SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
The following report originally published 20 years ago this week here at PWTorch.com.
WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW REPORT
MAY 9, 2005
LIVE FROM WILKES-BARRE, PA.
REPORT BY WADE KELLER, EDITOR
-The show opened with clips of last week’s show featuring highlights of the first round of the tournament matches ending with Triple H tapping out to Chris Benoit.
-Triple H’s music then played and he made his full entrance wearing a suit, carrying a water bottle. Jim Ross introduced the show with Jerry Lawler. Hunter was taunted with chants of “You Tapped Out!” He jumped to ringside and got in the face of fans jawing at him. He re-entered the ring and said last week’s match didn’t matter. He said Eric Bischoff is scared to give him the rematch deserves. He said Bischoff wants Batista to remain champion because he can control him like a pawn. Hunter said Batista knows he is vulnerable to losing to him. Batista’s music played and he walked out in an all-white suit with a powder blue shirt, right out of Miami Vice with the World Title belt over his shoulder.
Batista entered the ring and told Hunter he came out to “confront my fears.” He then asked him what he was afraid of considering he’s wrestled him twice and defeated him twice. He then reminded Hunter that he tapped out to Benoit last week. Batista suggested that perhaps Hunter isn’t good enough to face him again. Hunter yanked off his tie and closed his eyes and dropped his chin to his chest to collect himself. The crowd chanted “You Tapped Out!” Hunter said, “That’s funny, huh? Very amusing. Not good enough (chuckle).”
Hunter said Batista needs him more than he realizes and that he’s defined his career so far and will determine his future. He told Batista that he would just leave Raw for good if he didn’t get the title shot he wanted, and then he would prove how valuable he is to WWE because they’d come begging for him to return. As Hunter walked away, Batista told Hunter that he’s a sore loser. He said he has already defeated him, he is in denial about it, and he can’t come to grips with him. He told him not to let the door hit him in the ass on the way out. Hunter continued walking. Lawler couldn’t believe he left.
-Ross plugged the Kane vs. Chris Benoit and Shawn Michaels vs. Edge match.
[Commercial Break]
-Ric Flair tried to talk Hunter out of leaving, but he drove off. Flair asked, “What’re you doing?”
1 — CHRIS JERICHO vs. KHOSROW DAIVARI
Before the match, Daivari talked in English, asking Hassan for forgiveness for letting him down last week. He got on his knees and told him he isn’t worthy of his friendship. He said to make it up to him, he’d issue an open challenge to anyone backstage. Jericho answered the challenge. Jericho won with a Walls of Jericho. Afterward, Hassan attacked Jericho. Shelton Benjamin made the save. Jericho was too beaten down to react to Shelton’s save.
WINNER: Jericho at 2:30.
STAR RATING: 1/2* — Dominant squash.
[Commercial Break]
-G.M. Eric Bischoff told Christy Hemme backstage that he hopes she gets drafted to Smackdown. He said they’re having a new diva search so he figured he will end up with someone more respectful of his authority. La Resistance entered the room and argued about who was responsible for their loss last week. Bischoff said he’d book them each in a match later against a mystery opponent whom they wouldn’t know about until match-time. They agreed to the challenge.
-Flair talked to Hunter on his cell phone, saying Raw would never be the same without him. Christian walked up to Flair and told him if he’s looking for someone new to kiss up to 24/7, he can choose him. Flair told him it was the wrong day to mess with him. He challenged Christian to a match. Christian told him if he wants it, he’s got it. Christian gave him a “whooo!” Flair shot back with two louder “whoos.” Christian is really breaking out right now as a character on Raw. Whether he ends up on Smackdown or stays on Raw, they have to find something meaningful for him to do.
-The ECW One Night Stand PPV aired with Paul Heyman narrating it. It almost feels like a stand-alone event the way it’s being promoted, which is smart. To bad they didn’t use a different voiceover guy for the ticket sales announcement. Tickets go on sale this Saturday for the event at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City. Whether they even announce matches on the TV commercials will be interesting. They probably don’t have to in order to get massive orders, and a line-up may actually work against them if it doesn’t live up to fans’ memories or image of the promotion’s talent depth. Plus, with the idea being to run at least one more ECW PPV after this “One Night Stand,” they will be strategic in not giving away every top potential match the first time.
