Monday
Night Raw
January 28, 2008 – Recap by Sassy
The Royal Rumble was held yesterday on pay per view.
There will be repeats of the show during the rest of this week.
Royal Rumble Results
30 Entrant Royal Rumble Match
Winner: John
Cena, returning to WWE after suffering an injury last year. Cena and Triple
H were the last two men in the ring. Cena tossed Triple H over the top rope and
to the floor.
Rowdy Roddy Piper and Superfly Jimmy Snuka also participated
in the Royal Rumble event.
Career Threatening Match
Ric Flair defeated MVP and will be continue with his
wrestling career
WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Edge beat Rey Mysterio to retain the title
WWE Championship Match
Randy Orton defeated Jeff Hardy to retain the championship
JBL defeated Chris Jericho after Jericho was disqualified.
The word is that John Cena has returned to take out Randy
Orton who injured him. With Jeff Hardy, Triple H and John Cena seeking the title
belt, Orton has a nice bulls eye painted on his back.
The JBL/Chris Jericho feud should continue since now each man
has been beaten to a pulp by the other and there is no obvious winner.
It is anyone’s guess who Ric Flair will face in his next
career threatening match. MVP may want revenge now that Flair has proven MVP is
not better than Ric Flair.
Mysterio didn’t get the title but we most likely won’t
find out until Friday Night Smackdown whether Edge will be facing Mysterio,
Batista, or The Undertaker for his next title defense. Monday Night Raw is
broadcast from on the USA
network
NOTE: The only women who appeared at Royal Rumble was Ashley
showing up to tell Maria that Playboy had called and wants her to pose.
Of course no talented female wrestlers were allowed to perform.
Beth Phoenix, Mickie James and Victoria should be insulted.
BREAKING NEWS: Bobby
Lashley has informed his fans he will NOT be returning to WWE.
He has requested his release from the company. As of this date, we do not
have affirmation that WWE has provided Lashley with his release but he has been
removed from the official WWE website.
Monday
Night Raw is broadcast from Philadelphia, PA on the USA network.
Ringside announcers: JR and Jerry Lawler
Ring announcer: Lillian Garcia
Backstage interviews: Todd Grisham
It is our understanding Anastacia was released and will no
longer be doing any interview work for WWE.
You knew how this Monday Night Raw was going to open. The
2008 Royal Rumble Winner: John Cena. I did not see the Royal Rumble pay per view
yesterday but Cena is looking good for someone who has been out of action for
four months. Cena even enjoyed listening to some of the fans chanting “Cena
sucks”. Cena said the doctors said he would be out of the ring for one year.
He wanted the chance to go to Wrestlemania and he got it. The audience seems
split on the for and against Cena but either way he is back. Cena wants the
title and he wants to challenge the holder for that title. Cena wants to face
Randy Orton for the WWE Championship on Monday Night Raw. Cena calls out Orton.
Orton enters the arena. There seems to be a problem with the
sound system. Cena’s mic was cutting out and now so is JR’s. Orton says he
has an answer for Cena but it’s probably an answer Cena doesn’t want to
hear. Orton says he has beat every challenger he has faced for the belt.
Cena reminds Orton that Orton took Cena out of commission
last year. Cena puts down his mic and takes off his shirt. Cena shows the
audience the scar from his surgery and he reminds Orton that he has never beaten
Cena.
Orton doesn’t seem to have any one in the live audience on
his side. Orton says he will never defend the title against Cena unless it is
front of a paying audience. Orton tells Cena he will see him at No Way Out to
face him for the title. Cena does not want to wait till Wrestlemania. Cena tells
Orton he wants some and tonight he will get some.
Commercial break.
Back from commercial break.
Diva Tag Team Match
Ashley
&
Mickie James from Richmond, VA
Before their opponents are introduced, recap of Mickie losing
her match to The Glamazon Beth Phoenix last Monday on Raw.
Vs.
Jillian Hall from Louisville, KY
&
The Glamazon Beth Phoenix
Audience favorites: I’m not sure
My favorites: Mickie James and The Glamazon Beth Phoenix
As much as I like Beth, I was hoping that Mickie would pick
up the title win last week. Mickie did manage to take down Beth and get a one
count – twice. Jillian goes out onto the floor courtesy of Mickie. Ashley
didn’t even get into the match.
