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July 16th
On this day in history in ....
1980 - Championship Wrestling from Florida ran Miami, Florida at the Miami Beach Convention Center with the following results:
-Gordon Nelson beat Frank Monte.
-Lord Alfred Hayes beat Scott McGhee.
-Jimmy Garvin beat Geoff Portz.
-Bobby Jaggers beat Bubba Douglas (substituting for Manny Fernandez)
-Dick Slater beat Mr. Florida.
-Florida Tag Team Champions Jack & Jerry Brisco beat Masa Saito & Super Destroyer.
-Don Muraco & Nikolai Volkoff beat Bugsy McGraw & Barry Windham.
-Ivan Koloff beat Dusty Rhodes in a Russian Chain match.
1983 - Butch Reed defeats Junkyard Dog for the Mid South North American Heavyweight Title in New Orleans, Louisiana.
1984 - Memphis Wrestling ran Mid-South Coliseum with the following results:
-Jim Neidhart defeated Ron Sexton.
-The Nightmares defeated John King and Tony Torres.
-Eddie Gilbert and Ron Mikolajczyk defeated The Animal and Masao Ito.
-Johnny Wilhoit and Tojo Yamamoto defeated Ken Timbs and Dusty Wolfe.
-Phil Hickerson and The Spoiler defeated Porkchop Cash and Dutch Mantell to win the held up AWA Southern Tag Team Championship.
-King Kong Bundy defeated Jerry Lawler.
-International champ Tommy Rich defeated Southern champ Rick Rude to win Championship.
-The Rock 'n' Roll Express defeated Lanny Poffo and Randy Savage.
-Jerry Lawler and Ron Mikolajczyk vs. Jim Neidhart and Rick Rude ended without a winner as a no contest.
1987 - Central States Wrestling ran Kansas City at Memorial Hall, featuring the following results for a One Night Tournament for the Central States Television Championship:
-Ric McCord defeated Russell Sapp.
-Rip Rogers defeated Ox Baker by countout.
-Vinnie Valentino defeated Steve Estes.
- Brad Batten vs. Earthquake Ferris ended in a draw.
-Porkchop Cash vs. Rufus R. Jones ended in a double countout.
-Bobby Jaggers defeated Bart Batten.
-Rip Rogers defeated Ric McCord.
-Vinnie Valentino defeated Bobby Jaggers.
-Vinnie Valentino defeated Rip Rogers to win the title.
1988 - Frank Goodish, better known as Bruiser Brody, is stabbed in a shower stall in the locker room of Juan Lobriel Stadium in Bayamon, Puerto Rico by wrestler (and WWC part-owner) Jose Gonzalez (aka Invader I) prior to a WWC event. Brody is taken to a hospital, but dies on the operating table later that night (technically the morning of July 17th) from blood loss. Gonzalez is charged with first degree murder, but is later acquitted. Brody, a true legend in the business, particularly in Japan, was 42 years old.
1988 - The NWA ran Greensboro, NC at the War Memorial Stadium with the following results:
-Bugsy McGraw & Tim Horner defeated Rip Morgan & Larry Zbyzsko.
-Ron Garvin defeated the Italian Stallion.
-Dick Murdoch defeated Gary Royal.
-Jimmy Garvin defeated Rick Steiner.
-The Rock 'n' Roll Express defeated the Sheepherders.
-Al Perez (w/ Gary Hart) pinned Brad Armstrong after Hart grabbed Armstrong's foot as Armstrong attempted to suplex Perez into the ring, with Perez falling on top and and Hart holding the foot down during the cover.
-The Fantastics defeated Jim Cornette & the Midnight Express in a handicap match.
-The Road Warriors defeated Ivan Koloff & the Russian Assassin in a scaffold match.
-Sting defeated NWA World TV Champion Mike Rotunda (w/ Kevin Sullivan & Rick Steiner) via disqualification at 8:20 when Steiner interfered as Sting applied the Scorpion Deathlock.
