Monday Night Raw

Monday Night Raw

January 7, 2008

Recap by Sassy

The show opens with Ric Flair and his career threatening match against Triple H on last Monday Night Raw. If Flair lost the match, he would have to walk away from wrestling. If Triple H lost the match, he would be unable to compete in the Royal Rumble. Flair won the match after General Manager William Regal interfered in the match and hit Flair with a set of brass knuckles.

Regal and Vince McMahon are backstage. Regal says he needs to talk to McMahon and McMahon says not now. McMahon says that it is the first Raw of 2008 and the fans are looking for something great. Tonight is Raw Roulette. Regal says that he knew McMahon was disappointed when Regal refused to hit Hornswoggle in his match with him last week so Regal thought he would take Triple H out of the Royal Rumble match because he knew McMahon would like that. McMahon says that Regal was right but tonight he thinks Triple H should be injured tonight and that tonight Triple H will be in a match with William Regal. McMahon spins the wheel and the match will be a First Blood match. Ouch.

As Regal leaves the area, Triple H attacks him. We could have our first blood right now or worse…Referees and security break up the action in the hallway.

Monday Night Raw is being broadcast from Mohegan Sun Casino

on the USA network.

Ringside announcers: JR and Jerry Lawler

Ring announcer: Lillian Garcia

Backstage interviews: Todd Grisham

HBK Shawn Michaels from San Antonio, TX

Before HBK’s opponent is introduced, a clip is shown from the match last week in which Mr. Kennedy beat HBK.

Vs.

Mr. Kennedy from Green Bay, WI, weighing 243 lbs.

Mr. Kennedy brings down the mic from the middle of the arena.

McMahon interrupts to spin the wheel and the first Raw Roulette Match is a Strange Bedfellows Match It will now be a tag team match with HBK Shawn Michaels and Mr. Kennedy as tag team partners.

Commercial break.

Back from commercial break.

The match has already started and it is

HBK Shawn Michaels

&

Mr. Kennedy

Vs.

Charlie Haas

&

Trevor Murdoch

It is my understanding that Lance Cade is out with an injury, however, this match is supposed to be wrestlers who have never tagged before. HBK seems to have a problem remembering who his partner is in this match as he tosses Kennedy out of the ring after a tag. Haas gets out of the ring and puts on a mask, telling the announcers that it is time. May I just say – what the heck? Trevor gets tagged in, he works on HBK and then Haas is tagged bad in to come off the top rope, land on his feet on the mat and then drop an elbow on HBK. HBK goes for a tag to Kennedy but Kennedy hops off the ring apron and refuses to tag. HBK pulls off Haas’s mask before continuing in the ring. HBK climbs up on the top turnbuckle to come off with an elbow on Haas and then he turns and delivers a super kick to Trevor sending him out to the floor. Kennedy tags himself in as HBK delivers a super kick to Haas. Kennedy takes down HBK and then covers Haas for the win.

Strange Bedfellows Match Winners: HBK Shawn Michaels & Mr. Kennedy

JR reminds us that there will be a First Blood Match between Triple H and William Regal

Commercial break.

Back from commercial break.

Trading Places Match

Opponents Must Dress as Each Other

Carlito dressed as Hardcore Holly

accompanied to the ring by Santino Marella

Vs.

Hardcore Holly dressed as Carlito

One half of the WWE World Tag Team Champions

accompanied to the ring by Cody Rhodes, the other half of the WWE World Tag Team Champions

Audience favorite: I’m not sure

My favorite: I like them both

Hardcore Holly has to take off his Carlito wig in order to take off his shirt. Carlito is just adorable in a blonde wig. Holly manages to lose the wig in a hurry as Carlito goes after Holly. Carlito’s wig must be glued on. It hasn’t moved. Holly gets the match turned around in his favor and Carlito still doesn’t lose the wig. Marella climbs up the ropes and as the referee goes to make him get down, Cody tosses Holly his apple. Holly takes a bite and tosses the apple back to Cody. Carlito gets back to his feet, Holly spits the apple in his face, takes him over his head and drops him down to the mat then goes for the cover to get the three count. Carlito still didn’t lose his wig!