Winners
The
Glamazon Beth Phoenix & Jillian Hall
General Manager William Regal and Vince McMahon are
backstage. McMahon says that Orton will face Cena at No Way Out. Regal reminds
McMahon about a match he had talked about earlier – a barbaric match. The
winner of that match will face the winner at Wrestlemania.
Commercial break.
Back from commercial break, Regal enters the arena, mic in
hand. Regal tells the audience that whoever is WWE Champion after No Way Out
will face the winner of the most brutal match in the WWE. For the first time in
Raw history, six contestants will compete for a WWE Championship Match at
Wrestlemania inside the elimination chamber. Recap of elimination chamber
matches. Regal says the rules are that four of the participants will be in the
chamber, two will start the match inside the chamber and at designated
intervals, new participants will be added to the match. As the battle continues,
the sole survivor will be designated the Number One Contender for the WWE
Championship Match at Wrestlemania.
The participants are:
Umaga
HBK Shawn Michaels
Y2J Chris Jericho
John Bradshaw Layfield
Jeff Hardy, WWE Intercontinental Champion
Triple H
Mike Adamle is introduced as the newest member of the
announcer’s team. Adamle tells the audience that tonight it will be Snitsky
and his partner Umaga facing The Game Triple H and the partner of his choice.
JBL and Randy Orton will face Y2J Chris Jericho and Jeff Hardy.
Commercial break.
Back from commercial break, replay of the skit between Ashley
and Maria regarding Maria posing for Playboy. Santino Marella interrupted to
tell Ashley NO, but Maria has not given her answer yet. Marella delivers the Fat
Oily Guy but Ashley takes him out. Which is more action than Ashley saw in the
ring tonight.
Carlito from the Caribbean, weighing 220 lbs.
Accompanied to the ring by Santino Marella and Maria
Vs.
Cody Rhodes weighing 219 lbs.
One half of the WWE World Tag Team Champions
Accompanied to the ring by Hardcore Holly
One half of the WWE World Tag Team Champions
Audience favorite: Cody Rhodes
My favorite: I like them both
Cody was in the Royal Rumble Match, however, he was
eliminated. Cody can be a great technical wrestler and Carlito has some great
wrestling moves of his own but Carlito would rather cheat than wrestle fair and
square. Carlito goes out on the floor courtesy of Cody and Cody goes out after
him. Holly has come around the side of the ring to ensure Marella doesn’t
interfere, Marella gets up on the ring apron, Cody gets caught by Carlito when
he takes his eyes off of Carlito and loses the match.
Winner
Carlito
The Game Triple H and HBK Shawn Michaels are backstage.
Triple H says that at No Way Out, he and Shawn have a chance to get into the
title match at Wrestlemania. Tonight Triple H needs a tag team partner and HBK
goes off to change his clothes. Triple H plugs www.wweshop.com.
Royal Rumble film clips including John Cena’s surprise
entry into the Royal Rumble Match. Special encore presentations are showing all
week long. Contact your local cable company for details.
Commercial break.
Back from commercial break, promo for Candice Michelle’s
commercial for GoDaddy.com. I think I have the wrong channel again.
I thought this was a wrestling show.
Tag Team Match
D Generation X
HBK Shawn Michaels
&
The Game Triple H
Before their opponents are introduced, Triple H has the mic
in order to tell the audience there is not better place than Philadelphia for DX
to appear. Triple H is complaining about someone ripping off DX last night –
the announcer for the Royal Rumble.
Vs.
Umaga from the Isle of Samoa, weighing 350 lbs.
&
Snitsky from PA, weighing 307 lbs.
Audience favorites: HBK Shawn Michaels & Triple H
My favorites: I like them all
DX is slightly outweighed in this match by Umaga and Snitsky.
JR tells the audience that Umaga was in the Royal Rumble Match last night for 25
minutes. He was entrant number
fourteen. Triple H has to stop the match before it starts in order to insult
Snitsky. Triple H and HBK do a lot of quick tagging in and out of the ring.
Umaga doesn’ get tagged in but he does enter the ring anyway and even though
HBK nails him, Umaga sends HBK off the top turnbuckle and to the floor with a
Samoan kick. Snitsky goes out to the floor to roll HBK back into the ring.
