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Randy Orton approached Batista backstage. Orton wished Batista luck, and Batista asked what he really wanted. Orton said that if they end up on the same brand after the draft, they should "put the band back together" and reform Evolution. Batista just glared at Orton and walked off.
Melina vs. Beth Phoenix in an I Quit match.
As Phoenix entered, they replayed her impressive backbreaker on Melina and Mickie James from Judgment Day. As Melina entered, one of the paparazzi photographers fell down on his rear end. Melina patted him on the back, then they replayed him falling down again. Phoenix backed up Melina against the ropes and trash talked her. Melina shoved her and kicked her, then put Phoenix in a guillotine choke. Phoenix lifted her up whoile in the hold, and Melina kneed her in the face. Melina went for a bodypress, but Phoenix caught it and hit a backbreaker, then a second, holding her over the knee. Melina kneed out of it, but Phoenix pushed her in a corner and hit some shots. Melina fired back, and drove Phoenix face first into the mat from the second rope. Melina applied a Mutalock, but Phoenix wouldn't submit. She struggled her way to the ropes for a break, and they both fell to the floor. Melina tossed Phoenix back in, but Phoenix picked her up and threw her in a corner. Phoenix stomped her, then stretcher her between the ropes. Phoenix applied the over the shoulder backbreaker, and jumped up and down with it. Melina tried to elbow out of it, and Phoenix ended up slamming her down.
Phoenix applied an armbar, then threw Melina to the mat by her hair. Phoenix told the referee to ask her, but Melina refused to submit. Phoenix threw her down again by the hair, but Melina fought back with forearms. Phoenix went for a whip in the corner, and Melina tried a headscissors, but Beth caught it. She went to pull Melina away from the ropes by her legs, but Melina turned it into a victory roll that sent Phoenix between the ropes and into the ringpost, shoulder first. Melina twisted Phoenix' now injured arm in the ropes and yanked on it. Melina hit a cross armbreaker, then did a tilt-a-whirl into a Fujiwara armbar, then transitioned into a jujigatame. Phoenix stood up and lifted Melina while in the hold, and powerbombed her to the mat. Phoenix hit a facebuster, then applied a surfboard variation, that was sort of like a double chicken wing with the legs trapped on the mat. Phoenix then hooked Melina's chin as well, and bent her backwards to the point that Melina's head was touching the bottom of her feet. Melina finally submitted at the fourteen minute mark.
Winner: Beth Phoenix.
Backstage, John Cena was with the trainer. Mickie James came in, and the two started flirting. Mike Adamle came out of the bathroom, and they acted like it smelled bad. Cena asked if Adamle was supposed to be working, but he noted that he only has one match, and he had to go to the bathroom. Adamle started yapping about going to Tijuana with his old American Gladiators buddy Gemini, and asked Cena and Mickie if they wanted to go party. Cena said he was in "good hands". Adamle walked off after giving Cena a bottle of Mamajuana, and Mickie and Cena discussed working on submission holds together (like, the rear NAKED choke. Get it?).
Shawn Michaels won the fan poll for the stretcher match, with 59% picking him to win. The events leading to the stretcher match were reviewed.
Shawn Michaels vs. Batista in a Stretcher match.
Mick Foley and Michael Cole got the call for this multi-brand match. Both men got cheered coming out. Michaels looked serious coming out. Batista looked angry. Michaels charged Batista at the bell, but Batista threw him off twice, then punched him in the face. They teased a Batista Bomb, which Michaels avoided, but Batista clotheslined him to the floor. Batista dropped Michaels chest first across the stretcher. Michaels reversed a whip and sent Batista into the steps. Shawn then shoved Batista into the ringpost. Shawn cracked the back of Batista's head against the ringpost, then gave him an enzugiri. Shawn sat Batista on the steps, then rammed the metal stretcher into Batista's chest. Batista went down, and as he got back up, Shawn rammed the stretcher into him again. Shawn put Batista on the stretcher, but Batista used a series of knees to knock Michaels back and roll off.
Batista went for a Batista Bomb on the floor, but Shawn rolled through it and applied a guillotine choke. They fell onto the stretcher, with Michaels hanging on to the choke. Shawn finally released it and rolled Batista fully on the stretcher. Shawn started to roll the stretcher, but Batista kicked Shawn away. Batista crawled back towards the ring, but Michaels stopped him and went for a whip. Batista reversed it and sent Michaels into the ringpost. Batista picked up Shawn and rammed him into the ring apron back first, then did it again onto the security wall. Batista rolled Michaels into the ring, then flipped him with a clothesline. Batista whipped Michaels into a corner and hit a clothesline, then drilled him with a powerslam. Batista went for a spear, but Shawn sidestepped it and sent Batista shoulder first into the ringpost. Shawn hit a flying forearm, then kipped up and went to the top rope.
