WWE Raw Report
Date: 10/13/08 from Anaheim, CA.
The Big News: Batista and Chris Jericho got to pick each other’s opponents for the night, but Batista proved more adept at screwing Jericho than vice versa.
Show Analysis:
At the start of the show, Chris Jericho reprimanded Mike Adamle backstage for taking back control from him last week. Adamle pointed out Jericho wouldn’t even be champion if Adamle didn’t put him in the scramble. Adamle said that Jericho and Batista would get to pick the other’s Raw opponent. Jericho was agitated, and threatened to go over Adamle’s head.
Adamle retorted that Shane and Stephanie turn off their cell phones during Raw, an odd assertion given the GM character is seemingly talking with a McMahon on the phone every other week. Jericho responded by saying he knew how he could get to them. Apparently, USA Network in Connecticut doesn’t televise backstage segments, so Jericho’s plan was to go out to the ring where the McMahons would be able to hear him.
In the ring, Jericho complained about the referee choices for his match at Cyber Sunday because they are all out to get him. Jericho said his title reign shouldn’t end due to an unbiased official. He then realized what he said and quickly said it shouldn’t end due to a biased official either, which was funny. He added that it is unfair to let the people choose. Shawn Michaels came out and said that if he is referee it will be the worst day of Jericho’s life. He then attacked Jericho. Jericho made Shawn Michaels vs. Batista for the show.
Kane and Mark Henry beat Matt Hardy and Rey Mysterio. Didn’t we see this same match with the same finish last week? Don’t answer; that’s a rhetorical question. They announced that Kane and Rey will wrestle at Cyber Sunday in either a falls count anywhere match, no holds barred match or 2 of 3 falls match. This is your big opportunity to book a WWE match, because lord knows at a dollar a pop there are only going to be about 4 votes on this one.
Henry hit a body slam on Hardy but missed an elbow. Hardy hit two second rope elbow drops and a tornado DDT. Kane and Henry took over with punches and worked over Hardy. Hardy eventually got the tag to Rey, who hit a springboard senton, double foot stomp, twisting scorpion death drop, huracanrana and 619 on Kane. Rey came off the top, but Kane nailed him with a kick for the pin. Kane went for the choke slam after the match but Rey escaped and dropkicked Kane out of the ring.
Backstage, Batista said that he knew what Chris Jericho was doing. He noted that there is no love lost between him and Shawn Michaels. He further observed that Michaels is in an angry mood. However, Batista said that if Michaels were to try to take him out, he’d take out Michaels first.
JBL beat Haas Hogan. JBL did a promo before the match where again WWE tried to get over the idea that the economic stimulus package is nothing more than a payout to the rich. God only knows what WWE’s audience is taking from WWE’s second grade level economic analysis.
The crowd wasn’t fooled by the Hogan music, as it didn’t get much of a pop. Haas’ mannerisms were good but Hogan has been parodied so many times it doesn’t do much for me. Haas hulked up and hit the big boot but he missed the leg drop. JBL hit the clothesline from hell for the pin.
After a package on John Cena, Randy Orton came out and complained about how there have been no kind words or video packages for his return from injury. Orton said that he doesn’t care what happens at Cyber Sunday or whether he’ll be the referee because he’ll will the title no matter what happens.
Batista and Shawn Michaels fought to a no contest in a lumberjack match. Jericho made the lumberjack stipulation with all heel lumberjacks. Michaels applied the figure four and hit a swinging neck breaker. Batista took over with a twisting uranage and bear hug. Batista fell to the outside, where Orton tried to hit his kick to the head. Batista avoided that but Michaels used a flying forearm.
Michaels went to the top, but Regal pushed him off. Batista hit a spine buster and set up for the Batista bomb but both men tumbled to the floor. The lumberjacks jumped both and followed them to the ring, which apparently constituted a double DQ. Batista and Michaels cleared the ring, however, and shook hands.
Santino Marella came out for another edition of the Honk-a-Meter, which is now at an impressive nine weeks. This was the cue for the jackass angle. Santino brought the jackass to the ring. He referred to Beth as a dude, so she slapped him and gave him a sloppy body slam. Hornswoggle ran in and hit the frog splash. Big Dick Johnson came out and danced. Boogey Man and his worms made their entrance. Finally Great Khali came out and put the jackass in the head vice and dropped him.
Kelly Kelly and Cryme Tyme beat John Morrison, Miz and Jillian Hall. Prior to the match Morrison and Miz performed a rap and Jillian sung the hook. Morrison and Miz are the kings of being so bad it’s good. Kelly hit a clothesline, punches and used the whirly bird on Jillian. That was it for the women, as JTG and Miz tagged in. JTG hit a blockbuster and dropkick, but was distracted by Jillian’s shrieking. Morrison and Miz took over with double teams, until JTG got the tag to Shad. A brawl ensued, JTG hit Morrison with a Duck facemask and Shad scored the pin.
