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Raw: Orton and Hardy truce?
By
MATT BISHOP - SLAM! Wrestling
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Tonight on Monday Night RAW: It's the beginning of a whole new era
for
World Wrestling Entertainment, as WWE programming will be broadcast in
high-definition for the first time ever. As for me, I'll be watching it
on
my 20-inch Sharp television. Should be a good one!
And we are LIVE! from Hampton, VA where we have a huge double main
event
with Shawn Michaels taking on Mr. Kennedy and Triple H fighting for his
Royal Rumble life against a mystery opponent.
And first let me say that this new set is absolutely ridiculous.
Match #1 - Shawn Michaels (San Antonio, TX) vs. Mr. Kennedy
(Green
Bay, Wisc.)
Loud "HBK" chants from the onset as the two go back-and-forth but
Kennedy
is able to gain control.
(Ads)
Back from break and Kennedy is all over HBK as, during the break,
he
sling-shotted Michaels into the post. Kennedy follows that up with a
knee to
the head with Michaels slumped in the corner. He covers but HBK kicks
out.
Kennedy goes for the Mic Check but HBK elbows his way out of it.
Kennedy
eventually gets him to the top rope, looking for a superplex, but HBK
gets
out of it with some punches and goes for the big elbow but Kennedy gets
his
knee up.
HBK goes for Sweet Chin Music, but Kennedy falls back before he can
hit
it. Michaels looks for his new submission, but Kennedy kicks him away,
only
to be greeted by Sweet Chin Music. Good night now!
Winner via pinfall: Shawn Michaels
Randy Orton is backstage holding his neck and asks Mr. McMahon why
he is
having a handshake between he and Jeff Hardy tonight. Orton says he
should
be in a wheelchair tonight and there's no way he's shaking his hand.
McMahon
says he's had to shake plenty of hands he didn't want to. He says he
doesn't
care if Orton doesn't mean it when he shakes Hardy's hand. Worthless,
drawn
out, boring segment.
(Ads)
Match #2 - Beth Phoenix (Buffalo, NY) vs. Mickie James (Richmond,
Va.)
Phoenix dominates the early going, using her power and strength to
limit
Mickie's speed-based offense.
But then Mickie starts to gain the upper edge with some kicks but
when
she goes for a bulldog, Phoenix hits her with the Fisherman's Suplex
for the
victory.
Winner via pinfall: Beth Phoenix
Todd Grisham brings in his guest at this time, Triple H, who can
qualify
for the Royal Rumble tonight against a mystery opponent. Triple H says
the
last seven Rumble winners have gone on to win the title at WrestleMania
and
it doesn't matter what the case is, he will be in the Royal Rumble and
that's not just a promise, it's a guaran-damn-tee.
(Ads)
Tonight: Chris Jericho returns!
Backstage, Brian Kendrick is shooting it with Cody Rhodes. Kendrick
says
tonight he has a qualifying match for the Royal Rumble. In comes
Hardcore
Holly, who says he'll be facing Carlito tonight. Cody says at least he
won't
have to dress up like Carlito tonight. Cody tells Bob he has a picture
of
that on his MySpace. Holly then asks, "What the hell is a MySpace?"
Hardy
har har.
Next we get a promo detailing the career of Randy Orton. Personally,
I
read a little more about Franklin D. Roosevelt on Wikipedia and worked
on a
little homework.
Coming up next: Finlay and Hornswoggle are in tag team action!
(Ads -- there's a Monster Truck Rally coming to Breslin Center
soon!)
Match #3 - Finlay & Hornswoggle (Belfast, Northern Ireland) vs.
The
Highlanders (Oban, Scotland)
Finlay and Rory start things off and it's not going well for The
Highlanders. Finlay hits the Celtic Cross followed by the Tadpole
Splash for
the cover. When did ECW switch to Monday?
Winners via pinfall: Finlay & Hornswoggle
Chris Jericho is heading to the ring!
(Ads)
Chris Jericho is now in the ring and starts with an intense promo on
how
JBL has now made this personal -- how Jericho's children are now
doubting him
-- but says that JBL made a mistake by not finishing the job. He's still
here. He says come Sunday, JBL is in for one thing: A fight.
Backstage, Mr. McMahon is chastising Jeff Hardy for risking both his
own
life and the life of Randy Orton last week. Again, Vince goes on a
boring
tirade about Hardy shaking Orton's hand. All Jeff has to say is that
he'll
give everyone something to talk about.