Michaels hit the top rope elbowdrop, but then grabbed his back in pain. Shawn went for a superkick, but Batista hit him with a clothesline. Batista went for a powerbomb, looking to throw Shawn over the top rope. Shawn floated over it, nailed a superkick, and Baitsta fell through the ropes and onto the stretcher. Shawn got out of the ring and started pulling the stretcher down the aisle, but Batista grabbed onto the apron. Shawn hit his arm to break the grip, but then Batista rolled off the stretcher to the floor. Shawn picked him up and struggled to put him back on it, but Batista kept throwing elbows and knees to get off it. Shawn rammed Batista in the gut with the stretcher twice, but on the third try, Batista blocked it. Batista teeter-tottered the stretcher, hitting Shawn in the jaw, then rammed it into him.
Batista tossed Michaels back into the ring, measured him, then nailed a spear. Batista called for the Batista Bomb, nailing it in the middle of the ring. Batista dragged Michaels to the apron, then pulled him onto the stretcher at ringside. Chris Jericho came out and started saying something to Michaels, apparently trying to encourage him. A referee came down to get Jericho away from ringside. Michaels was showing movement on the stretcher, so Batista shoved him back into the ring. Batista stood over Michaels, who crawled to his feet. Michaels could barely get up, and tried to throw a superkick, but was too weak and collapsed as he threw it. Batista dragged him to his feet and said "I'm not sorry and I don't love you". Batista gave him another Batista Bomb, to some boos.
Batista put the unconscious Michaels on a stretcher and wheeled him towards the finish line. Jericho came back up, and blocked the stretcher and yelled at Shawn to keep fighting. Shawn rolled off the stretcher to the floor. Once again, a referee pulled Jericho back. Batista grabbed a section of ring steps and placed them in the aisle. Batista gave Michaels a spinebuster on the steps, then put Shawn on the stretcher and easily rolled it over the finish line for the win at the seventeen minute mark.
Winner: Batista.
The doctor checked on Michaels as Batista walked off triumphant. The announcers put over that Batista had now settled his issue with Michaels.
The events leading to the Last Man Standing match were recapped.
WWE Champion Triple H vs. Randy Orton in a Last Man Standing match.
Orton kicked HHH at the start and threw him to the floor. Orton hit some right hands, but HHH reversed a whip and sent Orton into the ring steps. Triple H pounded Orton around ringside, then rammed him into the Smackdown announce table. He tossed Orton into the ring and punched him in a corner. Triple H stomped him down, then pulled at his mouth and nose. Triple H threw Orton shoulder first into the ringpost, then did it again. Triple H gave Orton a kneedrop to the back of the head, and got a one count, but Orton was quickly back to his feet. Orton reversed a whip and hit a dropkick. Triple H sidestepped a charging Orton and sent him over the top rope and to the floor. Triple H rammed Orton head first into the ringsteps, then decked him on the floor.
Triple H cleared off the ECW announce table and put Orton on it, then hit a series of punches. Triple H set up for a Pedigree on the table, but Orton blocked it and went for an RKO, but Triple H shoved him off the table. Orton, from the floor, hit some punches and hooked Triple H's head. Orton gave Triple H a DDT on the floor, with HHH's feet hanging across the announce table. Triple H got to his feet at the nine count. Orton hit a series of rights, then pulled a section of padding up off the floor. He went for an RKO on it, but Triple H shoved Orton into the ringpost. Back in the ring, Orton hit Triple H in the back of the head with a forearm and stomped Triple H. Orton hit a kneedrop, then went and tossed a section of the ringsteps into the ring. Triple H was struggling to his feet and Orton nailed him in the head with the steps.
Triple H beat the ten count back to his feet, so Orton went and grabbed an extension cord from ringside. Triple H fought him off with punches, but eventually Orton got the cord around his throat and began choking him out. Orton released the choke, but Triple H got to his feet at the eight count. Orton went for an RKO, but Triple H threw Orton over the top rope and Orton came down hard on his arm. Triple H came out of the ring and picked Orton up off the floor at the eight count, then rammed him into the security wall. Lawler was speculating that Orton broke his collarbone. Orton was selling his left arm and shoulder in a big way, not even moving it. Orton got to his feet at a six count, and Triple H knocked him down. Triple H pulled out the sledgehammer. Triple H rammed the hammer into Orton's head at ringside. Orton went down at ringside and Triple H stood in the ring triumphant at the fourteen minute mark.
Winner: Triple H.
They replayed Orton being thrown over the top rope and to the floor, and the sledgehammer shot several times. Triple H headed to the back, while medics were checking Orton's shoulder at ringside.
Coverage continued on the next page.
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