-Lex Luger, Steve Williams, Nikita Koloff, Dusty Rhodes, & Paul Ellering defeated Ric Flair, Barry Windham, J.J. Dillon, Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard in Wargames: The Match Beyond at 21:07 when Dillon submitted to Rhodes' Figure Four Lockdown.
1988 - Central States Wrestling ran Memorial Hall Courtesy with the following results:
*Solomon Grundy defeated Roger Kirby.
*The Missing Link defeated Tommy Sharpe.
*Vince Apollo fought DJ Peterson to a draw.
*Vince Apollo & DJ Peterson defeated John Tatum & Jack Victory by countout.
*World Class Championship Wrestling Champion Kerry Von Erich battled WWA Champion Mike George to a double countout in a title vs. title match.
1994 - Sid Vicious defeats Jerry Lawler by forfeit for the USWA Unified Heavyweight Title in Memphis, Tennessee, ending Lawler's 19th run with the title.
1995 - WCW held their Bash at the Beach Pay-per-view at Huntington Beach in California, setting up a ring on the beach and allowing fans and beachgoers to see the show live for free. Footage was also filmed during the event for an episode of Baywatch. Here are the results:
In matches shown on TBS' Main Event:
- Johnny B. Badd defeated Chris Kanyon.
- Road Warrior Hawk defeated Mark Starr.
- Dick Slater & Bunkhouse Buck defeated Marcus Bagwell & Alex Wright.
In matches shown on the Pay-per-view:
- United States Champion Sting defeated Meng when Meng missed a kick and Sting rolled him up for the pin. Meng attacked Sting after the match, until Road Warrior Hawk made the save.
- WCW Television Champion The Renegade defeated Paul Orndorff when he floated over a vertical suplex and delivered a back suplex for the pin. The crowd booed the babyface Renegade, who didn't give them much to cheer for, totally missing a dropkick (that Orndorff then had to sell). Post-match, Orndorff hit a piledriver on Renegade, to cheers, but Renegade but bounced right up and and hit Orndroff with a cross bodyblock, to boos.
- Kamala defeated Hacksaw Jim Duggan when the Zodiac (Brutus Beefcake) hit Duggan with a foreign object.
- Diamond Dallas Page defeated Dave Sullivan with a Diamond Cutter after distraction from Max Muscle.
- WCW World Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat defeated The Nasty Boys and Bobby Eaton & Steven Regal in a Triangle match when Booker T pinned Regal after a Brian Knobs splash.
- Randy Savage defeated Ric Flair in a Lifeguard Lumberjack match (Lifeguards, actually Baywatch extras, and wrestlers acted as the lumberjacks) with the top rope elbowdrop.
- WCW World Heavyweight Champion Hulk Hogan, with Dennis Rodman, defeated Big Van Vader in a steel cage match after two legdrops and kicking Vader away as he climbed out. This was the first time that WCW used the "escape the cage" rule, as they traditionally only had pinfall and submissions in the cage. The reason for the rules change was that Vader would not do a pinfall or submission job for Hogan (because Hogan said he wouldn't do the same for Vader when their program began)
2000 - ECW Heatwave 2000 Pay-per-view took place at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles, California. Here is Tim Whitehead's original report on the show.
