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RAW FAMILY REUNION LIVE COVERAGE
by Ed Shirreffs 

The October 9th edition of RAW is billed as the three hour 'season premiere'. It follows an edition that saw Jeff Hardy win the Intercontinental Title, Mickie James advance in the Women's Title tournament, DX throw Coach in the garbage, Donovan McNabb beat Brett Favre, and Cena defeat Edge in a steel cage match. OK, one of those didn't happen. Tonight sees wrestlers from all three brands competing on the same show.

RAW opens with an entirely new video package and theme song. JR welcomes us to the University of South Carolina. Allow DX to insert Gamecocks jokes for you. JBL and Cole have their own announcer's desk, as do Styles and Tazz.

The WWE Champion is out first. A replay of last week's cage match between him and Edge was shown. Cena tells us this is the 698th episode of RAW. Cena has a message for Edge. He is happy to say the champ is still here.

Cena says Edge is out of the picture and before he can call someone out to challenge him, King Booker comes out to the ring. JBL calls Booker a real king. Booker calls himself the Champion of Champions. At No Mercy, he vanquished three mighty foes, and beat down Cena last time he was on RAW, making him kiss the King's feet. "Dost thou remember that, Cena?" Cena not only remembers that, but he also remembers when he and his teammates on Smackdown kicked Booker's ass. Cena says this isn't a Renaissance Fair, or Smackdown, but Monday Night Raw. Cena wants to see who the best is right now. Booker takes his robe off and gets ready, but Big Show's music hits.

All three champions are now in the same ring. Show says you have a white guy who talks black, and a black guy who talks like Prince Charles. Big Show calls himself the most dominant champion in the ring, and the most dominant giant of all time. Cena says Andre is the most dominant giant of all time. Big Show says if Andre were here, he'd kick his ass, too. Big Show says before Cena starred in The Marine, Big Show was in The Waterboy. Booker reminds us Show was barely in it. Booker says he was in the greatest movie of all time...Ready to Rumble. Show and Cena get a laugh out of that. All three champions begin to brawl after Cena instigates a fight. Big Show is the last one standing in the ring.

Teddy Long, Coachman, and Heyman are arguing in the back, with Coachman calling RAW his show. Back from the break, Heyman is saying Big Show demonstrated his dominance, proving he couldn't be beat. Coachman wants to put Big Show in action tonight against Jeff Hardy. Heyman says deal, but Cena and Booker must wrestle as well. Heyman has an opponent for Booker T...Rob Van Dam! Coachman wants The Miz to be Smackdown's opponent for Cena. Long says it will be The Undertaker. This is would be their first meeting in over two years.

Umaga vs. Kane in a Loser Leaves Raw match

Kane and Umaga trade blows to start. Kane hits a clothesline in the corner. Umaga charges out with one of his own and kicks Kane on the ground. Umaga chops Kane in the corner. Kane hits some uppercuts and rights. Umaga counters with a head butt. Kane blocks a charge in the corner and throws Umaga into the ringpost. Kane is thrown off the top when he goes for a top rope clothesline. Commercial.

Umaga is pounding Kane in the corner upon return from the break. Whipsplash is blocked as Kane grabs Umaga's neck for a chokeslam. Umaga counters with a belly to belly suplex. Kane sits up, but Umaga hits a facebuster. Umaga goes to the top rope and hits a Superfly Splash. Umaga does not go for the pin. He gets ready to give the spike, but Kane grabs his arm and goes for a chokeslam. Umaga gets out but Kane hits a sidewalk slam. Kane goes to the top and gets the clothesline. Estrada distracts Kane and then hits him with his wooden box carrying the victory cigar, allowing Umaga to hit the Samoan Spike and get the pin.

Your winner, and still on RAW, Umaga!

Kane gets up post-match seething and simply walks away into the sunset, or backstage, as his music plays. JR calls him one of the staples of RAW and wonders where we will see him next. Commercial.

Lillian introduces the head coach of the Gamecocks, The Ole' Ball Coach himself, Steve Spurrier.

