Original Airdate: Friday, March 9th, 2007
Tucson Arena
Tucson, Arizona
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We get a good Batista/Undertaker recap video to kick off the show.
King Booker vs. Matt Hardy
They announce that Randy Orton vs. Ric Flair vs. Carlito will fill the last spot for Money In The Bank. Queen Sharmell joins the announce team for the match. As is the formula for TV matches, Hardy hits a dive over the top rope just as we go to commercial break. They battle up on the ropes, with Booker looking for a superplex. Hardy is able to push him off, but then misses with a moonsault. Booker hits a spin kick, but Hardy is able to get the shoulder up. Hardy battles back with a Side Effect and an elbow off the second rope. He goes back up again and hits the leg drop this time for 2. Sharmell leaves the booth to jump up on hte apron. Hardy goes for Twist Of Fate, but Booker shoves him into the ropes. Sharmell is there and hits him with her shoe and that's enough for Booker to win. They gave them a fair amount of time and I guess Booker probably needed a big win to make him seem like a bigger name ahead of Money In The Bank.
Match Rating: **1/4
Kristal is with Batista to talk about Undertaker's WrestleMania undefeated streak. They show a video package of his 14 wins.
We then get a recap of Steve Austin being announced as special guest referee.
Teddy Long is interrupted by MVP proposes that he wrestles Chris Benoit at WrestleMania for the United States Championship since he cost him his Money In The Bank shot. Teddy says he'll consider it.
Kristal interviews Kane about Batista's remarks that he is sick, twisted and demented. He says Batista has no idea how true that is.
They show us Great Khali on Raw saying that he wants Kane.
Batista vs. Kane
Oh great, it's Kane. Not a single thing of importance happens before the commercial break. Nothing of importance happens after the commercial break either. I'm not sure why they thought these two deserved this much time. That's not a knock on Batista. It's next to impossible for most people to have a good match with Kane. This match feels as if the ring is made of tar, they are moving that slowly. Kane hits a top rope clothesline and Batista kicks out at 2. Batista comes back with a spinebuster to some boos. He goes for a Batista Bomb, but Kane drives his back into the turnbuckle. Kane hits the chokeslam for 2. Kane isn't happy and climbs up on the second rope for some right hands. Batista counters that into the Batista Bomb and picks up the victory. The last minute or so is all you needed to watch in this one.
Match Rating: 1/2*
We get another recap of the Battle Of The Billionaires.
We get more celebrities talking about Vince and Trump shaving their heads.
We have the debut of Miz TV with special guest Ashley. For some reason he's sitting on the ring and asks her to join him. She declines and sits on the chairs in the ring. Ashley talks for a few seconds and then is interrupted by Melina. Miz says that he forgot to tell her she has a second guest scheduled for tonight. Melina says there isn't enough money for her to pose in Playboy because her body is for only man to see, Johnny Nitro. That was obviously a jab. Ashley says that the only way for her to shut up Melina is to challenge her to a match at WrestleMania. They start brawling with Ashley getting the best of her.
Kristal tries interviewing Kane, but he's attacked by Khali. This undercard at WrestleMania keeps getting worse and worse. Kane is busted open and left for dead.
They show Mr. Kennedy beating Sabu to qualify for Money In The Bank.
Mr. Kennedy vs. CM Punk
Kennedy forces Punk to chase him outside the ring and Punk pays for it by getting hit with a clothesline. Michael Cole declares that Mr. Kennedy is his pick to win the Money In The Bank. Punk gets the knees up on a splash and follows it up with a series of strikes. He goes for the high knee but is dumped to the floor into the commercial break. When we come back, Punk is kicking out of a pin attempt. Punk battles back and hits the high knee again. This time he's able to hit the bulldog. Punk gets crotched on the second rope and Kennedy hits a draped inverted DDT and that's the finish? That was kind of abrupt and the match was a little disappointing.
Match Rating: *1/2
Kristal is with Finlay and he says that he's not afraid of Undertaker. He says that you will not see fear in his Irish eyes.
Finlay vs. Undertaker
It looks like they'll get a fair amount of time here. Undertaker quickly hits Old School and then goes for a weird pin attempt. The action spills outside and Finlay tries to take it to him, but then gets hit with a big boot. He throws Finlay into the timekeeper's table. Out comes Hornswoggle and that distraction allows Finlay to hit Taker with a chair to the ribs and into a commercial break. When we come back, Finlay is working on the ribs of Taker. Finlay jumpst off the apron, but Taker catches him and drives him into the ring post. That doesn't last long, as Finlay is able to reverse Taker into the steel steps. Taker blocks a suplex and hits one of his own, leaving both men down. They exchange right hands and once again Finlay goes back to the ribs. He ducks a clothesline, but gets hit with a leaping clothesline the second time around. Taker hits Snake Eyes and the big boot into the leg drop. Out comes Hornswoggle again and he hits Taker in the back with the shillelagh. It has no effect and Taker hits him with a boot. Finlay attacks Taker, but Taker kicks out at 2. He lands on the ref from the kickout, so he grabs the shillelagh. Taker tries a chokeslam, but Finlay hits him with the shillelagh. The ref slowly snaps out of it and Taker is able to get that shoulder up. Taker sits up and hits a big boot. Taker hits the chokeslam and Tombstone for the win. Taker gave Finlay a lot of offense here most likely out of respect. The match was fine.
Match Rating: **
After the match, Batista comes out to the entrance way and gives the thumbs down.
I'd call this episode a disappointment. The card was good and the matches got time, but nothing was anything special. Outside of the two title matches and Umaga/Lashley, everything else just feels like it is there to fill time.
Overall Rating: 43%
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