Last week's WCW PPV will be remembered more for the Hulk Hogan incident with Vince Russo than for any action in the ring. We still don't know for sure if that incident was a shoot or a work. This week's ECW PPV, Heat Wave, may likewise be remembered more for an out-of-the-ring shoot incident involving wrestlers from the Los Angeles-based XPW promotion. There has been heat between ECW and XPW for some time, over both the XPW name (Xtreme Pro Wrestling) and their use of Sabu as a wrestler after Paul Heyman let it be known that he was still under ECW contract. Throughout the week, XPW wrestlers had been indicating they would create a disturbance of some sort at the PPV. And they did. A group of XPW performers bought ringside tickets, with the wrestlers identified as Supreme, Messiah, and Jimmy the Homeless Guy, along with valet Kristy Mist. Until the main event, they behaved themselves, but as the main event began, a confrontation occurred involving them and Francine. Apparently Mist grabbed at her, or something along those lines. The guys then got involved and the ECW locker room (heels and babyfaces alike) emptied and a brawl broke out. On commentary Joey Styles tried to explain it as some drunken fans getting out of control. Atlas Security also got involved and the brawl was fairly quickly subdued on camera. But in the parking lot it continued with the XPW guys taking a major beating before escaping in their limo. Paul Heyman was reportedly involved in the outside brawl. From all indications this was not a work. (Note from Buck: I was backstage at the show, and I can assure all that this was not a work)
As for the show itself, it was a clear thumb's up with solid action and a good crowd at the historic Olympic Auditorium who were into the action in a big way. ECW has taken some hits in recent months but they still deliver with workrate and intrigue at their big shows. Commentary from Styles and Cyrus was strong. There were a ton of shots at TNN throughout the show.
The show opened with Blue Meanie, who now calls himself Blue Boy (does he know what that means?), and Jasmin St. Claire on the beach. They picked out some guy who wasn't fat at all and accused him of being fat. Jasmin gave him a low blow. Sinister Minister arrived and did his usual style of promo saying L.A. isn't really a City of Angels but is better known for rioting and violence and is the devil's playground. The camera then showed Mikey Whipwreck buried in the sand with only his head sticking out and the tide coming in.
Styles & Joel Gertner introduced the show from the arena. Gertner went further than he has ever gone before in his lewd opening promo. Cyrus came out to an incredibly loud "a$$hole" chant and took credit for getting ECW cancelled by TNN, for deporting Super Crazy, costing Rob Van Dam and Yoshihiro Tajiri the TV Title, and using the ECW ad budget to promote Rollerjam. Gertner said Cyrus was also known for looking through the glory hole when George Michael was caught spankng it. Cyrus said the only good Gertner has ever done for ECW was to bring in the fat faggot demographic. Gertner said Cyrus enjoys fat faggots and said he was tired of Cyrus running him down all the time and acted like he would leave. Cyrus called him gutless. Gertner then attacked Cyrus from behind and took him down as security hit the ring. Gertner was "arrested". For the rest of the show, Cyrus made jokes about Gertner being, shall we say, used as a sex object down at the L.A. county jail.
BIG SAL GRAZIANO beat BALLS MAHONEY in 2:07. This was an "unscheduled", very brief match that began as Gertner was being hauled out. Sal and Tony Mamaluke came out to sort of see him off, and Balls then arrived and the match just began. Balls plastered Mamaluke but Sal attacked him. Balls broke a chair over Sal's head, which he didn't sell. Sal then squashed Balls with a belly-to-belly on the chair and got the surprisingly quick pin.
Rob Van Dam did a promo promising to debut his new Van Terminator move in the main event. Actually, it was debuted on some recent house shows but this was the TV premier.
Footage aired from the recent ECW Arena show where Bobby Eaton debuted and was cleaning house on Simon Diamond, Swinger, and C.W. Anderson until they eventually overpowered him and left him laying.
DANNY DORING & AMISH ROADKILL & KID KASH defeated SIMON DIAMOND & SWINGER & C.W. ANDERSON in 11:02. Anderson sent Lou E. Dangerously & Electra away, to signify his new alliance with Diamond & Swinger. The commentators kept noting that Eaton was Kash's wrestling idol and that he was out to avenge him. Kash stayed in for most of the match and he was great. He hit some great moves, including a springboard huracanrana and a moonsault. Kash traded chops with Anderson. Doring came in and was on a roll until being caught in the wrong corner. Diamond and Swinger got some near falls on him. Anderson floored Doring with his left handed punch, which they are selling big since Eaton has a right punch. Doring was nearly pinned but Kash made the save. Roadkill got the hot tag to a really big pop and sent all three opponents out, where Doring hit them with a somersault plancha. Kash then did a high springboard plancha, and finally Roadkill dived on them. Back in the ring, Diamond & Swinger double suplexed Roadkill off the top but Kash broke up the pin. All six began brawling and the match got lost for about a minute but Kash then hit the moneymaker (piledriver) on Swinger for the pin. Good match!
