Tribute
to the Troops
Monday
Night Raw
December 24, 2007
Recap by Sassy
This is the 5th Annual Holiday Tribute to the
Troops being broadcast from Camp Speicher, Tikrit, Iraq on the USA network.
Ringside announcers: Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler
Ring announcer: Lillian Garcia
Randy Orton from St. Louis, MO, weighing 225 lbs.
WWE Champion
Vs.
Y2J Chris Jericho, weighing 220 lbs.
Troops
favorite: Y2J Chris Jericho
My favorite: Y2J Chris Jericho
Winner:
Y2J Chris Jericho by DQ
Orton was greeted with boos and jeers.
I’m surprised he had the courage to show up. Not too many soldiers will
be impressed with Orton’s “early release” from the armed forces. Jericho
entered the arena to many cheers, stopping to slap hands and even taking a
camera to take picture for a couple of soldiers in the audience. He walked
around the outside of the ring greeting the troops.
I understand it is the first time Jericho has been overseas to entertain
the troops. It appears he wants to make it a memorable occasion.
Jericho has been watching real wrestlers judging by the way
he is working the ring. Orton must have been watching something else. Why
Jericho doesn’t have the title is beyond me. Orton does squirm well. Jericho
stops to take a camera from one of the fans and snaps a photo of Orton after
Jericho has slammed his head into the steel steps.
And, true to WWE form, we have a
COMMERCIAL BREAK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MATCH!
Back from commercial break, both men are inside the ring but
it looks like Jericho is getting beat down. All I want for Christmas is what the
troops are asking for – Jericho to get up and beat the tar out of Orton.
(Lawler just said that Orton may be the only one here to get shot at by both
sides…I can’t believe I actually agree with something Lawler said!)
The Walls of Jericho are locked in and we hear bells, but they aren’t
ring bells. It’s good old JBL showing up when he isn’t wanted. This may be
the only time the troops hate JBL. JBL enters the ring. Jericho lets go of Orton
to go after JBL and then gets caught by Orton in the RKO.
Orton leaves the ring and Jericho gets hit by the clothesline
from hell courtesy of JBL. Yep, the troops have decided JBL is the enemy.
Promo for next Monday Night Raw, New Year’s Eve, Ric Flair
versus Triple H in a career threatening match.
Commercial break.
Back from commercial break, we see film clips of the troops
and WWE personnel. We see Jeff Hardy, Triple H, Kelly Kelly, John Cena (his arm
is in a sling), Rey Mysterio, Maria, Lillian Garcia, Vince McMahon, Chris
Jericho, Shawn Michaels, Layla, Mr. Kennedy, Hardocore Holly, Carlito, Ron
Simmons and Mark Henry. Rey Mysterio had on a camouflage mask!
Commercial break.
Back from commercial break, promo for Best of ECW 2007,
Christmas Night on the Sci-Fi channel.
Jeff Hardy from Cameron, NC, weighing 225 lbs.
WWE Intercontinental Champion
Vs.
Carlito from the Caribbean, weighing 220 lbs.
Troops
favorite: Jeff Hardy
My favorite: I
like them both
Winner:
Jeff Hardy
Jeff shows up with face paint, which he says is his tribute
to the troops. Jeff gets one giant reception from the troops while Carlito and
his apple get a less than enthusiastic welcome. Carlito started to throw his
T-shirt out to the crowd and then stopped and kept it. Hardy chants are loud as
Carlito ducks under the ropes to keep Jeff away. The second time Carlito does
the rope duck, Jeff nails him in the back with a dropkick to the joy of the
fans. We have a lot of close pins but Jeff just can’t seem to keep Carlito
down for the three count. Jeff slides out of the ring to walk around and slap
hands with the fans but when Carlito follows him, Jeff baseball slides him out
to the guardrail. Jeff does a nice dive off the apron ring to clothesline
Carlito down to the ground. Back in the ring, the troops keep count while Jeff
pounds on Carlito. Jeff goes for a double stomp but Carlito rolls out of the way
and Jeff meets the mat. Carlito back to his feet first. Jeff does a nice
somersault off the ropes and takes Carlito down to the mat.
Jeff doesn’t miss the next try at the double stomp but Jeff still
can’t keep Carlito down. Carlito counters the twist of fate with a swinging
neck breaker, but he can’t get the three count either. Carlito is now asking
for his apple and he takes a couple of bites but Jeff catches him with a
jawbreaker, nails the twist of fate, goes up for the swanton bomb, goes for the
cover and gets the three count. Jeff throws his shirt to the crowd when he
climbs up for the swanton bomb.