Lawler tells the audience HBK suffered a broken nose during the Royal Rumble
Match last night but he is still here tonight competing in a match. Mr. Kennedy
eliminated HBK from the Royal Rumble match. HBK is now in the wrong corner of
the ring and is being kept away from a tag to Triple H.
Commercial break in the middle of the match.
Back from commercial break, promo for ECW and Chavo Guerrero
as the new ECW Champion. ECW is on the Sci-Fi Channel tomorrow night.
Back in the ring, HBK is still in the ring being worked over
by Umaga. JR tells the viewing audience HBK was unable to make a tag during the
commercial break. Triple H tries to get the audience behind HBK but it doesn’t
get him any closer to his own corner. HBK manages to nail Umaga with a DDT and
now both men are down in the center of the ring. HBK manages to get to Triple H
and make the tag as Umaga tags in Snitsky. Umaga goes after Triple H but he
handles Umaga as well. Triple H slams Umaga and Snitsky together, but Umaga
delivers a Samoan drop to Triple H as HBK comes into the ring and delivers a
super kick that sends Umaga out to the floor. HBK dives out of the ring and onto
Umaga, taking him back down to the floor and leaving Triple H in the ring with
Snitsky. Snitsky is back to his feet first and goes for the kick but Triple H
catches Snitsky in a spine buster before hitting him with the pedigree and
getting the cover.
Winners
D Generation X
HBK Shawn Michaels
&
The
Game Triple H
Replay of the end of the match.
Orton is backstage in the locker room. JBL shows up to tell
Orton that history is going to be made. Randy Orton, Legend Killer, teaming up
with JBL. JBL further states that Orton will face Orton at Wrestlemania for the
title belt as long as Orton takes care of Cena at No Way Out. Orton tells JBL he
will have to win the elimination chamber match and Orton hopes that he does
because he knows he can beat JBL. JBL tells Orton he will drag him all over Wall
Street just like he did Jericho. Orton tells JBL to worry about Jericho and
Orton will worry about Jeff Hardy. If John Cena shows up they both will take
care of Cena.
Commercial break.
Back from commercial break, replay of the Royal Rumble Match
and the appearance of John Cena as the final entrant. Promo for the Royal Rumble
pay per view the rest of this week.
Todd Grisham introduces the WWE Intercontinental Champion,
Jeff Hardy, who lost the match last night for the WWE Championship. Jeff says
that at No Way Out, he is going to win the elimination chamber match and go on
to Wrestlemania to win the title.
McMahon is backstage with Hornswoggle. McMahon tells
Hornswoggle let him down. Hornswoggle was in the Royal Rumble Match and he
didn’t come back as a winner. McMahon tells Hornswoggle he came back a loser
and he is ashamed of him. He tells Hornswoggle to get out of his sight.
Commercial break.
Again.
Back from commercial break, replay of part of the career
threatening match between Ric Flair and MVP. Flair gets a leg lock on MVP and
MVP taps out. Flair got a standing ovation from the live audience.
Mr. Kennedy from Green Bay, WI, weighing 243 lbs.
Vs.
Brian Kendrick from Olympia, WA, weighing 185 lbs.
Audience favorite: I’m not sure
My favorite: I like them both
Kendrick comes out ready to battle but it doesn’t take long
for Kennedy to start a beat down on Kendrick. The match ends up out on the floor
but it isn’t any better for Kendrick out on the floor.
Winner
Mr.
Kennedy
Replay of the end of the match.
Mr. Kennedy gets the mic above the ring after the match
instead of before the match. Kennedy doesn’t want to be in the elimination
chamber at No Way Out. Kennedy wants something with more historic value. Kennedy
wants to end the career of Nature Boy Ric Flair. It looks like Flair will be
facing Kennedy at No Way Out in another Career Threatening Match.
Nature Boy Ric Flair enters the arena dressed up in his suit
and tie, mic in hand. Flair tells Kennedy (the long version of Kennedy) that he
has two things to say to him: Good
Luck and Wooooo! Flair does a little stylin’ and proflin’ at the top of the
entrance ramp.
Promo for ECW and the new ECW Champion, Chavo Guerrero,
tomorrow night on the Sci-Fi Channel.
