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Todd Grisham interviewed Randy Orton. Orton said he was glad Dusty Rhodes was in a good mood, because he was as well. Orton said that today is Shawn Michaels' birthday, but he doesn't know it is, because of the concussion Orton gave him. Orton promised to take out Dusty later tonight.
Women's Champion Candice Michelle vs. Melina.
Melina hit a knee to the gut at the start, then applied an overheard wristlock. Melina switched to a hammerlock, but Candice made the ropes. They locked up again and Candice took Melina down with a side mare. Melina countered with a headscissors, but Candice flipped out and into a back bridge. Candice hit a kick to the gut and a running reverse neck snap. Candice took Melina down with a fireman's carry into a bridge, but Melina came back with a forearm to the face, then stretched her across the middle rope in the corner and stomped on her stomach. Melina choked Candice against the ropes, then yanked her arm across the top rope as she jumped of the apron. Melina kicked and wreched the arm in the ring, then applied a cross arm choke, throwing Candice to the mat for a two count. Melina went into the overhead wristlock again, then applied a surfboard variation. Candice broke out and hit some forearms, then a clothesline and a dropkick. Candice hit a discus clothesline for a two count. Candice went to the top rope and hit a flying bodypress for a two count. Melina hit a back elbow and a split legged neckbreaker for a two count. Melina hit some shot to the back of the head, but Candice came back with a clothesline. Candice missed a spinning heel kick, and Melina grabbed a sleeper. Candice broke out with a jawbreaker, then went for a Unprettier, but Melina blocked it. Candice grabbed a side headlock and dropped down with a standing bulldog for the pin at the seven minute mark. Jerry Lawler said that is a new move Candice has been working on called "The Candy Wrapper".
Winner: Candice Michelle.
A promo for Wrestlemania 24 was shown.
Backstage, Matt Hardy gave Jeff Hardy a pep talk for his match tonight. Matt said he lost focus for a minute, and it cost him. Matt told Jeff he needs to just stay focused. At that moment, Candice Michelle walked in and poured a bottle of water over her body, complete with cheesy late-night Cinemax style music and slow-mo. She dumped a second bottle across her rear end. The Hardys were obviously distracted, standing there with goofy smiles across their faces. Ron Simmons walked in and cut a promo about how Candice has worked so hard to improve her ring skills, but in the end, she's just a sex object.
I'm kidding. He said "Damn!".
Intercontinental Champion Umaga vs. Jeff Hardy.
Hardy attacked with right hands, but Umaga decked him and pounded him through the ropes and to the floor. Umaga rammed Hardy head first into the ring apron and back into the ring. Jeff hit a jawbreaker, but then ran right into an Umaga Samoan Drop. Umaga stomped Hardy and delivered some shots to the head. Umaga hit a headbutt, then dropped a leg. Jeff tried to fight back, but was decked by a back elbow. Umaga whipped Hardy across the ring, hard into the turnbuckles. Umaga whipped hit into the opposite buckles, and Hardy slumped to the mat. Umaga applied a nervehold. Hardy kept trying to fight up, but Umaga would knock him back down and maintain the hold. Hardy tried to elbow out, but Umaga threw him down to the mat. Umaga reapplied the nervehold,
Hardy fought up and tried for a bodyslam, but Umaga was too heavy and fell on top of Hardy for a two count. Umaga dragged Hardy near the ropes and went for a Bonsai Drop, hitting it. Umaga hit a second, then went for a third, but Hardy got his knees up. Hardy then jumped off the second rope, but Umaga caught him and hit a spinning sidewalk slam for a two count. Crowd popped for the kickout. Umaga went for a second rope headbutt, but Hardy moved out of the ring and Umaga crashed headfirst to the mat. Hardy hit forearms to the front and back of Umaga's head. Hardy hit a mule kick and a DDT. Umaga charged Hardy, but Jeff ducked and pulled down the top rope and Umaga fell to the floor. Hardy hit a baseball slide kick and a pescado, taking Umaga down on the floor.
Back in the ring, Hardy went for a sunset flip, but Umaga blocked it and went to drop down, but Hardy moved out of the way. Hardy dropkicked Umaga in the face as he was seated on the mat for a two count. Umaga punched Hardy down in a corner and went for the running posterior shot in the corner, but Hardy moved out of the way and Umaga crashed into the corner. Hardy hit Whisper In The Wind for a two count. Umaga reversed a whip and sent Jeff into a corner. Umaga went for an avalanche, but Hardy moved and Umaga went over the turnbuckle and hit his head on the ringpost. Hardy hit a Swanton Bomb, crawled over for the cover, but Umaga kicked out at two. Hardy went for a Twist of Fate, but Umaga shoved Hardy into a corner, then caught him with a superkick. Hardy fell into the corner and Umaga hit the running posterior shot in the corner, then blasted him with the Samoan Spike for the pin at the eleven minute mark.
Winner: Umaga.
A video package on John Cena was shown, focusing on his debut match with Kurt Angle on Smackdown, then reviewing some of his career highlights (Wrestlemania XX against Big Show, Wrestlemania 21 against JBL) and putting over his "controversial nature". Very well done video.
ECW Champion John Morrison vs. CM Punk.
Time for Tazz and Joey Styles to call their one match of the night. They reviewed Morrison and Punk's confrontation from last Tuesday. They traded waistlocks at the start, then went to the mat and Punk got a hammerlock. Morrison hit a back elbow and applied a side headlock. Morrison hit a shoulderblock, but Punk tripped him and applied a rear chinlock. Morrison armdragged out of it, but Punk hit some kicks and a slingshot suplex for a two count. Punk hit a forearm to the head, then snapmared Morrison and hit a dropkick to the back of the head for a two count. Punk monkeyflipped Morrison, who rolled to the floor. Punk went out after him and hit a clothesline. Punk went to walk Morrison up the ring steps, but Morrison knocked his leg out and Punk went face first into the steps. Morrison got a two count, then hit some kicks in the ring. Punk caught a kick and lifted Morrison into a fireman's carry, but Morrison broke out and threw Punk face first into the mat. Morrison then hit a legdrop to the back, then applied a bodyscissors. Punk elbowed out of it, but Morrison gave Punk a facebuster for a two count.
Morrison mounted Punk and hit a series of forearms, elbows and punches. Morrison put Punk on the top rope and went for a superplex. Punk threw Morrison into the ring, then hit a flying bodypress, but rolled off of Morrison, so there was no cover. Both men got up, and Punk hit a series of kicks and a clothesline. Punk hit a flapjack, then a kick to the chest for a two count. Punk went for a suplex, but Morrison floated over. Punk reversed and went for a rollup, but Morrison reversed and grabbed the ropes for a cover, but the ref caught him. Punk rolled up Morrison for a two count, then Punk hit an enzugiri for a two count. Punk hit some knees to the body, then a jumping knee in the corner. Punk went for a bulldog, but Morrison broke free and rolled out of the ring. Morrison grabbed the belt and went to leave. Punk went after him and threw him into the ring. Punk went for the springboard clothesline, but Morrison caught him with a kick to the knee as he came at him. Morrison cradled Punk for the clean pin at the eight minute mark.
Winner: John Morrison.
Coverage continued on next page.
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