MONDAY
NIGHT RAW
November 12, 2007
Recap by Sassy
Comments by Sassy in italics.
Ringside announcers: Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler
Ring announcer: Lillian Garcia
Backstage interviews: Todd Grisham
Monday
Night Raw is being broadcast from Topeka, KS, on the USA Network.
We open with WWE World Heavyweight
Champion Batista entering the ring. Batista is from Friday night Smackdown.
Survivor Series is coming up this Sunday and will be defending his title against
The Undertaker in a Hell in a Cell Match. Batista says he was invited to Raw by
General Manger William Regal in order to take on some Raw competition. The
Undertaker appears in the arena while Batista is talking in the ring. The
Undertaker is also from Smackdown. Undertaker makes his way to the ring. He
removes his coat and hat. There is a referee in the ring, however Regal enters
the arena and says he invited them both for competition but it is not against
each other. They are going to be
partners and will face the WWE World Tag Team Champions, Lance Cade and Trevor
Murdoch.
The Undertaker & Batista
Vs.
Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch
Audience favorites: The Undertaker and Batista
My favorites: I like all four of them
Winners: The Undertaker and Batista – Undertaker
pins Cade.
Did Lance and Trevor do
something to make Regal angry? Lance and Trevor are very good in the ring, but
they are outsized in the ring this time. It is a nice opening match but
Undertaker decides to tag himself in and Batista looks a little surprised.
Since Undertaker and Batista don’t care very much for each other, this could
be a disaster in the making. Undertaker delivers the Tombstone pile driver
to Lance Cade and that’s the end of that. After the match is over,
Batista delivers the Batista bomb to Trevor Murdoch and we have a stare
down between Undertaker and Batista, holding his championship belt.
Another match this Sunday at
Survivor Series will be HBK Shaw Michaels going against Randy Orton for the WWE
Championship belt. Michaels and Orton will face each other tonight in a talkfest
with Vince McMahon as the moderator.
Commercial break.
Back from commercial break, we see the altercation between Santino Marella accompanied by Maria and Stone Cold Steve Austin from last week.
The Glamazon Beth Phoenix from Buffalo, NY
Vs.
Maria from Chicago, IL
Audience favorite: Maria
My favorite: Beth Phoenix
Winner: Beth Phoenix via pinfall.
Maria must be in the same boat with Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch to be caught in a match with The Glamazon. This will not be a long match.
After the match, Santino Marella
enters the arena and charges into the ring to check on Maria. He then goes out
of the ring, takes Lillian Garcia’s mic and tells the audience that Maria is
going to be okay. He then complains
about being attacked last week by Austin. And he is still complaining about
“The Condemned”. Marella demands that Austin give him an apology and he
demands Austin comes to the ring. Marella says that since Austin is not here, JR
can give Marella an apology instead. Instead of JR, Lawler stands up instead.
Marella insists that Lawler come into the ring and the audience is all for it.
Marella tells Lawler if he comes in the ring, Marella will let him take the
first punch. Lawler obliges, sending a right hand that sends Marella to the mat
and out of the ring.
JR tells us there will be a
Lumberjack Match tonight. It will
be Triple H and Kane and Jeff and Matt Hardy and Rey Mysterio versus Umaga, Big
Daddy V, Mr. Kennedy, MVP and Finlay.
Are there going to be enough men
left in the locker room to surround the ring?
We see a promo for Survivor Series.
Commercial break.
Back from commercial break, we see
a repeat of the Marella getting decked by Lawler.
Todd is backstage with Marella who
is still holding his jaw. Marella grabs the mic and challenges Lawler to a match
on tonight’s Raw.
Lawler says he doesn’t have any
wrestling gear, but he will accept the challenge.
We see a recap of the Michaels-Orton
feud. The stipulations for their
match at Survivor Series states that Michaels cannot use sweet chin music in
order to win and if Orton gets disqualified, he will lose the title.
Six Man Tag Team Match
Matt Hardy from Cameron, NC and
from Smackdown
One half of the WWE Tag Team
Champions
&
Rey Mysterio, from San Diego, CA
and from Smackdown
&
Jeff Hardy from Cameron, NC
The WWE Intercontinental
Champion
Vs.
Commercial break before the second
team is introduced.
Back from commercial break.
MVP from Miami, FL and Smackdown
One half of the WWE Tag Team
Champions and the United States Champion
&
Finlay from Belfast, Ireland and
Smackdown
&
Mr. Kennedy from Green Bay, WI
and Smackdown
Audience favorites: The Hardys
and Rey Mysterio
My favorites: The Hardys, Rey
Mysterio, MVP and Finlay – I KNOW they aren’t all on the same team!
Winners: Matt & Jeff Hardy
& Rey Mysterio.
