RAW this week starts with a recap of Jeff Hardy and Umaga in the steel cage last week. Jeff speaks over the video in his backstage interview from last week when he says he’s mad about what Orton did to Matt and he’s going to take Orton out. In the match Orton threw a bunch of chairs into the ring. Jeff used a chair on Umaga. Jeff started out the door but Orton slammed the door on his head. Jeff hit the twist of fate and climbed the cage, but Orton was standing down below waiting for him. Jeff flied off the top of the cage with a whisper in the wind. Jeff won the match, climbed the cage and stared down at a pissed off Orton.
Jeff Hardy’s music and he comes limping out to the ring. Jeff grabs a mic but the fans are going wild for him. “Hardy” chants. He soaks it up and enjoys the pop. He says he’s excited. In less than two weeks at the RR he has a chance to become WWE Champion. He’s thrilled, but angry. He said at the RR he’d take Orton’s title, but before then he’d take Orton out. It didn’t happen last week, but will happen tonight. He tells Orton to come out now, or Jeff will go out back and find him.
There’s no response at first, then Orton’s music plays. Orton comes out on the stage and says if Jeff wants him that bad, then he’s got him, but… “You suck!” chants. He can have him, but with one condition. Only one man had every held the IC Title and the WWE Title at the same time. At RR the fight for Orton’s WWE Title, but they fight for Jeff’s IC Title tonight.
Jeff says it’s done.
Orton says it’s good because he didn’t know what he’d do until the RR as Jeff’s out of brothers to kick in the head.
Jeff says that obviously Orton didn’t hear him because he sais he’s planning on taking Orton out tonight.
Video of Flair saying he’ll never retire. Vince then says Flair’s career is over when he loses a match.
Ashley comes down to the ring for a 6 Diva tag match. She’s in a pink plaid mini-skirt and black corset. Maria comes out in a tiny silver top and black pants. Mickie comes out in a bright yellow and blue two piece halter top and matching pants (Yuck).
– Commercial
Melina comes out in a dark red and black version of her normal wrestling outfit. She does her normal split entrance. Jillian comes out in a sparkly red tank and black pants. JR and King talks about Spears and WWE.com. Beth comes out in a blue and black short dress with the sides cut out. She poses on a corner with the belt and rolls back off it.
Jillian and Ashley start. Jillian gets the upper hand and whips Ashley. Ashley gets a foot up and hits a cross body for two. Melina tags in but gets hit with a hard clothesline. Maria tags in and does a handstand/kick to Melina’s head. Maria gets hung up on the second rope and Melina chokes her on it. Beth tags in and hits a side slam on Maria for two. Maria is able to get away and tag Mickie. Mickie hits head scissors on Beth and slides out between Jillian’s legs and onto the apron. Mickie takes both Jillian and Melina out. Beth comes after Mickie and gets her up in a double chicken wing. Mickie kicks her in the gut to get out. And enziguri and all the Divas get involved. Mickie gets hung up on the ropes. A fisherman suplex on Mickie and Beth covers for three.
– Winner: Beth, Melina & Jillian
Video recap of the match.
Vince is out back telling Regal he has every confidence Regal will beat Flair tonight. Regal says he’s going to end Flair’s career in the least dignified way possible. Vince says he got Regal a gift. It’s one thing to end Flair’s career, but another to do it in this town. He pulls out an enema bag and asks Regal that if USA got an enema, where would it go. Regal says it would have to be Mobile. The fans don’t like this at all.
Vince says it’s a good thing it’s not in HD because… Suddenly Snitsky is there. Snitsky says he doesn’t care about HD. Snitsky says he wants to hurt people and make an impact. Vince says Snitsky will make an impact, one on one against HHH. Vince then hands the enema bag to Regal, tells him to take it with him, and good luck.
– Commercial
Video of the RR last year. The last two in the ring were HBK and Taker. They beat the heck out of each other. HBK went for sweet chin music but Taker ducked and tossed him from the ring. Taker won.
HBK comes out to the ring for his RR Qualifying Match. JR says he finds it ironic that HBK has to qualify for the RR. King says he tried to talk to him about qualifying and HBK wasn’t in a good mood. HBK grabs the mic and asks about having to have a qualifying match. The fans boo. He says that he didn’t win last year, but he was the runner up. He has won two other times. He doesn’t think it’s fair, but rules are rules and he doesn’t want to usurp the WWE rules. He came out to challenge Mr. Kennedy. Why don’t they just make the match a qualifying match and get it out of the way. Murdoch comes out to the ring.
