- 04/03/2007 (1:54:37 am)
- Georgiann Makropoulos
New Tag Champions…
Raw Report for April 2, 2007 by Richard Trionfo of www.pwinsider.com It is no joke that Vince McMahon is bald and John Cena is still the WWE Champion. We also saw WWE Women’s champion Melina air brush the memory of Ashley Massaro in a title match from our memories. We also saw Edge get stretchered to the back during the Money in the Bank match after receiving a leg drop from Jeff Hardy from the top of the ladder onto a ladder perched between the ring apron and ringside barrier. What is in store for Umaga now that he failed Vince McMahon against Bobby Lashley? Will Donald Trump travel from We are live from We begin tonight’s show with the WWE Heavyweight Champion and one half of the World Tag Team Champions, John Cena coming to the ring and he has a mic. John allows the fans to cheer or boo as they wish before talking. Cena holds up the title belts and proclaims that the champ is here. Before Cena can continue, the other half of the World Tag Champions, Shawn Michaels comes out to the ring. Shawn repeats what John Cena said and he says that it is like reliving a bad dream. Michaels says that this is usually the time when he comes out and talks about the awesome match that they had and once again the Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels . . . The Showstopper and his opponent made history. Shawn says that their match was not about screw jobs, mind games, or massive egos . . . brother. It was not about who got cheered and who got booed. It was not about a handshake to show good sportsmanship. It was about winning and losing. John Cena won and he lost. Michaels says that he does not like it. He is sick and tired of coming out and looking guys in the eye and extending a hand and lying about them being the better man. Shawn says that ends tonight. Michaels tells Cena that he might have won last night, but he is not the better man. Cena says that Shawn can get angry, but if Shawn is questioning his manhood, that sounds like a challenge. Cena tells Michaels any time, any place. Shawn says that he is currently not busy and he has nowhere else to be but in Jonathan Coachman comes out and he has something to say. Coach says that per Mr. McMahon, the WWE championship will not be defended tonight. He says that Cena and Michaels are forgetting something. He reminds them that they are the tag team champions despite their differences. They will be defending the Tag Titles tonight. Coach says that there is a twist. Coach says that he contacted all of the brands. They will be competing in a ten team, twenty man over the top rope battle royal(e). The match begins right now. The first team out is King Booker (with Queen Sharmell) and Fit Finlay. The next team is Rob Van Dam and Sabu. Before the next team comes out, we go to commercial Match Number One: Tag Team Battle Royal The match has begun and Kenny Dykstra is sent to the apron and eliminated by Rob Van Dam and Sabu. Dykstra and Masters are eliminated. Also in the match are the Highlanders, Cryme Tyme, Elijah Burke and Matt Striker, Deuce and Domino, Jim Duggan and We are down to the final two teams and they are King Booker and Fit Finlay and Cena and Michaels. Finlay with a clothesline to Cena and then Booker and Finlay punch Cena. Cena fights off Finlay and Booker. Finlay tries to throw Cena over the top rope, but Cena holds on to the ropes. Finlay accidentally clotheslines Booker when Cena moves out of the way. Cena sends Finlay to the apron. Finlay tries to get back into the ring, but Michaels with Sweet Chin Music to eliminate Finlay and win the match. Winners: John Cena and Shawn Michaels After the match, Jonathan Coachman comes out and he congratulates Cena and Michaels for winning part one of their title defense. He says that he thought this might happen so there is another ten team battle royal(e). That match starts right now. Match Number Two: Tag Team Battle Royal(e) Part Two The teams in this match are Shawn Michaels and John Cena; Matt and Jeff Hardy; Paul London and Brian Kendrick; Gregory Helms and Chavo Guerrero; Marcus Cor Von and Kevin Thorn; Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch; Viscera and Val Venis; Sandman and Tommy Dreamer; Dave Taylor and William Regal; Johnny Nitro and Mike Mizanin. Everyone tries to eliminate Viscera. Val Venis is eliminated from the match. Dave Taylor and Chavo exchange uppercuts by the ropes. Kendrick