All four of these men are scheduled
for the Lumberjack Match tonight. This is a nice line up but I’m not sure I
like Matt and MVP on opposite sides of the ring. It does help seeing Jeff and
Matt together again. I know Finlay is one of the bad guys but I like his in ring
knowledge. His outside the ring
knowledge isn’t so bad either. He has solid build and knows how to use that to
his advantage. Mysterio is a lucha libre wrestler. I have recently learned more
about and learned to appreciate lucha libre style. He may not be a big guy but
he’s fast and he is efficient. MVP avoids getting in the ring with his tag
team partner by sending Kennedy in the ring to face Matt. I hate to break it
to MVP but even though he has improved greatly in the ring, Matt could beat MVP
in a one on one competition.
COMMERCIAL
BREAK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MATCH!
Back from commercial break, Kennedy
tags in Finlay and Matt tags in Mysterio. The audience is very much behind
Mysterio, however, Finlay gets Mysterio down on the mat and Finlay tags in MVP.
MVP tags Finlay back in to take on the still downed Mysterio. Finlay attacks
Matt and Jeff and Jeff charges into the ring after Finlay until the ref gets
control and sends Jeff back out on the ring apron. In the meantime, Finlay has
tagged in Kennedy again and Mysterio is still down and needing a tag. Kennedy
tags in MVP but Mysterio is lucky enough to take MVP down in a DDT. Mysterio
makes it to the corner and tags in Jeff who comes out like a whirlwind. Mysterio
is still in the ring and manages to nail MVP and Kennedy with the 619. Jeff hits
MVP with the swanton bomb and goes for the cover. Guess who wins? Fantastic
work by the Hardys and Mysterio.
We see McMahon in the backstage
area. We see the Save Us 222 video.
Commercial break.
Back from commercial break, McMahon
is in the ring to remind us who he is and what is job is with WWE. He is
moderating HBK and Orton in a face off.
HBK Shawn Michaels enters the arena
to the applause of the fans.
Randy Orton enters the arena to the
jeers of the fans. (YES! Topeka did NOT let me down!)
I won’t got into depth since
this is just talk and not a wrestling match.
Please remember we had a commercial break in the middle of a good match
in order to have more talk on Monday Night Raw. The only thing I like about
Orton is his entrance theme. We can cross our fingers and hope that HBK can
manage to get in a round of sweet chin music before he leaves the ring.
McMahon tells both men he wants to physical confrontations in the ring at this
time. HBK reminds Orton that he has nailed him with sweet chin music five weeks
in a row. The audience enjoys breaking into HBK chants during the “debate”.
McMahon stops HBK from confronting Orton and Orton takes HBK down to the mat to
beat on him. Orton kicks HBK in the ribs and backs up to send a kick to HBK’s
head but McMahon stops Orton and tells him he can do that this Sunday. HBK is
back to his feet, but Orton hits him with an RKO. Even though HBK is down, the
audience is still chanting for him and booing Orton when he holds his title belt
up in the air.
That was a waste of time and
effort. HBK didn’t get to take out Orton or McMahon.
Commercial break.
Back from commercial break, we see
a promo for tomorrow night’s ECW. We then see a repeat of what happened
between HBK and Orton before the commercial break.
Six Diva Tag Team Match
Melina & Jillian Hall & Layla
Vs.
Mickie James &.Michelle McCool & Kelly Kelly
Audience favorites: I’m not sure
My favorites: Mickie James – period.
Winners: Mickie James, Michelle McCool & Kelly Kelly
Is it my imagination or is
Melina putting on weight? The only woman in the ring who can really wrestle is
Mickie James. My second choice for
one of them knowing how to work in the ring would be Melina. I’m not sure why
Victoria is not in this match. She
can wrestle. Layla and Kelly are terrible ring workers. We don’t seem to be
having a wrestling match. We are
having a battle royal. Mickie James kisses(?) Layla gives her a high kick to
the head, covers her and gets the three count.
Almost as short a match as the Beth Phoenix-Maria match we saw
earlier.
JR asks Lawler if he is sure he wants to be in a match with Marella since Lawler doesn’t even have any wrestling gear. Lawler says that after watching the Diva’s match, he was fired up and ready to go. Standard Lawler talk. Before we go to commercial break, Lawler takes off his shirt and JR takes his watch.
Commercial break.
Back from commercial break, we see
a Classic 1998 match between The Rock and Mick Foley accompanied by Mr. Socko.
Rock delivers the Rock bottom, gives the people the eyebrow and then delivers
the sharpshooter, winning the match. McMahon enters the ring and calls him
“The Corporate Champion”.
We then see a Snitsky promo. I’m
not sure why we don’t have Snitsky in real matches but he seems to be doing a
lot of lackey work these days. His character certainly doesn’t appear to have
appealed to the fans.
Challenge Match
Jerry The King Lawler, from
Memphis, TN
Vs.
Santino Marella, weighing 227
lbs., residing in Patterson, NJ
Audience favorite: Lawler
My favorite: I’m not sure
Winner: Jerry Lawler with a
roll up and a three count.