They lock up and HBK gets an arm bar on Murdoch. Murdoch punches out and HBK hits the mat. An inverted atomic drop to HBK. A couple cross faces to HBK and HBK gets whipped. HBK falls to the mat. Murdoch covers for two. A vice lock on HBK’s head. “HBK” chants.
HBK fights his way out and kicks Murdoch when he telegraphs. Punches to Murdoch and then a fez press and Murdoch goes down. A flying forearm to Murdoch’s face. HBK hits and inverted atomic drop. A scoop slam to Murdoch. HBK climbs, flies and hits his elbow. HBK tunes up the band. Murdoch drops to the mat to avoid the kick. HBK locks on an inverted figure four leg lock. Murdoch tags out.
– Winner: HBK
Kennedy shows up on the tron. He says he’s always heard about HBK’s ego and how he can’t let go of things. HBK can’t handle the fact that Kennedy beat him the past two weeks and has past him by. It’s the law of the jungle. HBK can’t handle that someone is better than him. Kennedy says that even though HBK challenged Kennedy to a match next week, he doesn’t think he owes him anything. But he’ll give HBK one last day in the sun. Kennedy needs a warm up for RR. He will give HBK a taste of the future… No, he is the present and the future of this company.
Murdoch thinks HBK is completely distracted by Kennedy and tries sneaking up behind him. HBK hits sweet chin music on Murdoch and leaves him flat on the mat as he goes up the ramp.
Video of Flair beating Orton.
– Commercial
Video from WM 6 – Hogan against Ultimate Warrior. Hogan goes to drop a leg and Warrior moves. Warrior splashes and covers Hogan to win the title. Warrior became the WWE and IC Champs at the same time – the only one to ever do it.
JR and King go through the matches slated for RR.
Vince is out back with Hornswoggle. Vince says he’s happy with him, but concerned. He’s never been in a rumble and it will be a first. He wants to give Horney some experience. There will be a mini-rumble tonight. Horney will be the first in the ring. The next person out will be Kennedy, then Mankind, then Batista, then maybe a surprise or two. But, if he’s successful tonight he might have a chance at RR. Then he’ll go on to main event at WM, but that’s not too likely to happen, is it? Horney puts his head down and looks sad. Vince slams him back by his throat and says he’s a McMahon and anything can happen. Vince gets up and say he’s proud of him though, damn proud.
Snitsky is out back heading for the ring.
– Commercial
WWE Rewind – Flair against HHH. Flair locks on the figure four but HHH makes it to the ropes. HHH hits the pedigree. HHH crawls to cover Flair but Regal shows up and hits Flair with the brass knucks to end the match. HHH wins and loses his shot to be in the RR. Flair wins and still has his career.
HHH’s music and he comes out to huge pop. Snitsky comes out to face him.
“HHH” chants. They lock up and HHH is backed into a corner. The ref breaks it, HHH moves and Snitsky tries to slam into him, but HHH had moved. HHH clotheslines Snitsky and hits an upper cut. HHH low bridges the top rope and Snitsky goes flying from the ring.
– Commercial
HHH has Snitsky in an arm bar, but Snitsky gets out. Snitsky boots HHH in the face. Snitsky punches HHH down in a corner. “HHH” chants. Snitsky drives his shoulder into HHH’s gut in the corner a couple times. HHH gets whipped and then a sidewalk slam on HHH for two. Suplex to HHH. Snitsky drops a couple elbows on HHH and covers for two. HHH throws some punches while still on his knees. HHH gets up and rushes Snitsky, but Snitsky grabs him in a bear hug. “HHH” chants. A couple elbows to the back of Snitsky’s head, but he still can’t get out of the hold. HHH gets a second wind, hits more elbows and gets out of the hold. Snitsky tries for a cup handle slam, but HHH wiggles out the back. HHH hits a DDT and they’re both down for five. A face buster to Snitsky who telegraphs. A spinebuster on Snitsky. HHH tries to hit a pedigree, but gets flung over the top to the floor. Snitsky follows him outside and throws HHH into the stairs. Snitsky moves the top layer of the stairs, but then rolls in the ring to break the ten count. Snitsky slams the stairs down on the lower level but HHH moves. HHH slams Snitsky in the back with a chair and the ref calls for the bell.