Commercial break.
Back from commercial break, promo for www.wwe.com
courtesy of Jerry Lawler.
Melina from Los Angeles, CA
Before Melina’s opponent is introduced, Lawler provides a
plug for No Way Out on February 17, 2008, in Las Vegas, NV, on pay per view.
Vs.
Maria from Chicago, IL
Accompanied to the ring by Santino Marella
Audience favorite: I’m not sure
My favorite: I don’t think either of them are wrestlers,
but Melina if I have to pick one.
Melina does have more in ring experience than Maria but
she’s also a loud screamer. If Melina keeps slamming Maria’s face into the
turnbuckle, she’ll need extra makeup for her Playboy debut. Marella is yelling
“not the face”. Marella’s hairdresser should be shot. I think he has a cross between a Mohawk and a mullet.
Winner
Maria
Todd introduces Y2J Chris Jericho and discusses his match
with JBL at the Royal Rumble. Jericho has a bandage on his forehead. I
understand he did bleed profusely during the match. Jericho lost the match when
he was disqualified during his beat down of JBL. Jericho says that he will be
going to Wrestlemania after he wins the elimination chamber match.
Adamle reminds the audience that two matches were announced
tonight for the upcoming No Way Out event in Las Vegas, NV. Cena will take a
shot at Orton for the title at WWE Championship. Since Cena is using his
Wrestlemania shot at No Way Out, the challenger for the WWE Championship at
Wrestlemania will be decided during an elimination chamber match.
Tag Team Match
Jeff Hardy from Cameron, NC, weighing 225 lbs.
WWE Intercontinental Champion
&
Y2J Chris Jericho weighing 226 lbs.
Vs.
JBL from New York City
&
Randy Orton from St. Louis, MO, weighing 245 lbs.
WWE Champion
Audience favorite: Jeff Hardy & Chris Jericho
My favorites: Jeff Hardy & Chris Jericho
I noticed they didn’t give a weight for JBL. It is safe to
assume he is the heaviest contestant in the ring. Jericho and Orton lock up in
the ring to begin the match. Jericho does a great job of handling Orton in the
ring before he is interrupted by JBL charging in without a tag. Jericho sends
JBL out to the floor and tags in Jeff who goes up to the top turnbuckle and
delivers a Swanton bomb then goes for the cover. He gets a two count before JBL
pulls Orton out of the ring and onto the floor
COMMERCIAL
BREAK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MATCH!
AGAIN!
Back from commercial break, Jeff and Orton are in the ring.
Jeff is down on the mat. Jeff has been holding his back since he entered the
ring. Jeff takes down Orton and goes for the cover but doesn’t get the three
count. Orton tags in JBL who continues to pound on Jeff. JBL misses with an
elbow as Jeff rolls out of the way Jeff takes down JBL again but gets nailed in
the back by Orton. JBL has Jeff down on the mat and goes for the cover but
Jericho is in the ring to break up the count. JBL tags in Orton and Jeff is
still down on the mat. The audience gets behind Jeff and he tries to get to
Jericho for a tag. Orton manages to tag back in JBL and Jeff is in the wrong
corner. Jericho is back in the ring but is stopped by the ref who sends him back
to his corner. JBL tags in Orton again but Jeff manages to take down Orton and
makes it to Jericho for a tag as Orton tags in JBL. Orton is pounding on JBL and
is going for the walls of Jericho. Orton goes after Jericho, Jericho nails Orton
with a springboard dropkick, sending him to the floor. JBL is back on his feet
but Jericho sends him down to the mat and goes for the moonsault but Orton is in
to break it up. Now Jeff is back in the ring taking on Orton, but Jeff gets sent
off the top turnbuckle and sending him to the floor. In the ring, Jericho goes
for the Walls of Jericho, but Orton is back in the ring to nail Jericho with an
RKO. The ref was out on the floor but makes it back in to the ring in time to
count out Jericho with JBL making the cover.
Winners
JBL & Randy Orton
John Cena enters the arena but JBL bails out of the ring
leaving Orton alone to face Cena. Cena delivers the FU to Orton.
And that’s the end of the show.
WWE SMACKDOWN / JANUARY 25
Wrestling Bodyslam .Com