Kane is walking in the back and is stopped by the Highlanders. They give him a pep talk. Kane wants none of that and throws them around. He mutters something, but the mics don't catch it. Kane walks right out the exit.

DX is at a podium with some prepared statements. They 'apologize' to the entire tag team division for decimating them. Triple H says there was no division to start with. Hey, were they reading the message boards? The Spirit Squad for making them dress up like cheerleaders. Triple H says there was no way they could look worse. The also apologize to Masters, Coachman, Edge, and finally Cade and Murdoch. Triple H reminds HBK that they haven't beaten Cade and Murdoch yet. Realizing that they are live on tv, they plug Shopzone. Commercial.

ECW World champion Big Show vs. Jeff Hardy

Hardy goes right for the legs. Show headbutts him and hits a chop in the corner. Hardy is tossed like a frisbee. Another chop by Show. Show lifts him up and Hardy fights back, but Show clotheslines him. Show slams Hardy in front of the turnbuckle and goes for a splash from the middle rope. Hardy moves out of the way and punches Show. A dropkick to the leg knocks Show over. He goes for the Twist of Fate, but Show dumps Hardy outside. Hardy immediately climbs to the top and hits Whisper in the Wind to knock Big Show over. He connects with the Swanton for a two count. Show comes back with the Cobra Clutch Backbreaker and Hog Lock (which is now called the Showstopper) for the victory.

Your winner, Big Show!

Johnny Nitro comes in post match and beats up Hardy. Show comes back in and hits a Cobra Clutch Backbreaker on Nitro and tosses him like a rag doll.

Marine shill.

Street Fight: Degeneration X vs. Cade & Murdoch (Redneck Wrecking Crew)

DX is out first to do their usual spiel and warm up the crowd. Gamecocks jokes, as predicted. It's Cocky on the Titantron! Cocky never comes out, to the chagrin of DX.

Both teams brawl as soon as the RWC hits the ring. Facebuster by HHH and he dumps Cade. HBK botches a sunset flip. Scoop slam on Murdoch by HHH. Cade prevents Michaels from hitting the elbow drop. HHH throws Murdoch on the announcer's table. Suplex by Murdoch on HBK in the ring. He hits HHH from behind and throws him into the ring steps with Cade. Michaels fights off both men. Atomic drop by Cade on HBK and Murdoch hits a big boot. Murdoch whips Michaels with his belt. Cade hits him with his boot. HHH low bridges Cade and Michaels fights back on Murdoch. HHH suplexes Cade onto the ramp and Michaels gives Murdoch a snapmare in the ring. HHH tees off on Cade with a chair shot. Murdoch gets back dropped out of the ring. Triple H gets a table and sets it up. Murdoch is put on the table and Michaels hits an elbow drop off the top to the outside, driving Murdoch through the table. Back in the ring, Cade is double teamed by DX. Sweet Chin Music by Cade and a Pedigree by Triple H for the win.

Your winners, Degeneration X!

In the back, Edge promises a special guest later tonight on the Cutting Edge and shoves Grisham after being asked about DX interfering in last week's title match.

Shelton Benjamin comes out and says he is crashing the party in his hometown and makes an open challenge. The Rabid Wolverine responds.

Chris Benoit vs. Shelton Benjamin

They lock up to start. Chops by Benoit knock down Benjamin. Snap suplex on Shelton. Benjamin blocks the Rolling Germans and hits a superkick. Benjamin punches Benoit in the head and hits a Samoan Drop. Headlock by Shelton. JBL shoots on JR's BBQ sauce. Benoit fights back with a chop and clothesline. Rolling Germans on Benjamin. JR mistakenly calls them the 3 Amigos. Benoit misses the flying headbutt. Stinger Splash by Shelton. The Exploder Suplex is reversed into the Crippler Crossface and Shelton taps.

Your winner, Chris Benoit!