holds on to the ropes. Thorn tries to eliminate Michaels. William Regal is eliminated from the match by Tommy Dreamer. Chavo and Helms try to eliminate Cena in the corner while Thorn continues to work on Michaels. Dream punches Murdoch in the ring followed by an elbow, but Lance Cade eliminates Dreamer. Michaels is almost out of the ring but he is able to roll back in. Chavo with a European uppercut to Murdoch as we go to commercial. We are back and the match continues. Cena and Michaels are still the targets for elimination, but they stay in the match. Mizanin and Nitro work on Cena but Michaels with Sweet Chin Music to Nitro who was on the top turnbuckle and is eliminated. Michaels eliminates Cena to eliminate himself and Michaels so we will have new tag team champions. Michaels goes to the back and he says ‘sorry’ and ‘one goal’. We return to the action in the ring and Winners and new Tag Team champions: Jeff and Matt Hardy We are back with a look back at last night’s Wrestlemania. Rap producer/artist Timbaland is in the crowd at tonight’s Raw. Shawn Michaels is in the interview area with Todd Grisham. Todd wants to know why Shawn eliminated John Cena. Michaels says that the tag team championships were only muddying the waters. Shawn says that he wants John to understand that he only has one goal and that is the title. Randy Orton comes out and he says Michaels had his chance last night and he blew it. Randy says that the only reason why John Cena is giving Shawn Michaels another chance and it is because Cena knows that he can beat Shawn Michaels. Orton says that Cena cannot beat him. Michaels tells Orton that he is not the better man. Orton suggests that they will have to wait and see. Orton walks away. Lawler talks about the size of the crowd at Wrestlemania and how it was a Ford Field record. We go to a video package that includes footage from Wrestlemania III as well. Coach is in the back and he says that he is Vince’s number one fan while Vince is behind the camera. Vince says that this was the worst Wrestlemania but he has something to say. He wants to go to the ring. Coachman warns him and tells Vince what he might be in for. Vince sees Maria and Candice and he wants to know how they are doing. Vince says that he wants to try something with them. He takes off his hat and wants to know how he looks. They say that he is handsome. We are back with a WWE Rewind: Photos of Vince McMahon getting his head shaved last night after getting a Stunner from Steve Austin. We then see photos of Steve Austin giving photos of Donald Trump a stunner. Lillian Garcia brings out Vince McMahon and Vince is wearing a hat as he comes to the ring. Vince says that he would expect that the fans would see Vince come out and eat a slice of humble pie. He wonders if the fans like the fact that he is a bald billionaire and enjoy the misfortunes of others. Vince says that April 1 will go down as a Day of Infamy when a travesty of justice was perpetrated against him. That perpetrator was a beer swilling, foul-mouthed, action-adventure star named Steve Austin. Vince says that had it not been for We are back with a Slam of the Week: Highlights from the Dark Match where Carlito and Ric Flair defeated Chavo Guerrero and Gregory Helms Match Number Three: Carlito (with Torrie Wilson) and Ric Flair versus Charlie Haas and Benjamin and Carlito start things off and they lock up in the center of the ring. Carlito with a side head lock and shoulder tackle. Benjamin with a clothesline to Carlito followed by a series of punches. Benjamin with a forearm to the back of the neck and then he brings Carlito into his corner for more punches. Carlito punches Benjamin and fights out of the corner. Carlito with a knee lift and clothesline to Benjamin followed by a punch to Haas on the apron. Benjamin with a super kick to Carlito and then he rolls Carlito back to the corner so he can tag in Haas. Haas runs Carlito into the corner followed by an Irish whip and running boot to the head. Haas with a series of punches to Carlito and Carlito goes down. Haas with a series of crossfaces in the ropes and the referee sends Flair back to the corner. Benjamin tags back in and he hits a delayed belly-to-back suplex for a two count. Benjamin with a reverse chin lock on Carlito but Carlito gets to his feet. Benjamin with a series of punches but he misses a clothesline and Carlito hits a springboard back elbow and both men are down. Haas tags in