– Winner: Snitsky via DQ
HHH is pissed at the call and reaches under the ring. Snitsky is in the ring and HHH follows him in. HHH nails Snitsky in the gut with the sledge. HHH hits his pedigree. Snitsky manages to roll from the ring and HHH poses on the corner holding his sledge.
HHH staggers from the ring and up the ramp holding his sledge close. When he gets to the top of the ramp Vince is on the screen right in front of him. Vince says HHH gets more and more angry since not being in the RR. Vince advises him to calm down, take a chill pill.
HHH uses his sledge to slam/rip through the screen. All sorts of pyro pops go off around the screen. Vince is still on the ripped screen with his eyes wide. HHH then throws his sledge through the screen. More pyro goes off. The fans love it. King and JR keep saying that HHH broke the titan tron, but it wasn’t the big tron, just the screen that’s behind the wrestlers, on their level, when they come out onto the stage.
– Commercial
The camera zooms in on the screen that’s been completely removed, but is still smoking. Video of what HHH did before the commercial.
Vince confronts HHH out back. He asks what HHH is going to do next week? He says he can’t trust HHH, so he’s back in the RR match. Not because he’s intimidated. HHH is back in as long as he wins his match next week.
Slam of The Week – Two weeks ago when JBL made his RAW debut with the painfully long pyro. Y2J comes out and attacks JBL. They fight until the refs manage to break them up.
JBL’s music and limo. His female driver opens the door and JBL comes down to the ring in his suit and cowboy hat. Again balloons fall from the roof – red and black. Tons of balloons fall into the ring when he enters. Then another huge group of balloons fall into the ring. Lots off popping of balloons can be heard on the TV.
JBL says for months there was a campaign to save us. It turned out to be Y2J who came to save us. Y2J stuck his neck out to save us. He asks how Y2J’s neck is doing, JBL heard he had a bad week. Video of JBL’s ruthless attack on Y2J last week as he dragged Y2J around the ring, up the ramp and around the stage area with a rope around his neck.
JBL asks where’s our savior now? He’s at home where he should have stayed. JBL says he loves power. When he was dragging Y2J by his neck last week, it was as if he was dragging every one of you (the fans). JBL says he knows Y2J is watching form home. He tells Y2J to move over because JBL wants to talk to his kids. Look at their daddy’s neck, he did that. There’s someone bigger and stronger than their daddy. Their daddy is spineless and had all the power taken out of him. JBL doesn’t want to make it personal. JBL wants Y2J to look at his kids and tell them JBL is better than him. Y2J shouldn’t come to the RR of Y2J is going need saving from JBL.
JBL leaves the ring and stops near the bottom of the ramp. He raises his right fist and pyro goes off. He gets 3/4 of the way up the ramp and turns around to glare at the crowd. He raises his left fist and more pyro goes off. He stops and stares at the screen that HHH destroyed, turns around, raises both fists and even more pyro goes off.
Jeff Hardy is out back lacing up his boots and putting on his arm warmers.
– Commercial
No Mercy 2002 – HHH was the WWE Champ, Kane was the IC Champ. HHH won and held both titles at the same time.
Lilian announces the mini-rumble – it’s hard to see her through all of JBL’s pyro smoke. Hornswoggle McMahon comes down to the ring. Kennedy’s music. A mini-Kennedy comes down to the ring. Guess it’s really a mini-rumble. Mini-Kennedy calls for his mic, but can’t reach it. The ref says they can’t do it and calls for the bell.
Horney takes mini-Kennedy down and almost out of the ring, but mini-Kennedy comes back in and stomps honey in a corner. Mini-Mankind comes down to the ring. Mini-Kennedy attacks him as he enters the ring. Horney throws mini-Kennedy into mini-Mankind. Mini-Mankind gets out Socko and tosses him from the ring. Horney tosses mini-Kennedy over the top rope and out. Mini-Batista comes out, complete with full pyro. JR and King are laughing hysterically. Mini-Batista spears Horney and then shakes the ropes. A shot to Horney who then hits a body drop on mini-Batista. Horney almost eliminates himself.
Mini-Kane comes out to the ring. Mini-Kane hits upper cuts on both mini-Batista and Horney. Mini-Batista hits a spinebuster and then a batistabomb on mini-Kane. Horney eliminates mini-Batista. Mini-Kane does a horrible sit up in the center of the ring and then hits upper cuts on Horney. Mini-Kane climbs to the second rope and flies. Mini-Kane tries for a choke slam but can’t get Horney up. Horney hits a Celtic cross and slams mini-Kane.