[Commercial Break]
-A commercial aired for WWE 24/7 featuring Jerry Lawler defeating Curt Hennig for the AWA World Hvt. Title 17 years ago today. Live, Lawler and Ross plugged the “24/7” channel.
2 — SYLVAIN GRENIER (w/Rob Conway) vs. VISCERA
La Resistance came to the ring together. Viscera then walked out as Grenier’s surprise opponent. He looked worried. Conway left ringside, leaving Grenier to wrestle Viscera alone. Viscera took Grenier to the mat and while face down, rubbed his crotch against his butt. Ross called it “an interesting riding technique.” Grenier made a brief comeback with a flying dropkick, but eventually won easily. Afterward, Viscera took nachos from a fan in the front row, then walked up to Lilian Garcia and said the nachos taste almost as good as she does. He told her to announce him as the winner again. She did. Then he made her eat a nacho chip out of his mouth with her mouth. She ate it. “Eat it. Eat it real good,” he said. “If you like the appetizer, you’re going to absolutely love the main course.”
WINNER: Grenier at 0:50.
STAR RATING: 1/4*
-Lita walked into Kane’s locker room and said she hoped he saw that previous segment because Viscera appeared to have a new love interest. Kane grabbed Lita and said they got married nine months ago and on that night, she told him she hoped he rotted in hell. When Lita tried to talk, he hushed her. Kane said now Trish Stratus is gone and soon he’ll become World Champion. Lita said he’s beat Benoit, then eventually move on to defeated Batista. Kane said no one would stand in his way “because I always get what I want.” Lita laughed. “And so do I?” said Lita, laughing maniacally. Kane grabbed Lita’s face, smooshed it, and said, “That’s what makes us such a strange couple.” Strange isn’t the perfect adjective. Extremely creepy perhaps is better.
[Commercial Break]
3 — CHRIS BENOIT vs. KANE (w/Lita)
A loud “You screwed Matt” chant broke out, aimed at Lita at the beginning of the program. For those who don’t know the story, that’s a reference to Lita and Matt Hardy breaking up in real life after Hardy discovered she had been getting involved in a relationship with Adam Copeland (Edge) while he was at home rehabbing his injury early this year. Hardy has since been released from his WWE contract. Lawler wondered what Lita and Kane’s marriage was like. Kane sold for a few minutes, but ended up making a comeback at 5:00. He came off the top rope, but Benoit met him in mid-air with a dropkick.
Benoit gave Kane a series of five unreleased German suplexes. He then did the sliced-throat gesture. When Kane sat up, Benoit gave him a low dropkick. Then he went to the top rope and flew off with a headbutt that connected. Lita looked concerned at ringside. Kane kicked out just before three. Benoit went for a sharpshooter, but Kane powered out and then bailed out. When Benoit dove at Kane, Lita jumped backward, and she grabbed at her surgically repaired knee. When Benoit went to check on Lita, Kane nailed him from behind with a clothesline. Lawler said, “As they say, no good deed will go unpunished.” Back in the ring, Benoit went for a desperation Crippled Crossface, but Kane blocked it. Kane then gave Benoit a chokeslam and scored the pin.
WINNER: Kane at 9:18.
STAR RATING: **1/2 — Solid match. The finish makes sense if they’re building up Kane either for a Batista feud later this year or a switch to Smackdown to face Cena. Neither match-up has prospects to produce particularly satisfying main events, though.
[Commercial Break]
4 — TYSON TOMKO (w/Christian) vs. RIC FLAIR
Christian walked out onto the stage in street clothes with Tyson Tomko dressed to wrestle. He told Flair he has to go through Tyson first before he can get to him. Flair was nonplussed, shooting Christian a confident look. Tomko took Flair down early on with a clothesline. He followed with a powerslam and a near fall. As the ref scolded Tomko, Flair clipped him from behind. Flair then applied the figure-four leglock. Tomko grabbed the ref. Meanwhile, Christian raked Flair’s eyes to break the hold. The ref scolded Christian, and then ordered him to the back. Flair then gave Tomko a low blow for the win. Tomko was flailing the whole time. Ross said Christian just outsmarted himself.