Lawler hasn’t been spending
time in the ring. He doesn’t appear to have lost his touch, even having to
wrestle in his street clothes. Unfortunately for Lawler, he gets a little
too much confidence and gets himself into a headlock. Lawler manages to break
free and spends a few seconds pounding on Marella. Lawler may just win this
match. Wouldn’t that be
embarrassing for Marella? And Lawler rolls Marella up for a three count.
Lawler is out of the ring and back in his seat with his head set to talk to JR
about the Diva’s match.
JR reminds us again about the
Lumberjack Match coming up.
Commercial break.
Back from commercial break, we see
the Save Us 222 video again.
JR tells us that earlier today
William Regal, Raw General Manager, insisted that Jonathan Coachman spend some
quality time with McMahon’s son, Hornswoggle, to train him for his match
against The Great Khali at Survivor Series.
William Regal is in the ring (no
audience) with a mic and tells us that McMahon has put him in charge of
Hornswoggle’s training. Lillian
Garcia makes the introductions.
Hornswoggle
Vs.
Lillian introduces
The Great Khali, weighing 420 lbs. And over 7 feet tall,
accompanied to the ring by his
interpreter.
Jonathan Coachman comes out in a
black wig with somebody as his an interpreter (also in a bad wig) and enters the
ring.
Coach throws down the wig and says
he isn’t going to wear it. Regal tells him to put the wig on immediately and
the Coach does. The interpreter speaks a few words. The interpreter was a little
funny. We have a ref in the ring that gives both men the rules and Regal says to
remember that this is a training session. Regal tells Coach to remember that he is a dummy - one huge
worthless tackling dummy. He tells Coach he is not to lay a hand on Hornswoggle.
Hornswoggle kicks Coach several times in the leg before Coach sticks his finger
in Hornswoggle’s face. Hornswoggle then bites his finger, pulls down his
pants, trips him, then goes up on the top rope and delivers a tadpole splash and
gets the pin. Hornswoggle is the
winner. Hornswoggle then goes over, takes Coach’s wig and puts his green hat
on Coach’s head.
This may be the best match of
the night.
Lawler and JR reminds us that
Hornswoggle will face The Great Khali at Survivor Series. Orton will face HBK in
a Championship match, Batista will face The Undertaker in a Championship match
– Hell in a Cell, and there will be a traditional Survivor Series Elimination
Match – one team headed by Triple H, the other team headed by Umaga.
Grisham is backstage with Triple H.
Triple H tells everyone that Survivor Series is about who will survive and that
if there is only one man standing, it will be Triple H. Triple H says Umaga may
not make it to Survivor Series because they are facing each other tonight in a
Lumberjack match.
Commercial break.
Back from commercial break, we see
a Survivor Series classic. It appears to be Jerry the King Lawler and his team
versus the Clowns and midgets(?). Lawler receives a pie to the face courtesy of
Doink the Clown.
Lumberjack Match
Triple H, weighing 255 lbs.,
from Greenwich, CT
accompanied to the ring by the
Lumberjacks: Jeff & Matt Hard, Kane & Rey Mysterio
Vs.
Umaga, weighing 350 lbs., from
the Isle of Samoa
accompanied to the ring by the
Lumberjacks: Mr. Kennedy, Finlay, MVP, Matt Striker & Big Daddy V
Audience favorite: Triple H
My favorite: Umaga
Winner: A winner was not
announced.
Now I get it...The "team leaders" bring their own lumberjacks to the ring...unlike the original lumberjack matches where wrestlers from the back were brought in as lumberjacks.
I have a feeling we may see more
fighting between the lumberjacks than from the opponents in the ring. I realize
that Triple H is tough, however, I think Umaga may have the edge in this match.
One thing that may be holding Umaga back is a lack of ring experience
considering Triple H’s ring experience. Triple H seems to be spending a
little time working on Umaga’s lumberjacks outside the ring. Unfortunately for
the game, Umaga throws him over the ropes and must be rescued by his
Lumberjacks.
COMMERCIAL BREAK IN THE MIDDLE OF
THE MATCH!
AGAIN!
Back from commercial break, Umaga
and Triple H are back in the ring exchanging blows in the middle of the ring.
Umaga seems to be in charge and Triple H is now down on the mat. Umaga intends
to keep him there. What Umaga isn’t doing to Triple H, Umaga’s Lumberjacks
are doing for him when the ref’s back is turned. Umaga pins Triple H but only
gets a two count. A second pin attempt by Umaga and again a two count. Triple H
needs to get a second wind or Umaga will win this match. Triple H finds his
second wind and hits Umaga with a DDT. Triple
H goes for the pin and gets a two count. Umaga gets back on his feet and Triple
H tries for another move, but Umaga manages to get the switch and nails him with
a Samoan drop. As Umaga goes for the Samoan spike, Triple H ducks and hits Umaga
with a spine buster. Finlay is in the ring and the ref rings the bell. Did I
say something earlier about a free for all? That’s what we have now both in
and out of the ring.
And the show is over.
Survivor
Series is this Sunday on pay per view.
WWE SMACKDOWN / NOVEMBER 9
Wrestling Bodyslam . Com