JERRY LYNN beat STEVE CORINO in 15:25. Lynn attacked before the bell and lariated Corino over. They brawled on the floor. Lynn kicked a chair into Corino's face and tornado DDT'd him on the floor. Corino juiced a major gusher from this. He came back despite the blood loss with the announcers putting over his courage again for an eventual face turn. He used Dusty Rhodes' bionic elbow to put Lynn down and got some near falls. Lynn kicked yet another chair into Corino's face. They messed up a corner spot but quickly recovered with Lynn DDT'ing Corino on a chair for a near fall. Lynn smeared Corino's blood on his face like war paint and wrote "die" on his chest in blood. Corino did another comeback with his face literally the proverbial Gordon Solie "crimson mask". Corino hit the old school explosion for a near fall. Jack Victory threw powder but it missed Lynn and hit the ref. Victory then KO'ed the ref. With the ref out, Corino used his boot on Lynn and Victory used a cowbell on him. They still only got two when the ref revived. They then went to some fast spots where they traded a ton of two counts back and forth before Lynn finally hit the cradle piledriver for the win. Another good match.
Sandman did a promo talking about avenging his wife Lori. Rhino flattened him with the cane and dragged Lori into a bathroom and tried to shove her face in a toilet until security broke it up.
Dawn Marie joined Styles & Cyrus on commentary. She really didn't say much during the matches (other than a few verbal shots at Francine during the main event), but between matches Cyrus got in a lot of double entendres about her.
NEW JACK came out on crutches (he busted his leg up doing a balcony dive on a Milwaukee house show), which isn't the smartest thing to do on an ECW show. Angel & Tony DeVito attacked him and used the staple gun on him. Nova & Chris Chetti made the save, which led to the next match.
NOVA & CHRIS CHETTI beat ANGEL & TONY DEVITO in 4:38. Chetti hit a springboard plancha and Nova did a tope. DeVito flattened Chetti with the Bronx Bomb but missed a moonsault. Nova gave DeVito two piledrivers and a powerbomb in sequence. Chetti nailed Angel with the Amityville Horror and they pinned him with their double team Tidal Wave move. Good short match.
Tommy Dreamer did a promo talking about how much he has lost and suffered because of wrestling but said he'd do it all over again and rammed his head several times into a locker to draw blood, which is kind of sick.
YOSHIHIRO TAJIRI won a four-way elimination match over PSICOSIS & GUIDO MARITATO & MIKEY WHIPWRECK in 9:16. This was originally a three-way but Mikey just strolled in and it became a four-way. Mikey was mopping up the floor with everyone. He hit the whippersnapper on Tajiri and a plancha on Guido and Psicosis. He then tried to dive on Big Sal (who was there with Guido), but got caught and posted. Psicosis legdropped Mikey and Guido (formerly Little Guido, now using his full name) pinned him at 1:38. Tajiri traded fast spots with Psicosis (this was his first match back in ECW in several years). Tajiri hit the Asai moonsault. Psicosis did a somersault legdrop on Guido. Guido retaliated with the Kiss of Death on Psicosis. Tajiri kicked Guido hard and hit a German suplex on Psicosis to pin him at 4:26. Tajiri and Guido went at it and Tajiri did a cool move where he sort of hooked the tarantula hold coming off the ropes and nearly pinned Guido. He also hooked the tarantula on the ropes. Tajiri did a somersault elbow. Guido kicked a chair into Tajiri's face and hit a legdrop. Guido brought in a chair but Tajiri sprayed the mist in his eyes and DDT'd him on the chair for the pin to end a very good match.