Trading Places Match Winner: Hardcore Holly dressed as Carlito

McMahon is backstage with Maria. Maria is going to decide what match all of the divas will be in tonight. They spin the wheel and it is a Submission Match but McMahon has Maria close her eyes and he turns the wheel and it is a Lingerie Pillow Fight. WWE can’t come up with a new type of match for their “divas”? Like a wrestling match?

Commercial break.

Back from commercial break, clips from the Jeff Hardy and Randy Orton match coming up at Royal Rumble and the feud between the two including Orton beating up on Matt Hardy last week backstage.

Todd is backstage with Jeff Hardy. Todd asks about how Matt is doing and Jeff tells him that Matt isn’t doing very well. Jeff says he isn’t only going to take Orton’s title, he’s going to take Orton out. JR says that Jeff Hardy will face Umaga tonight in a steel cage match.

Hornswoggle is backstage playing with the roulette wheel. McMahon enters and stops the wheel but there is something wrong with the sound and I can’t hear what McMahon is saying. I think they are talking about the Royal Rumble and JR tells us that they have technical issues. JR then reminds us about the First Blood match coming up tonight and that coming up next will be the Diva Lingerie Pillow Fight.

Commercial break.

Back from commercial break. a rerun of what we missed between Hornswoggle and McMahon, which we could not hear due to technical difficulties. McMahon says that Hornswoggle will be in a match tonight in a qualifying tag team match for the Royal Rumble. First Hornswoggle must find a partner and McMahon tells him that Finlay is not in the building tonight.

Lingerie Pillow Fight Match

Everything in the Ring Can Be Used

The first diva to get a pinfall or submission will be declared the winner

Melina from Los Angeles, CA

Vs.

Jillian Hall from Louisville, KY

Vs.

Maria from Chicago, IL

Vs.

Mickie James from Richmond, VA

Vs.

Ashley from New York NY

Audience favorite: I don’t know

My favorite: Mickie James

The entrances of the divas were out of synch and we can assume this is because of the replay of the spot with McMahon and Hornswoggle.

There is kayfabe and then there is just plain silly. This falls under the just plain silly category. It doesn’t say much for Ashley’s return. Look for Maria’s body to be a topic of conversation for the next few weeks since she will be featured in Playboy. The commentary for this “match” is as bad as the action in the ring. Ashley pins Jillian in the middle of the bed.

Lingerie Pillow Fight Winner: Ashley

I didn’t notice the audience being overly enthused with this show of pillows.

Triple H is heading toward the arena to his First Blood Match coming up next.

Commercial break.

Back from commercial break, Hornswoggle is with Super Crazy who says that he is super but not that crazy, leaving Hornswoggle still looking for a tag team partner.

First Blood Match

General Manager William Regal from Blackpool, England

Vs.

The Game Triple H from Greenwich, CT, weighing 255 lbs.

Audience favorite: Triple H

My favorite: I like them both

Even if I didn’t like Triple H, Motorhead rocks. So far the loudest noise of the night for Triple H. People are on their feet for The Game who accomplishes his standard entrance that we all wait impatiently for each week. Has Regal been working out?

Regal steps into the ring and again the audience is shouting. Neither man backs down but Triple H is out for that first blood. They are outside the ring battling it out. We see multiple fists being thrown by Triple H. Regal’s head meets the announcer’s table and then Triple H rakes Regal’s forehead on the steel steps. Triple H picks up another set of steps and throws them at Regal but Regal, fortunately, gets out of the way. Regal is back on the attack and he slams Triple H’s head into the steel steps to chants of “Regal sucks” from the fans. Both men are now back in the ring and Regal slams Triple H to the mat and then turns to take the pad off of the top turnbuckle. It’s off now and he heads back for Triple H. Regal uses some boxing skills and then he slams Triple H’s head into the exposed turnbuckle. Triple H is not yet bleeding but Regal keeps up the pace. Regal again tries to send Triple H into the exposed turnbuckle, but Triple H gets the switch and sends him into the exposed turnbuckle instead. Regal isn’t bleeding yet either and we are back to a battle in the middle of the ring. Regal again has Triple H down on the mat and the chants of “Regal sucks” gets louder. Regal goes out of the ring and heads to his brass knuckles on the floor outside the ring. Triple H is back to his feet in the ring, Regal comes after Triple H, but Triple H catches Regal in a spine buster. Triple H is pounding on Regal’s head as the ref is trying to get in close enough to see if there is any bloodshed. Yes, we have blood. Regal is now officially bloody but Triple H has a problem stopping the pounding.