The real Khali comes down to the ring. Mini-Batista rushes the ring and attacks Horney from behind. Khali enters the ring to go after Horney who goes to the apron. Finlay comes out of nowhere and attacks Khali with the sheleighly. Khali leaves the ring. Finlay enters the ring and Sing grabs the sheleighly and tries to slide on his belly out of the ring. Finlay steps on Sing’s tie to stop him. Finlay gets Sing up and tosses him from the ring. Finlay raises Horney’s arm in victory.
– Commercial
It sounds like RAW is coming back on, but then there’s a screen that says they’re having technical difficulties. They run a promo for RAW in HD, starting next week.
Vince is out back and Finlay rushes up. Vince thanks God that Finlay showed up when he did. Vince says he had nothing to do with Khali going out there. Finlay brings up their deal again, but Vince threatens him about bringing up the deal. Finlay grabs Vince’s lapels. Vince tells Finlay to take out his aggression on Khali on SD! Finlay threatens Vince that if he reneges on the deal… Vince says he won’t. Finlay stomps off muttering about his match with Khali.
Flair comes down to the ring. The fans are on their feet giving huge respect and pop for Flair. Regal’s music starts immediately and he runs to the ring to make up for lost time because of the technical difficulties.
– Commercial
Regal has the upper hand on Flair. He gets a ½ Boston crab on Flair and the arena is still hazy from all the pyro. Flair gets to the ropes to break the hold, but Regal then stomps him. Flair rolls from the ring and slams Regal’s leg on the apron a couple times and the slams it into the ring post. A shot to Flair’s face, but Flair goes right back after Regal’s left knee again. Flair locks on the figure four, but Regal makes it to the ropes. Flair breaks the hold quickly. Regal rolls Flair up and the ref starts to count, but sees Regal has a hold of Flair’s tights and stops the count. Flair quickly rolls Regal up and holds his tights for the three count.
– Winner: Flair
Flair quickly rolls form the ring and celebrates his way up the ramp while Regal grabs the ref in the ring and scream in his face about Flair holding his tights.
– Commercial
Orton comes down to the ring. Video of Orton on the tron telling Jeff Hardy that he kicked Matt where his appendix used to be, then kicked him in the head. Jeff rushes back to his brother’s side. Jeff Hardy comes out to face him.
The bell is rung very quickly and Orton quickly hits a low blow on Jeff. The ref call for the bell and the DQ.
– Winner: Jeff hard via DQ
Orton grabs a mic and says the show isn’t over. He tells everyone they don’t want to miss this. He attack Jeff again then tosses him from the ring. Orton moves one of the pads from the concrete floor. Orton is about to hit an RKO on the concrete but Jeff pushes Orton into the apron. Jeff beats Orton up the ramp. On the stage Orton slams Jeff into the metal backdrop on the stage. He pounds on Jeff a bit. Jeff is bent over on one knee on the edge of the stage. Orton backs up and is going to kick Jeff’s head off. Jeff gets up and back body drops Orton from the stage. Orton lands in a well padded area but doesn’t move.
Jeff yells as if he’s going to fly onto Orton, but doesn’t. Jeff goes down the stairs, holding his winky. He pulls of his shirt and throws it into the crowd. Jeff starts climbing some of the scaffolding. He looks down and then climbs higher. Jeff yells and jumps. The camera doesn’t show Jeff’s landing as the area Orton is in has about three foot sides all around it. Then the camera looks in and Jeff is laying across Orton.
Tons of people rush in and rip apart the sides. They bring out stretchers and limb in to where they are. It’s obviously very squishy where they are.
I hear people saying, “He’s breathing,” and “He has a pulse.”
Video of the back body drop then a far away shot of Jeff’s swanton bomb. Then there’s another, closer angle of Jeff’s swanton. It’s appears that Jeff quickly moves around after he lands so he’s in the right spot when the camera looks in on him. Then another long shot of him flying, followed by the closer shot. The get Orton on the backboard and onto the stretcher. They roll him away. They have Jeff on a back board and onto the stretcher. Jeff feebly raises his right arm and gives Matt’s V1 sign as they roll him out. The fans go wild over this.
Biggest pop
Flair
Jeff Hardy (especially when he climbs and flies from the scaffolding)
HHH
HBK
Hornswoggle
Biggest heat
Orton
Regal
JBL
Vince