and Flair is able to make the tag as well. Flair with chops to Benjamin and Haas followed by a back elbow to Haas and more chops to Benjamin. Benjamin with a back body drop to Flair and then Carlito knocks Carlito off the apron. Haas holds Flair on the ropes for Benjamin to hit the leap frog splash, but Carlito pulls down the ropes and Benjamin goes to the floor. Carlito with a clip to Haas and then Flair gets Haas to tap to the figure four leg lock. Winners: Ric Flair and Carlito Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler talk about the Hall of Fame Ceremony and we go to a video package for the ceremony. We go to commercial. We are back and Jerry Lawler reminds us that a new attendance record for Ford Field was set. We also see the media coverage of Wrestlemania. Todd Grisham is with Timbaland for an interview. Timbaland says that he is here as a fan and he came here to hear a "Woooo". He says that he came to see the Nature Boy and have some fun. Todd asks Timbaland about his new album and he talks about the WWE influence in the video. Timbaland says that he is thinking about having Ashley in the video. Melina comes to the ring for her ‘photo op’. Melina says that she is looking forward to starring in Timbaland’s new video because if he is looking for WWE Divas, he should be looking at the most dominant one. Melina says that she proved last night that Ashley is nothing more than a pretty face. While it is nice to be on the cover of Playboy, it pales in comparison to being the Women’s champion. Melina has a special presentation for the paparazzi. Mickie James comes to the ring and she spears Melina and then hits a DDT before leaving the ring. We go to commercial. We are back and Mick Foley does a commercial for the Make-A-Wish Foundation and he mentions that a special wish will be granted next week. Crazy goes after Khali before the bell rings but Khali throws Crazy off of him. Crazy goes up top for a missile drop kick, but it has no effect on Khali. Khali grabs Crazy by the throat and then he chops Crazy. Khali with a vertical choke slam and then he covers Crazy with his boot for the three count. Winner: Great Khali Vince is in the McOffice and he is still furious. Estrada tells Vince to calm down, but Vince tells Estrada to shut up. Vince talks about what happened to him last night at Wrestlemania and earlier tonight and wonders if Estrada wants him to take it easy. Vince breaks a cigar in half and says that Umaga found himself a tag team partner for a handicap match against Bobby Lashley. Vince tells Estrada to make sure that Umaga does not let him down. We go to commercial. We are back with an Earlier Tonight Moment of Shawn Michaels and John Cena losing the tag team titles after Michaels eliminated Cena in the second of two tag team battle royal(e)s. We see Jeff and Matt Hardy winning the tag titles. Maria is in the interview area with the new tag champions. Jeff says that it is awesome to be known as six time tag team champions. Matt says that they have had a lot of ups and downs over the last few years. He says that after everything they have been through over the last few weeks, nothing could be more perfect than being tag team champions with his brother. Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler talk about the movie premiere for The Condemned and we go to a video package. Edge comes out and he has something to say. He says that a lesser man would not be standing here tonight. It took every ounce of energy in his body to pull himself out of bed this morning after the hell he went through last night in the Money in the Bank match. He might not comprehend everything properly. Maybe it was Jeff Hardy diving off a fifteen foot ladder onto him through another ladder. Edge says that it caused him not to be thinking properly. He says that he thought he heard Shawn Michaels come out and demand another title match against John Cena. Randy Orton wants a shot at the WWE Title. He points out that John Cena is still the WWE Champion. Edge says that he finds this all funny and amusing because Shawn Michaels is the same person that he has bashed over the head with steel chairs numerous times. He knows that Randy Orton is the same gullible egomaniac that he has outsmarted numerous times. He knows that John Cena is a fighting champion who has been through challenger and challenger. However, he is also the same man that Edge has beaten countless times. They can call