Justin Credible did a promo to put over the barbed wire stips for the main event.
RHINO beat SANDMAN in 8:38 to retain the TV Title. Sandman did his usual long intro with the beer. I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want Sandman spitting beer on me. Cyrus said Sandman should be given a breathalyzer. Styles replied that Sandman's wrestling, not driving. Try telling that to his opponents. Sandman broke a cane on Rhino, but Rhino didn't sell it despite taking numerous shots. Rhino then stomped the hell out of Sandman. Sandman got the upper hand long enough to bring a guard rail into the ring, and Rhino took several bumps on the rail. Sandman scored some near falls as Rhino sold these shots. Victory & Corino ran in and laid the ref out. Spike Dudley arrived to help Sandman and Victory got tossed out and Corino was 3D'ed. Rhino gored Spike and piledrived hm through a table off the apron. That spot always looks scary as hell. Rhino then hit a legsweep on Sandman and piledrived him on the rail for the pin. Sandman is very limited in what he can do now but there were enough props and run-ins to keep it interesting.
ROB VAN DAM defeated SCOTTY ANTON in 19:01. This one was too long, not because of Van Dam, but because Anton really isn't over at this level. Anton's offense was one of the few points in the show where the crowd heat died. They were big into Van Dam's offense, though. Anton quickly bailed out but Van Dam hit a moonsault off the rail and a legdrop from the apron onto Anton on the rail. Van Dam did a cool spot where he simply lifted Anton up and dropped him, and then did a backflip on him. Van Dam hit a quebrada for a near fall, one of many in this match. Anton used a chair on Van Dam and bulldogged him from the apron onto the rail. Van Dam juiced from the mouth. Anton scored several twos with DDT's and other moves but got no heat. Bill Alfonso tossed Van Dam a chair which he kicked into Anton's face. Van Dam did his split-legged moonsault. Alfonso climbed to the top and leaned back with a chair, with Van Dam using it on Anton in an intricate spot. Anton used a chair on Van Dam's bad leg, hooking the Clapper (Scorpion or Sharpshooter) but broke the hold to go after Alfonso on the apron. He put the hold on Alfonso but Van Dam made the save with a Van Daminator and a five star frog splash. Van Dam then hit the Van Terminator, which is a dropkick from off the top all the way across the ring (which is amazing) into a chair, which then hit Anton's face like in the Van Daminator. The spot is awesome. Van Dam got the pin to end a good match.
JUSTIN CREDIBLE beat TOMMY DREAMER in 14:57 to retain the ECW World Title. Barbed wire was hanging above the ring and could be legally used by whoever retrieved it. Francine was there with Credible, and whatever happened between her and the XPW crew occurred and the dressing room emptied for the scuffle with security, which spilled off camera out into the parking lot. Jazz & George came out with Dreamer, with Jazz being his "surprise". The commentators kept saying she was gorgeous, but couldn't say Gorgeous George due to copyright. Dreamer, like Sandman, is too banged up to do much but they kept it interesting enough. They brawled through the crowd, with Credible juicing. Dreamer took a scary bump off a ladder. The ladder got set up at ringside and both guys took bumps into it. The ladder then made it into the ring for more bump spots. Dreamer tried to climb up to get the wire but Francine pulled him down and he landed right on her, which apparently legit hurt her but she was saying she was okay afterward backstage. Jazz was about to go after Francine but George turned and attacked Jazz from behind. Jazz recovered quickly and sent George from the ring and stripped Francine's top off. She was wearing electrical tape over her nipples. You mean she knew she was going to be stripped ahead of time? Wink, wink. She ran to the back and put on a T-shirt. Credible tombstoned Jazz. Dreamer hit the Tommyhawk on Credible and got a near pin. Dreamer climbed up and got the wire. It wasn't used all that much. Credible got crotched on it. Credible then recovered and DDT'd Tommy on the wire, followed by That's Incredible on the wire for the pin.