(Ads)
Match #4 - Royal Rumble Qualifying Match - Brian Kendrick
(Olympia,
Wash.) vs. Umaga (Isle of Samoa)
Well, Mr. Kendrick's Rumble chances stand at slim to none at this
point.
Umaga starts things off with a stiff shoulder block that sends
Kendrick
flying. Kendrick starts to work over Umaga's legs with some kicks, but
is
quickly dispatched. Umaga goes for the flying headbutt, but Kendrick
moves.
Kendrick goes for some high-flying offense but is caught by Umaga with
a
flying Samoan Drop and a Samoan Spike and that's all she wrote.
Winner via pinfall: Umaga
Backstage, Maria is consoling Mickie James, who is extremely
dejected
over not being able to beat Beth Phoenix. In comes Ashley, who says
that she
was at a party at the Playboy Mansion and that "Heff" had a great idea,
but
before she can get it out, in comes Santino Marella, who says that he
overheard the conversation and that, no, Maria doesn't need to buy
Santino a
subscription to Playboy. Then Santino drops this: "Why buy the cow when
you
can milk it for free?" This guy never ceases to amuse me.
(Ads)
To sum up this segment: Vince McMahon will be on Celebrity
Apprentice,
Triple H will be in action later, Jerry Lawler thinks 3D is HD and Jeff
Hardy gets his own music video. Back to my FDR Wiki.
(Ads)
Match #5 - Carlito (The Caribbean) w/ Santino Marella & Maria vs.
"Hardcore" Bob Holly (Mobile, Ala.) w/ Cody Rhodes
Carlito wins with the Backstabber. Honestly, nothing of note
happened in
this match.
Winner via pinfall: Carlito
(Ads)
Match #6.1 - Over the Top Rope Gauntlet - Triple H (Greenwich,
CT.)
vs. Snitsky (Nesquehoning, Pa.)
To win, Triple H has to throw his three opponents over the top rope.
If
he is thrown out, the match is over and he is out of the Royal
Rumble.
HHH quickly dispatches of Snitsky after crotching him on the top
rope.
Match #6.2 - Over the Top Rope Gauntlet - Triple H (Greenwich,
CT.)
vs. Mark Henry (Silsbee, Tx.)
Triple H hits a knee on Henry, but he responds with a big
clothesline.
Henry almost gets him over several times, but Triple H keeps fighting
back.
HHH goes to pick Henry up but that goes nowhere. Henry then hits a
running
splash in the corner. With HHH up against the ropes, Henry goes for the
kill, but HHH low-bridges the top ropes and Henry goes flying over.
Match #6.3 - Over the Top Rope Gauntlet - Triple H (Greenwich,
CT.)
vs. William Regal (Blackpool, England)
Already at the top of the ramp, William Regal takes off his coat and
heads to the ring to beat on Triple H. I'm unsure if Regal is the third
contestant or not. Regal eats a spinebuster and is tossed over the top
and
they ring the bell.
Winner: Triple H
Coming up, it's HANDSHAKE TIME, baby! Feel the intensity!
(Ads)
Mr. McMahon heads to the ring and gloats at the honkin' new set on
his
way down.
He brings out both Randy Orton and Jeff Hardy for the handshake.
McMahon MC's the event and asks the two to step forward and, as
professionals, shake hands. But before they do, he gives them an open
forum.
Orton says Hardy's done some amazing things but has never come to close
to
being WWE Champion. He gives Hardy his props but says he will not be
winning
the title this Sunday but he has won something almost as important: His
respect.
Hardy says he doesn't care about his respect. He didn't hit a
30-foot
Swanton to impress him, he did it to hurt him. He says if he's going to
shake
hands with people he respects, he's going to have to wait in line. He
goes
to shake the hands of Ross, Lawler, Lillian Garcia and then heads into
the
crowd and shakes hands with pretty much everybody before heading back
into
the ring where Orton extends his hand. Hardy stares him down before
hitting
the Twist of Fate.
And we're out!
Pinch-hitting for regular RAW reporter Dale Plummer tonight (Get well soon Dale!), Matt will be back tomorrow with his usual ECW report. Send Matt
e-mail
about ECW/wrestling/MMA/hockey at bishop20@msu.edu. Please include
your
name and hometown. And if you're interested in mixed martial arts,
check out
Matt's weekly podcast ‹ Lights Out Radio.
Should
be a good one!.