themselves the Showstopper, the Legend Killer, and The Champ; but he calls himself ‘The Best’. All of the fans will be forced to call him the next WWE champion. Bobby Lashley is walking in the back on one side of the split screen while Umaga and Armando Alejandro Estrada walk on the other half of the screen and we go to commercial. We are back and Jerry Lawler reminds us of Mick Foley’s Make-A-Wish Surprise on next week’s Raw and Shawn Michaels versus Randy Orton in a Number One Contender Match. Match Number Five: Umaga and Armando Alejandro Estrada versus Bobby Lashley for the ECW World Title Umaga attacks Lashley before he enters the ring and Lashley is sent into the ring steps by the challenger. Umaga with a chop on the floor while Estrada watches from the ring. Lashley is rolled back into the ring and Umaga enters too. Umaga kicks Lashley in the upper chest. Lashley takes Estrada into the turnbuckles but Umaga attacks Lashley from behind. Umaga chops Lashley but Lashley tries for a sunset flip, but Estrada kicks Lashley and Umaga drops down for a two count. Umaga kicks Lashley and chokes him by the ropes. Lashley punches Umaga, but Umaga with a Samoan Drop. Umaga kicks Lashley as Umaga and Estrada stand over Lashley. Umaga drops onto Lashley chest with help from the ropes. Umaga tries again, but he gets a boot to the groin. Lashley with a DDT, but Umaga with a kick to Lashley. Lashley and Umaga exchange punches but Umaga with a belly-to-belly suplex and Estrada covers but only gets a two count. Umaga hits a knee to Lashley’s chest followed by a head butt and Estrada with another two count. Umaga with a splash and he gets a two count. Estrada returns to the ring and Estrada tells Umaga to beat him up. Umaga punches Lashley, but Lashley punches back. Umaga with an uppercut to the throat when Lashley tries for a clothesline. Estrada covers for a two count. Umaga stomps on Lashley and punches Lashley but Lashley punches back. Umaga with a spinning heel kick as Lashley charges at him. Umaga with punches to Lashley and then he chokes Lashley in the corner. Lashley punches Umaga but Umaga with a clothesline when Lashley comes off the ropes. Estrada walks on Lashley’s back while Umaga continues to work on his back. Umaga kicks Lashley in the corner and then he gets ready for the running butt splash into the corner and he hits it. Umaga punches Lashley in the head and then Estrada holds Lashley for the Samoan Spike, but Lashley blocks it and Lashley punches Umaga. Lashley with a clothesline but Umaga stays up. Umaga misses a cross body and Lashley with a spear but Estrada breaks up the cover. Lashley chokes Estrada in the corner and Lashley moves out of the way when Umaga tries to hit an Avalanche splash. Lashley with a shoulder tackle that knocks Umaga out of the ring. Lashley gets Estrada up for a running power slam and the three count. Raw Thoughts: Wouldn’t it have been easier to have Paul London and Brian Kendrick challenge Cena and Michaels in a tag team unification match and then have someone come out to screw over Cena and Michaels so they would not have this tenuous situation where they are still feuding and tag champions? I guess Booker and Finlay are friends again? I could have sworn that Finlay wanted nothing to do with Booker. I like that they brought back Rob Van Dam and Sabu as a team. I could have sworn that there was a match where Eugene and Jim Duggan lost and they were forced to break up as a tag team. I guess if the ‘piledriver is banned’ stipulation is not enforced, they can have Duggan and Was this Cryme Tyme’s title match that had been earned at New Year’s Revolution? Please note that Chavo Guerrero and Gregory Helms were in the second tag team battle royal despite being announced as a part of the first one. I did not know that there were 19 tag teams between the three brands. What did Johnny Nitro do to deserve Mike Mizanin as a tag team partner? As soon as Michaels saved Cena, you had to figure that Michaels would eliminate Cena. I liked that touch because it builds to their likely rematch at Backlash. What about Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin or Carlito and Ric Flair since they are Raw brand tag teams so they did not have too far to go to get to the ring for the battle royal(e). At least they were put in the tag match later in the show. If 19 teams were hard to believe that they had that many in the company, 21 is more amazing. When you first