Heyman and Long are in the back. Heyman spins Benoit's win as proof of ECW's dominance. He says Benoit is merely on loan from ECW. To determine which brand is best, Coachman brings in someone who has wrestled for all three brands...Super Crazy All three GM's try to sway his opinion and make him admit their respective brand is the best. Super Crazy says all three offer something different.

Chavo Guerrero, William Regal, & Finlay vs. Lashley, Rey Mysterio, & Batista

Chavo and Rey start out. Chavo and Rey trade punches and kicks. Rey slides under a kick. Chavo goes to dump Rey out of the ring, but he gives Chavo a huracanrana. Regal and Finlay get a double huracanrana by Rey. They bail and Rey goes for a baseball slide, but Finlay catches him in the apron. All three heels proceed to beat on him until Lashley and Batista run over for the save. Commercial.

Finlay has Rey in a headlock. During the commercial, the Little Bastard tripped Rey. Finlay hits a shoulderbreaker on Rey. Chavo comes in and hits a european uppercut. Rey fights out of the corner, but Chavo blocks an attempt by Rey to charge him in the corner. Rey reverses a sunset flip into a kick to the head. Regal comes in to prevent Rey from tagging Batista in. While the ref is getting rid of Regal, Batista tags in, but he is thrown right back out since the ref didn't see it. Finlay throws Rey into the barricade on the outside. Back in the ring, Rey hits a bulldog on Chavo and is able to tag in Batista. Batista cleans house with clotheslines. He charges Regal and Finlay in the corner. Regal is backdropped and Finlay slammed on top of him by Batista. Batista hits a jackhammer on Chavo. Regal and Finaly break up the pin but get speared by Lashley to the outside. Rey hits the 619 on Chavo and follows it up with a Frog Splash for the win after Batista hits a spinebuster.

Your winners, Rey Mysterio, Batista, & Bobby Lashley!

Lillian welcomes The Fabulous Moolah and Mae Young. Both are 83 years 'young'. This week's behind the scenes Marine footage is of Cena in boot camp. It looks brutal. King Booker isn't impressed by it. Booker says when he was on RAW, he was a peasant trying to make the commoners happy. When he went to Smackethdown, he became the King. He wants to prove he is Champion of Champions.

Melina vs. Torrie, 1st Round Match in Women's Title tournament

The match has special Lumberjacks, or Lumberjills if you will. They are the divas competing in Strip Poker. Maria, Ashley, Trinity, Kelly Kelly, Candice, & Kristal. Torrie gets a few armdrags to start and Melina bails. The divas throw her back in the ring. Melina throws Torrie out and dropkicks her off the apron. Melina drops Torrie's neck across the ropes. Melina hits some rights. Torrie clotheslines Melina and gets a suplex for a two count. Melina blocks a charge in the corner and throws Torrie down. Torrie hits her X Factor for 2. The announcer's start shooting on each other. Torrie is distracted by Kristal and Melina gets a handful of tights for the win.

Your winner, Melina!

Post match, Kristal gets a stinkface from Torrie. JBL owned Styles in the shooting, but Styles got a good crack in on Lawler.

WWE World champion King Booker vs. Rob Van Dam

Lock up to start. RVD is backed into the corner and Booker beats him down. Booker misses a kick and RVD hits some kicks and rolls up Booker for two. JBL and Tazz are in full shoot mode. Taz is calling JBL chunky, JBL is shooting on Taz's height, Taz says JBL is only the commentator on Smackdown because he gave the seat up and went to ECW. Tazz calls JBL to the carpet for not putting wrestlers over. Meanwhile in the ring, RVD kicks Booker, who reverses by throwing RVD into the ringpost. A kick by Booker gets two. This shooting is insane, totally overshadowing the match. Booker gets a headlock. RVD rolls up Booker for two. RVD hits some rights and kicks Booker down. RVD with a clothesline and kick to Booker's chin. RVD goes to the top, but Sharmell crotches him. Booker hits the Scissor Kick and gets the win.

Your winner, King Booker!

Cryme Tyme are benchpressing a good looking blonde in this week's training vignette. They come to RAW next week.