CM Punk beat Chris Jericho with Batista making himself special referee. Punk’s reaction wasn’t as good as it has been, which may be a signal that they need to present him stronger. Punk hit a crossbody off the top and kick to the head. Jericho retaliated with a senton and enzuigiri, but Batista slow counted Jericho’s pin attempts. Jericho went for a bulldog but Punk shook him off. Punk went for a high knee but missed. Jericho went for the Walls, but Punk rolled him up for two.
Punk hit a high knee and bulldog, but Jericho escaped the GTS attempt. Jericho then hit the code breaker, but Batista got something in his eye at the count of two. A livid Jericho got in Batista’s face, and Batista gave him the Batista bomb. Punk covered for the pin. This was a fun match, and it advanced the story well. Batista was likeable with his smirk even as he was screwing Jericho, and this is another reason for Jericho to rant with righteous indignation.
Final Thoughts:
I liked the overarching storyline of this show. It made for entertaining segments and got over the Jericho/Batista feud. Beyond that, I wasn’t a big fan of the show. The wrestling wasn’t very good and the comedy more often than not fell flat. The build for Cyber Sunday was good enough, however.
I haven’t plugged any of my CBSSports.com pieces recently, but I’ve been pretty active.
Frank Mir interview and write-up on the Ultimate Fighter is here:
http://www.sportsline.com/boxing/story/10982661
Post-Strikeforce piece with thoughts from Ishida, Kawajiri and Misaki is here:
http://www.sportsline.com/boxing/story/10991942
Andrei Arlovski interview and thoughts on Affliction and EliteXC is here:
http://www.sportsline.com/boxing/story/11005409
Opinion piece on MMA promotion and EliteXC’s Kimbo Slice predicament is here:
http://www.sportsline.com/mma/story/11012513
Chris Leben interview and preview of the Michael Bisping fight went up today here:
http://www.sportsline.com/mma/story/11031209
The Big News: Batista and Chris Jericho got to pick each other’s opponents for the night, but Batista proved more adept at screwing Jericho than vice versa.
Show Analysis:
At the start of the show, Chris Jericho reprimanded Mike Adamle backstage for taking back control from him last week. Adamle pointed out Jericho wouldn’t even be champion if Adamle didn’t put him in the scramble. Adamle said that Jericho and Batista would get to pick the other’s Raw opponent. Jericho was agitated, and threatened to go over Adamle’s head.
Adamle retorted that Shane and Stephanie turn off their cell phones during Raw, an odd assertion given the GM character is seemingly talking with a McMahon on the phone every other week. Jericho responded by saying he knew how he could get to them. Apparently, USA Network in Connecticut doesn’t televise backstage segments, so Jericho’s plan was to go out to the ring where the McMahons would be able to hear him.
In the ring, Jericho complained about the referee choices for his match at Cyber Sunday because they are all out to get him. Jericho said his title reign shouldn’t end due to an unbiased official. He then realized what he said and quickly said it shouldn’t end due to a biased official either, which was funny. He added that it is unfair to let the people choose. Shawn Michaels came out and said that if he is referee it will be the worst day of Jericho’s life. He then attacked Jericho. Jericho made Shawn Michaels vs. Batista for the show.
Kane and Mark Henry beat Matt Hardy and Rey Mysterio. Didn’t we see this same match with the same finish last week? Don’t answer; that’s a rhetorical question. They announced that Kane and Rey will wrestle at Cyber Sunday in either a falls count anywhere match, no holds barred match or 2 of 3 falls match. This is your big opportunity to book a WWE match, because lord knows at a dollar a pop there are only going to be about 4 votes on this one.
Henry hit a body slam on Hardy but missed an elbow. Hardy hit two second rope elbow drops and a tornado DDT. Kane and Henry took over with punches and worked over Hardy. Hardy eventually got the tag to Rey, who hit a springboard senton, double foot stomp, twisting scorpion death drop, huracanrana and 619 on Kane. Rey came off the top, but Kane nailed him with a kick for the pin. Kane went for the choke slam after the match but Rey escaped and dropkicked Kane out of the ring.
Backstage, Batista said that he knew what Chris Jericho was doing. He noted that there is no love lost between him and Shawn Michaels. He further observed that Michaels is in an angry mood. However, Batista said that if Michaels were to try to take him out, he’d take out Michaels first.