First Blood Match Winner:  The Game Triple H

Triple H doesn’t appear to be finished with Regal after the bell rings and he delivers a pedigree for good measure.

Lawler reminds us about the steel cage match between Jeff Hardy and Umaga coming up later tonight.

Commercial break.

Back from commercial break, Hornswoggle is backstage with Santino Marella asking him to be his tag team partner, however, Marella doesn’t appear to be interested. Hornswoggle is still looking for a tag team partner.

JR and Lawler give us a rundown of the brewing feud between Y2J Chris Jericho and John Bradshaw Layfield beginning at Armageddon.

Handicap Match

Y2J Chris Jericho weighing 227 lbs

Vs.

We go to commercial break before we find out whom Jericho’s opponent will be and what type of match it will be.

Back from commercial break, the match and Jericho’s opponents are announced.

Snitsky from PA

&

JBL

Audience favorite: Y2J Chris Jericho

My favorite: Y2J Chris Jericho

We can be eternally grateful JBL doesn’t have a mic in his hand. I don’t expect this to be much of a match but more of a beat down of Jericho. He came back to WWE for this type of match? Jericho takes Snitsky out of action and goes outside the ring after JBL and we have a beat down of JBL. JBL’s head meets the announcer’s table but JBL gets smashed with a chair. JBL sends the official out of the way and the ref calls for the bell with JBL still pounding on Jericho.

Handicap Match Winner: Y2J Chris Jericho via disqualification

The ref again gets in JBL’s face when he chokes Jericho with a cable. JBL, in a way overdone whatever he thinks he’s doing, pulls Jericho around the ring using the cable around Jericho’s neck. He then pulls Jericho to the top of the entrance ramp with the ref running off at the mouth the entire way. JBL decides to stop strangling and start pounding on Jericho. And he’s still at it and even the live audience seems to be losing interest in the JBL beat down of Jericho. JBL ties the other end of the cable he is using around a metal town as we now have four referees and one member of WWE personnel trying to keep JBL away from Jericho. The crowd revives long enough to chant “You suck” for JBL and we go to

Commercial break.

Back from commercial break, we have a replay of the beat down of Jericho by JBL.

I don’t even have an opinion to express for this fiasco. You can’t call it a match. If JBL is trying to get heat from the audience, he already had it and it appeared that JBL went overboard in his efforts to get the audience vocally involved.

Royal Rumble Tag Team Qualifying Match

Winning tag team will be in the Royal Rumble Match

The Highlanders from Scotland, at a combined weight of 34 stone

Vs.

Hornswoggle

&

B.K. Jordan

Audience favorite: I’m not sure

My favorite: I’m not sure

Mick Foley enters the ring. Does this mean that Mr. Jordan won’t be wrestling this evening? Yes, it does. Foley will now be Hornswoggle’s partner and The Highlanders may be in trouble. Foley is taking care of action in the ring but he does tag in Hornswoggle and Hornswoggle goes in to deliver some heavy-duty kicks and pounces on one of The Highlanders. We now have the Rory in the ring and he is working on Hornswoggle but Foley manages to make his way in to break it up.  Hornswoggle gets the tag and Foley is in the ring working over Rory. Foley is trapped in the wrong corner and is being worked over by The Highlanders. Rory gets sent out of the ring over the top ropes and Mr. Socko makes an appearance to take down Rory who has come back in the ring and then Robbie is taken down with a DDT as Foley tags in Hornswoggle to deliver a tadpole splash and get the three count.