WINNER: Flair at 1:24.
STAR RATING: 1/4* — Teasing Flair vs. Christian and producing a 90 second Flair vs. Tomko is going to be a letdown to a lot of viewers.
[Commercial Break]
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
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-Todd Grisham interviewed Stacy in mid-ring about her photo shoot for Stuff magazine. She said she had a ton of fun at the photo shoot. She thanked the fans because without them, her fame wouldn’t have been possible. She said the photo on the big screen featured her in her favorite pair of panties. She said she happened to be wearing them now. She asked the fans if they wanted to see them. The crowd roared yes. She began to unzip her skirt. She asked Grisham for help. Just then, Simon Dean and Maven interrupted.
They chased Grisham out of the ring. Simon said she may be trying to bring joy to the miserable lives of the fans, but it’s a waste of time because at the end of the day they’ll still be losers. He said what they really need is the Simon System. Maven critiqued Stacy’s body, then told Simon to put an extra two scoops into it. When they served her the shake, she refused to drink it, then spilled it. When they grabbed her by the arm, Rosey and Hurricane made the save.
-Coach walked into Bischoff’s office and talked to him about how excited he was the ECW PPV commercial that just aired. Bischoff said he thought he put that fat, bald guy out of business. He didn’t want to hear about it. He said ECW is all about chairs and tables and thumb tacks. The crowd cheered. He said he planned to squash them.
[Commercial Break]
5 — ROBERT CONWAY vs. SHELTON BENJAMIN
Shelton won with a springboard bulldog. Ross said Benjamin’s potential is unlimited and the IC Title won’t be his final title belt. As Benjamin returned to the back, Hassan and Daivari attacked him on the stage.
WINNER: Shelton at 2:35.
STAR RATING: 1/2*
[Commercial Break]
-They replayed John Cena’s new music video.
-Maria interviewed Shawn Michaels, asking how he might do against “The Edge.” Michaels made fun of her for saying “The Edge.” He also threw a compliment toward Benjamin, saying he’s one of the best young talents he’s seen in years. He then told Edge to get ready to throw the hissy fit of a lifetime. He said he will find out soon he’s the real “money in the bank.” Are they making fun of Maria intentionally with scripted blunders, or did she really mistakenly call Edge “The Edge” and Michaels just ad-libbed? It’s good to see a pre-match promo in general before a TV main event.
[Commercial Break]
-Ring intros took place for Edge and Shawn Michaels.
[Commercial Break]
6 — EDGE vs. SHAWN MICHAELS
Michaels hit a nice bodyblock off the second rope onto Edge at ringside in the opening minute. Edge took control for a few minutes, including his obligatory chinlock. Michaels fought back at 5:30 with a nip and reverse atomic drop. Michaels went into a series of bodyslams followed by his top rope elbow drop. Michaels played to the crowd, then stomped for the Sweet Chin Music. When Edge stood up, he ducked Michaels’s mick. Michaels went into a victory roll to block an Edge attempt at an electric chair. Edge came out of the exchange with the advantage. Michaels mistakenly clotheslined the ref. Edge then gave Michaels his Impaler DDT. Edge then positioned himself for a spear. When Michaels stood, Edge charged him. Michaels caught Edge with a superkick. Michaels made the cover, but the ref was still knocked out. Michaels dragged the ref to mid-ring. Edge swung his briefcase at Michaels. Michaels ducked and then gave Edge a sunset flip attempt. Edge, though, bashed Michaels in the head and kicked the case out of the ring. The ref then came to and made the three count. Ross sold the three count well.
WINNER: Edge at 9:52.
STAR RATING: *** — Very good ten minute TV match. That sets up Kane vs. Edge in the finals, so expect a lot of Matt Hardy related chants with both Lita and Edge involved in the same segment for the first time. I doubt that would be the finals of this tournament had the Hardy-Lita-Edge situation not happened. They’re capitalizing on the knowledge the fans have of that situation.
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