JBL beat Haas Hogan. JBL did a promo before the match where again WWE tried to get over the idea that the economic stimulus package is nothing more than a payout to the rich. God only knows what WWE’s audience is taking from WWE’s second grade level economic analysis.
The crowd wasn’t fooled by the Hogan music, as it didn’t get much of a pop. Haas’ mannerisms were good but Hogan has been parodied so many times it doesn’t do much for me. Haas hulked up and hit the big boot but he missed the leg drop. JBL hit the clothesline from hell for the pin.
After a package on John Cena, Randy Orton came out and complained about how there have been no kind words or video packages for his return from injury. Orton said that he doesn’t care what happens at Cyber Sunday or whether he’ll be the referee because he’ll will the title no matter what happens.
Batista and Shawn Michaels fought to a no contest in a lumberjack match. Jericho made the lumberjack stipulation with all heel lumberjacks. Michaels applied the figure four and hit a swinging neck breaker. Batista took over with a twisting uranage and bear hug. Batista fell to the outside, where Orton tried to hit his kick to the head. Batista avoided that but Michaels used a flying forearm.
Michaels went to the top, but Regal pushed him off. Batista hit a spine buster and set up for the Batista bomb but both men tumbled to the floor. The lumberjacks jumped both and followed them to the ring, which apparently constituted a double DQ. Batista and Michaels cleared the ring, however, and shook hands.
Santino Marella came out for another edition of the Honk-a-Meter, which is now at an impressive nine weeks. This was the cue for the jackass angle. Santino brought the jackass to the ring. He referred to Beth as a dude, so she slapped him and gave him a sloppy body slam. Hornswoggle ran in and hit the frog splash. Big Dick Johnson came out and danced. Boogey Man and his worms made their entrance. Finally Great Khali came out and put the jackass in the head vice and dropped him.
Kelly Kelly and Cryme Tyme beat John Morrison, Miz and Jillian Hall. Prior to the match Morrison and Miz performed a rap and Jillian sung the hook. Morrison and Miz are the kings of being so bad it’s good. Kelly hit a clothesline, punches and used the whirly bird on Jillian. That was it for the women, as JTG and Miz tagged in. JTG hit a blockbuster and dropkick, but was distracted by Jillian’s shrieking. Morrison and Miz took over with double teams, until JTG got the tag to Shad. A brawl ensued, JTG hit Morrison with a Duck facemask and Shad scored the pin.
CM Punk beat Chris Jericho with Batista making himself special referee. Punk’s reaction wasn’t as good as it has been, which may be a signal that they need to present him stronger. Punk hit a crossbody off the top and kick to the head. Jericho retaliated with a senton and enzuigiri, but Batista slow counted Jericho’s pin attempts. Jericho went for a bulldog but Punk shook him off. Punk went for a high knee but missed. Jericho went for the Walls, but Punk rolled him up for two.
Punk hit a high knee and bulldog, but Jericho escaped the GTS attempt. Jericho then hit the code breaker, but Batista got something in his eye at the count of two. A livid Jericho got in Batista’s face, and Batista gave him the Batista bomb. Punk covered for the pin. This was a fun match, and it advanced the story well. Batista was likeable with his smirk even as he was screwing Jericho, and this is another reason for Jericho to rant with righteous indignation.
Final Thoughts:
I liked the overarching storyline of this show. It made for entertaining segments and got over the Jericho/Batista feud. Beyond that, I wasn’t a big fan of the show. The wrestling wasn’t very good and the comedy more often than not fell flat. The build for Cyber Sunday was good enough, however.
I haven’t plugged any of my CBSSports.com pieces recently, but I’ve been pretty active.
Frank Mir interview and write-up on the Ultimate Fighter is here:
http://www.sportsline.com/boxing/story/10982661
Post-Strikeforce piece with thoughts from Ishida, Kawajiri and Misaki is here:
http://www.sportsline.com/boxing/story/10991942
Andrei Arlovski interview and thoughts on Affliction and EliteXC is here:
http://www.sportsline.com/boxing/story/11005409
Opinion piece on MMA promotion and EliteXC’s Kimbo Slice predicament is here:
http://www.sportsline.com/mma/story/11012513
Chris Leben interview and preview of the Michael Bisping fight went up today here:
http://www.sportsline.com/mma/story/11031209
posted by Todd Martin at 12:18 AM
1 Comments:
There was something I noticed tonight about Chris Jericho's ability to sell moves that I don't know if I ever noticed before. He wasn't just entertaining on offense, but, at the risk of sounding sick, it was entertaining watching him get beat up. I think watching him sell in the last match of the night was probably my favorite moment of the show.
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