Another video film of the troops. Specialist Peter Van
Cleave, Major Doug Kadetz, Major Todd Bajakian, Specialist Robert Dale, 131st
Army Battalion, and Artist Sgt. John Carden who was recuperating from an injury
and took up painting for his company. Great art Sarge!
Commercial break.
Back from commercial break, more film of the troops and WWE
personnel. Lt. Col. Mike Phillips who shows us a dining facility that was built
to replace one that was taken out by a suicide bomber in 2004. Nineteen service
personnel were killed during that attack. Philips didn’t go to lunch that day
and missed being in the building when the bomb exploded taking the lives of his
friends. I couldn’t get the list of names that was scanned on the plaque and
I’m sorry I couldn’t print them here.
Mr. Vincent Kennedy McMahon enters the arena and the ring to
the semi boos of the troops. It would be difficult to hate him when he is one of
the reasons, obviously, WWE personnel are there to entertain the troops. McMahon
says that perhaps second only to the troops families, the WWE supports the
troops no matter where they are in this world. Amen to that!
McMahon is there to introduce the Diva’s Match.
Kelly Kelly from Jacksonville, FL
&
Layla from Miami, FL
Vs.
Mickie James from Richmond, VA
&
Maria from Chicago, IL
Troops
favorites: I think they like them all
My favorite: Mickie James
Winners:
The Troops
McMahon is sitting at ringside for this match.
Before the match can begin,
Commercial break.
Back from commercial break, promo for ECW, Best of 2007.
Layla and Maria are in the ring. Layla tags in Kelly and
Maria tags in Mickie. Mickie certainly is playing up for the audience. Layla
comes in to break up Mickie’s pin of Kelly but Marie comes in and takes out
Layla. As Maria and Mickie are working over the other two, McMahon breaks up the
match and the troops do a lot of booing. He says we have seen enough of this
match but the troops do not agree. McMahon says that Santa Claus is also not
coming to Iraq this year but Santa does show up along with his elves who appear
to be dressed as soldiers. Santa Claus has his arm in a sling – looks like
John Cena found something to do after all in Iraq.
Santa calls McMahon a bad boy and Santa has bad news for McMahon. Santa
reminds McMahon about when he was a small boy and he stole a magazine from a
convenience store. It was a very naughty magazine. Santa says that Vince has
always been a very bad boy. McMahon says he knows that this is not the real
Santa but Santa says he has a letter that was written by a young McMahon to
Santa Claus. Santa says the letter is nearly a hundred years old. Santa puts on
his glasses. The troops respond that McMahon is old as dirt. The letter:
Dear Santa,
I haven’t been the best this year but there are only
two things I want.
I want a rooster, a giant rooster with a beautiful
coat.
PS Can I have a Red Ryder BB Gun.
McMahon rips off beard and hat and it is John Cena who
delivers the FU to McMahon, with one arm before saluting the troops. John Cena
gets a standing ovation by the way.
Santa says he can’t have a spoilsport ruin Christmas so he
has the girls in the ring help him hand out the gifts in Santa’s bag to the
soldiers in the audience.
We see more film footage. Maj. Paul Paul M. Allmon, Sgt.
McDonald, Brig. Gen. James C. Boozer, Sr., Maj. Gen. Paul P. Hertling, Captain
Pat Roddy, Colonel Dave Sutherland.
Promo for WWE Royal Rumble, January 27, 2008, pay per view.
Commercial break.
Back from commercial break, Task Force Iron Reenlistment
Ceremony which took place earlier today where the wrestling ring stands.
Film clips of our troops.
Commercial break.
Back from commercial break, film clips of our troops and WWE
personnel.
Rey Mysterio from San Diego, CA, weighing 175 lbs.
Vs.
Mark Henry from TX, weighing 405 lbs.
Troops
favorite: Rey Mysterio
My favorite: Rey Mysterio
Winner:
Rey Mysterio
Mysterio comes in through the crowd and dives into the
troops. The fans are on their feet as Mysterio heads to the wrestling ring. He
stops to hand his shirt to one of the soldiers. Henry doesn’t get a loud round
of applause but he doesn’t get as many boos as say, an Orton might. Henry is
out to get Mysterio and tells him this is his last bout. Maybe Mysterio can
borrow a tank. He’s gonna need
one!