saw Timbaland in the crowd, was anyone else excited to hear Timbaland talk? If you were, did you change your opinion when he did speak? I think that was the first time that I wanted to see Grisham tell Timbaland to shut up since he was saying absolutely nothing. I really liked the Shawn Michaels interview. It put things in perspective that the World Title is what Michaels wants. I did not think that Randy Orton needed to be in the segment. While he is a top guy on the brand, he did not win the Money in the Bank match and has not had too many big wins to justify being a number one contender. Was the POV camera for Vince McMahon necessary? Was it the same camera that was with Aurora Rose? If so, does it still smell? Shouldn’t Christopher Walken be the only person to have the POV camera in a non-adult situation since it worked so well when he was a guest host on Saturday Night Live. I think the Ron Simmons ‘DAMN’ experiment is over. Either give him something new to say or stop using him. Why not have Simmons straining not to say it and have Vince say that he thought Simmons wouldn’t say anything. Then have Vince walking down the hall and then in the background, they can have a loud DAMN from Simmons. If Vince had the hat ‘cemented’ to his head, did he take off his hat to show the people in the back? When he said that it was ‘cemented’ was there any doubt that it would not be coming off. I liked Vince trying to find something to cover his head, but it took a little too long. I wonder how happy Lillian Garcia was to have Vince between her legs. If she did not like that, what about having her skirt removed by Bobby Lashley. Did that move make Lashley a bigger face? While the other Divas always come to the ring in skimpy clothing, at least Lillian has a reason to run away screaming after her skirt was removed by Lashley. If Todd Grisham could fill in for Lillian as ring announcer so she could fix her wardrobe, why couldn’t he fill in for Jim Ross? Didn’t Jim Ross mention in his blog that they would have announcers at the buildings in case something like what happened to Michael Cole at No Way Out? Why not have Todd Grisham or Jonathan Coachman do the commentary. I did think Jerry Lawler did a decent job doing the commentary despite getting a few things wrong during the main event, but it is not that often that Lawler does the matches solo. Who was wrestling slower tonight, Carlito or Bobby Lashley? Sign of the night goes to the ‘Hellwig fears Bollea’ sign behind Todd Grisham and Timbaland. Did Obi-wan Kenobi come on our screens to forget about the Ashley/Melina match and tell us ‘That is not the women’s match we are looking for’ and to move along to the Mickie James/Melina feud? I just wish there was a way to get After the Timbaland interview, did anyone else want to hear a Great Khali promo or interview just to make us forget Timbaland? If Vince wanted Lashley to lose the match, why give Umaga a manager as his tag team partner in the handicap match? Shouldn’t he give Umaga a tag team partner like Khali or Undertaker? I also think it is a good thing to not post on their website the result of the main event on their preview for the next night’s episode of ECW BEFORE THE MATCH EVER HAPPENS. I thought the Edge promo was very good and sets up the tease for a four-way match at Backlash between Cena, Edge, Orton, and Michaels for the WWE Title. It was also an effective way to build himself up from the Money in the Bank match because he talked about how a lesser man wouldn’t have made it. In addition to building himself, Edge also put over Orton, Michaels, and Cena to make the match more important if it does happen. He also maintained the same voice level and did not have to yell to get his message across. Instead of Spell Check Theatre, we have Grammar Check Theatre. There was a sign that read ‘Umaga Your Fired’ instead of ‘you’re’. If you fast forward the main event, will it appear to be at normal speed? I think Bobby Lashley took a few steps backwards in this match after having a good match against Umaga (except for the TNA-like finish) on Sunday night. He had an average match at No Way Out and he has not had too many high profile opponents on ECW from the ECW brand. It did not help that the match was just punch and kick for the most part with Umaga and Estrada waiting for Lashley to get up. While this does not apply to tonight’s show, I had something to bring up about the video to announce | ||||
