Whisper In The Wind and follows it up with a Twist Of Fate. Hardy goes up top, but Flair rolls out of the way of the Swanton. Flair goes after the knee again. He struts around and wants to go for the Figure Four, but Hardy rolls him up and is victorious. It's getting harder to watch Flair and he still has over a year left. After the match, Flair gets in Hardy's face, but then grabs his arm and shakes it.
Match Rating: 1/2*
Todd Grisham is backstage with Batista. He talks about payback and successfully defending his title against Undertaker. He tells him that he also has no problem teaming up with him at No Way Out.
ECW Championship Match
Kenny Dykstra vs. Bobby Lashley
I can assure you that there is not one person watching this that thinks Kenny will win. Lashley knocks Kenny out of the ring, but when he goes after him, he gets hit by a low dropkick on the ramp. Back in the ring, Kenny hits a leaping reverse elbow and slows things down. Lashley battles back and hits a T-bone suplex. Kenny is able to hit a dropkick and Lashley is out to the floor into a commercial break. When we come back, Lashley quickly hits his powerslam from a press slam for the victory. This was about the usual from a Kenny match.
Match Rating: 3/4*
Randy Orton and Edge are backstage and Edge says that they need to make sure it's not Shawn Michaels going to WrestleMania.
They show Carlito and Torrie leaving the arena and Ric Flair is there. Flair chastises Carlito for leaving before the main event. Flair then calls him lazy and that's why he's not in the main event and that he's lucky to be here. Flair says Carlito has no passion or guts. Flair says guys like him are taking his spot and Vince told him he still has to prove himself. This was a good promo from Flair, but there's no way they had to think that was good for Carlito, even if it was true.
#1 Contender For The WWE Championship Triple Threat Match
Edge vs. Randy Orton vs. Shawn Michaels
Edge and Orton immediately double team Michaels to kick things off. Michaels hits a double clothesline and then two inverted atomic drops. Michaels goes up top, but Orton shoves him off and into the ring. They knock Michaels out of the ring and then are shown arguing as we go into the last commercial. When we come back, Michaels is able to hit a back suplex on Edge after sending Orton over the top rope. Michaels hits a baseball slide that sends Orton into the announce table. Edge is able to hit a kick on Michaels and get a 2 count. Edge goes up top, but Orton throws Michaels into him and he is crotched on the top rope. Michaels does his Garvin stomp on Michaels and has Michaels in trouble. Orton hits a dropkick and gets a nearfall. Orton hits a RKO but Edge is able to pull him off the top. Edge tries to get the pin and now the argument begins. They start shoving each other but then shake hands. That lasts about 2.3 seconds and they start brawling. Orton goes for a RKO, but Edge shoves him in the corner. Orton leaps over a Spear and Edge runs into the turnbuckle. They hit a double crossbody and both men are down. Michaels climbs back into the ring. Michaels hits a top rope elbow on Edge. Michaels goes for Sweet Chin Music, but Edge ducks and Orton catches it. He throws Edge into Orton and hits Edge with it. He then pins Orton and will face Cena at WrestleMania. This was actually on the disappointing side, as I was expecting them to deliver a pay-per-view worthy match here and it fell short of that. After the match, Cena is in the ring and they go face to face. Batista's music then hits, followed by Undertaker's. Batista and Taker go face to face on the ramp before turning their attention to Cena and Michaels. Cena's music plays and that's all.
Match Rating: **3/4
We got a lot of wrestling on this show, it's just that most of it was pretty forgettable. I don't think anyone was clamoring to see Kenny Dykstra face Bobby Lashley, but here it is. The opening segment was the usual, but it was entertaining and it set the stage for WrestleMania. The other memorable spot here was the Flair ripping on Carlito promo, which didn't end up doing either guys any favors.
Overall Rating: 48%
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