At the bottom of the screen during this match, the production
crew in Iraq was run across the screen.
Henry gets Mysterio in a bear hug but Mysterio bites him on
the forehead to make him let go. Henry sets Mysterio up for a splash but
Mysterio rolls out of the way and goes up on the ropes to dive off and try for a
cover. He doesn’t get the three count. Mysterio does a baseball slide low blow
and sets Henry up for the 619. Mysterio manages a roll up and gets the win.
Mysterio exits the ring in a hurry – I don’t blame him.
More film of our troops. We get a lesson in IED’s
(improvised explosive devices). Sgt. Reynaldo Bermea, Sgt. John Carden, Staff
Sgt. Glenn Furukawa, Staff Sgt. Daniel Floyd, Pvt. 1st Class Aaron
Isbell, Sgt.1st Class Nick Guilbeau. Mark Henry says that he was
proud of the guys, 18 and 19 years old, guarding the gates where anything could
happen. Mr. Kennedy adds thanks to the troops.
Commercial break.
Back from commercial break, Patrol Base Olson with John Cena.
Cena talks about Charlie Company, 101st Airborne Division,
approximately 230 soldiers. Specialist Jeremy Haley on his second deployment is
sending a message home - a hello to
his wife and his family.
Raw Rebound: Ric Flair versus Umaga. Flair wins the match and
then finds out that he must face Triple H at Monday Night Raw on New Year’s
Eve.
Chris Jericho gives us a rundown on his trip to Iraq since
it’s his first trip. Jericho says his trip to Iraq was to say thanks to
everyone for the sacrifice they are making.
Commercial break.
Back from commercial break, promo - Friday Night Smackdown
presents the greatest matches of 2007 this week. Iron Jackals Co. Daggeer Tikrit,
Iraq
We have DX in Iraq!
Tag
Team Match
The
Game Triple H & HBK Shawn Michaels
D
Generation X
HBK hands Triple H the mic. I believe everyone is on their
feet for this entrance. Triple H asks for quiet. Triple H has a question – Are
you ready? I believe they are…and Triple H gives the troops major kudos. The
USA chants are deafening. HBK takes the mic and gives the troops kudos again.
Vs.
Umaga
from the Isle of Samoa, weighing 350 lbs.
&
Mr.
Kennedy from Green Bay, WI, weighing 243 lbs.
Troops
favorites: Triple H and Shawn Michaels
My favorites: I like them all
Winners:
The Game Triple H and HBK Shawn Michaels, DX
Commercial break before the match begins.
Back from commercial break, the match has begun and it’s
HBK and Kennedy in the ring. Kennedy entered the arena and made his way to the
ring acting like the heel, but I think the troops had trouble buying it. Kennedy
appeared to have interacted quite well with the troops while he was in Iraq. He
has my respect for that. HBK goes for a super kick, but Umaga interferes when
the ref’s back is turned. Kennedy tags in Umaga and Michaels could be in
trouble here. Triple H wants the tag but HBK can’t get to him. HBK chants are
rampant in the crowd. Umaga is now on the booing end of the fans. Umaga tags in
Kennedy and we have a double team until the ref makes Umaga get out of the ring.
We now have Kennedy Sucks chants. Triple H is working the fans to get HBK fired
up. HBK is back to the wrong corner and we have a double team again as Kennedy
tags in Umaga. Umaga has the vice grip hold on HBK and the HBK chants begin
again. HBK is back to his feet, but Umaga hits him with a head butt before
tagging Kennedy back into the match. Kennedy delivers a rolling Samoan drop and
goes for the cover but Triple H comes in to break it up. Kennedy tags Umaga back
in and goes up to the second rope. Umaga dives but HBK rolls out of the way. HBK
makes the tag as Umaga tags in Kenendy. Triple H takes down Kennedy and goes
after Umaga. Triple H disables Umaga and delivers a spine buster to Kennedy and
sets him up for the pedigree but Umaga breaks it up. HBK delivers the super kick
to Umaga and then to Kennedy, Triple H delivers the pedigree to Kennedy, goes
for the cover and gets the win.
After the match, Triple H and HBK invite members of the
audience into the ring with them.
There are more film clips showing WWE personnel with the
troops.
This website wishes to extend its thanks
to all of the men & women serving overseas
especially
in Iraq
And
a special thank you to the WWE personnel who made the trip to entertain the
troops.
WWE SMACKDOWN / DECEMBER 21
Wrestling Bodyslam . Com