Mitch from the Spirit Squad is in front of the camera and admits he sucks. He pledges to turn things around and beat Ric Flair with help from the Spirit Squad.

Vince joins Coachman, Heyman, and Long. What would a family reunion be without the patriarch? Vince makes a match between all three champions for Cyber Sunday to determine the Champion of Champions.

Footage of the Marine premiere is shown. It opens Friday, in case you hadn't heard.

Ric Flair vs. Mitch w/ Spirit Squad

Flair brings out Rowdy Roddy Piper to be in his corner! That's not all, Million Dollar Man and Irwin R Schyster come out next! But wait, there's more...it's Double A Arn Anderson! They back the Spirit Squad up the ramp.

Mitch starts the match by going after Flair. Flair hits some chops and tights. Chop block takes down Mitch and Flair locks in the Figure Four. Mitch taps.

Your winner, Ric Flair!

The Cutting Edge: Edge interviews Randy Orton

Edge's guest is the Legend Killer Randy Orton. Edge claims Orton has done nothing since becoming the youngest world champ in history. Edge says he has lost all his big matches since then. Orton wants to know what the point is. Edge says all his failures can be traced to one point. Footage from when Evolution turned on Orton is shown. Hard to argue with Edge on this point! Edge says HHH's selfishness cost him everything. Edge rolls the footage of last week's travesty of justice, when DX helped Cena win the title match. Edge goes into worked shoot mode about Michaels teaching HHH all the political moves. Edge says they will continue to make jokes until someone takes a stand. He wants Orton to help him do it. They are the present and future of WWE, not a 'tired old act from a decade ago'. Orton says 'It's over' for DX running RAW.

WWE champion John Cena vs. The Undertaker

I believe this is Taker's first live RAW appearance in over 4 years. Taker gets Cena in the corner and pounds on him. Cena blocks a charge and hits some rights. Taker reverses and hits his own rights. Cena kicks Taker after a back body drop attempt. Cena punches Taker's midsection but gets booted down for two. Arm wrench by Taker. Cena blocks old school and goes for a superplex. Taker shows him off but Cena gets back up and is able to hit the superplex for a two count. Undertaker locks in a bearhug. Cena bites out and gets a shoulderblock. As he goes for the 'You can't see me bit' Taker grabs his throat, but can't get a chokeslam. Cena puts a DDT on Taker coming off the ropes. Cena goes for a tombstone but Taker reversers and goes for his own. Cena floats over and tries to hit the FU but Taker nails the chokeslam. Booker T and Booker interfere. The match is a no contest.

Mr. Kennedy runs out, but Taker gets the big boot up and drives him to the back. Big Show clubs Booker T in the ring. Big Show is low blowed and DDT'd by Cena, who then puts Show in the STFU. Booker T breaks it up, but gets an FU for his troubles. Cena is the last Champion standing as RAW comes to a close.

Booked for Cyber Sunday:

WWE Champion John Cena vs. World Heavyweight Champion Booker T vs. ECW Champion Big Show

Thoughts: I swear, DX was getting their lines straight from Jagger Kaye, Chris Cutrer, & Ryan Ross! Anyone who is on the PWInsider.com Elite Message Board had to get a huge laugh out of the 'apologies' because that stuff could have been taken verbatim from one of the threads...Did you catch the look Big Show gave the guy who brought his own championship belt?...If this was the season premiere, I guess it was appropriate Cena and Edge's feud ended for the time being on last week's 'season finale'...JBL got some pretty good lines in on JR and Cole when they called interbrand matches...I can't understate how entertaining the shooting was. JBL and Tazz were relentless in the Booker T-RVD match. King and JR must have just laughed as they were watching the two duos go at it...How weird is it that Flair was the oldest of the legends in the ring, but is the last one to be wrestling full time? Who would have predicted that 20 years ago?...The main event could have been so much more given that Taker and Cena will probably never meet on PPV again.

Questions, comments, concerns...email me at edsh007@hotmail.com.

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