Royal Rumble Qualifying Match Winners: Hornswoggle & Mick Foley

No matter how many times I see Hornswoggle in the ring it is entertaining. If anyone was paying attention, Hornswoggle does appear to have wrestling abilities in the ring.

The steel cage is being placed over the ring. Coming up next will be a Steel Cage Match featuring Jeff Hardy versus Umaga

Commercial break.

Back from commercial break, WWE is hyping WWEHD on Raw in two weeks.

Steel Cage Match

Jeff Hardy from Cameron, NC, weighing 225 lbs.

WWE Intercontinental Champion

Vs.

Umaga from the Isle of Samoa, weighing 350 lbs.

Audience favorite: Jeff Hardy

My favorite: I like them both

I hope Jeff can bail over the top of the cage in a hurry. Otherwise, he could be in some serious trouble against Umaga. Randy Orton, current WWE Champion, enters the arena  – I wonder how much Orton had to beg to get Jeff in this match against Umaga? Orton takes Lillian’s chair to get a ringside seat for the match. Jeff is already in trouble in the ring with Umaga delivering a major beat down on Jeff. Jeff nails Umaga with a short drop kick and goes for the cover but can’t get the three count. Big foot to the face and Jeff hits the canvas. Jeff gets out of the way as Umaga goes for a splash and Umaga hits the steel cage face first. Again Jeff tries for a cover but can’t get the three count. Orton is now on his feet and Jeff is thrown into the cage but manages to grab the cage and starts to climb to the top but Umaga brings him back down the hard way. Orton is all over the side of the cage running off at the mouth and we go to

Commercial break in the middle of a match. You couldn’t do the commercial break during the diva pillow match?

Back from commercial break, Orton is back in his chair and Jeff is down in the ring with Umaga working on Jeff’s neck and shoulder. We get to see what happened during commercial break, which appeared to be all Umaga. Orton is now on his feet running off at the mouth again. Could someone turn him off?  Jeff works to get back to his feet and he does but ends up being tossed into the cage again by the powerful Umaga. Jeff is down on the mat and Umaga goes after him. Umaga delivers head butts before slamming Jeff’s head into the side of the cage. Orton is busy giving Umaga orders and Umaga delivers a splash catching Jeff against the side of the cage. Umaga goes for the cover but Jeff gets his foot up on the bottom rope. Orton has a steel chair and he throws it into the ring to Umaga, and then another chair and another. Orton is up on the side of the ring apron as Umaga nails Jeff in the back with the steel chair. Jeff is now down on the mat. Umaga is now attempting to climb out of the ring but Jeff is on his feet and hits the top rope in order to crotch Umaga on the ropes. Jeff then delivers a flying dropkick with the help of one of the chairs Orton threw into the cage and nails Umaga, sending him down to the mat. Jeff goes for the twist of fate but Umaga catches Jeff in the throat. Jeff is down on the mat, Umaga sets him up in the corner as the ref tells Orton to stay out of the way. Umaga runs across the ring to smash Jeff but Jeff rolls out of the way, delivers a kick to Umaga’s face, throws a chair at Umaga, nailing him again in the face and then delivers a DDT on top of the steel chair. Jeff goes for the cover but only gets a two count before Umaga powers out. Jeff heads for the door and starts out but you know who slams it shut on Jeff. Not even original anymore WWE. Umaga goes for the cover but he can’t get the three count either. Umaga is back on his feet ready to deliver the Samoan Spike but Jeff gets the twist of fate, rips off his shirt to the joy of the female fans, goes up to the top of the cage with Orton standing below. Jeff does a whisper in the wind off the top of the cage and onto Umaga, goes for the cover and gets the three count.

Steel Cage Match Winner: Jeff Hardy, WWE Intercontinental Champion

I haven’t stopped laughing. Orton on his best day couldn’t do what Jeff Hardy does in the ring. Actually I was hoping Jeff would come off the top of the cage and take Orton out on the floor but this ending was much better. Great job from both of the men in the ring in this match.

And I’m still hoping Jeff Hardy takes that title belt away from Orton at Royal Rumble.

 

 

 

 

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