2001 - Terry "Bam Bam" Gordy (Terry Ray Gordy Sr.), who with Michael Hayes founded the Fabulous Freebirds tag team in the late-1970's and rose to fame as the heel foils for the Von Erichs in Texas in the mid-1980's, then went on to become a huge star in Japan, was found dead in his home of a heart attack. He was 40.
2002 - WWE Smackdown was taped in Wilkes-Barre, PA, debuting Stephanie McMahon as the Smackdown GM and more. Adam Morehart filed the following results from the taping:
WWE SMACKDOWN SPOILERS- Wilkes-Barre, PA
By Adam Morehart
Velocity
Simon Diamond d. Johnny Swinger
Albert d. Nick Dinsmore
(Sorry I missed the next two spots so I could go buy a HHH shirt in peace)
Hardcore Holly and Val Venis d. ChuckaBilly w/ Rico- Val and Hardcore work well together and the people are reacting well to the push.
Smackdown-
Recap of Vince's announcement of Easy E as the new RAW manager.
We're shown a Limo arriving in the back. Eric Bischoff gets out and promptly asks directions to Hulk Hogan's dressing room.
John Cena d. Chris Jericho after Y2J gives Cena the DQ groin shot. Jericho then snaps and waffles Cena with a chair about 5 times then throws Cena in the walls. Cena is really fast but he seems to force it a bit which makes him come off pretty choppy. Still a good match though.
Bischoff finds Hogan in the back and hashes the old times. Hogan blows him off and says he won't help in anymore hostile takeovers. Bischoff says he's changed...Hogan replies "changed my ass".
Chavo Guererro d. The Hurricane clean with the STF. Chavo then spouts off about being the premiere Latin American wrestler...not Rey Mysterio Jr. He then challenges Rey Rey to a match on next weeks Smackdown.
Cut to the back for Vinnie Mac's arrival. He's told that Bischoff is here. Vince just smiles and walks off.
Billy Kidman d. Tajiri with the Shooting Star Press. That move is impressive live. A bunch of good spots in this one. After the match Jamie Noble and Nidia hit the ring and the beatdown ensues. Kidman starts to fight back but gets sprayed.
Vince finds Bischoff in the back where Eric cuts a mini re-do of his Raw schpiel. Vince says that the new manager of Smackdown may not appreciate his presence or his attempted recruiting. Vince also says that Eric may not appreciate his choice of a manager for Smackdown.
Hulk, Edge and Rikishi d. Test, Christian and Lance Storm. Great match with some seriously high impact. Test is on the verge of being big. A lot of build up with the eventual mega hot tag to Hulk. Hogan is cleaning house and it becomes a melee with finishers galore. Thankfully they spared us the stinkface. Eventually the Edgecution prevails and that's one more for the good guys. You can tell that Hulk is just way taken back by how over he is again. For me it was a childhood dream come true to finally see Hogan live.
Bischoff finds the Rock and says he hopes Rock will sign with RAW. Rock interrupts Eric and says that he will be at Raw but not because of him...it will be brcause he wins the strap at Vengeance. The Rock says then he can go on ANY show.."he'll even go on Frasier and punch him in the nuts if he wants to!" The Rock was so funny...it was a great promo you'll have to see for yourself to believe.
Vince comes out and talks about shaking things up and that superstars are free to trade to greener pastures if they want. He then announces the new manager of Smackdown...Screech..er..um i mean Stephanie McMahon! The crowd is chanting slut of course but then realizes that she's gone face! She doesn't even bash her "x-husband." She then says that for her first official act she is going to throw Eric bischoff out of her building. She promptly storms to the back with cameras in tow. She confronts Bischoff and tells him to leave or get his ass thrown out. She tells him that he will never sign HHH or the rock or anyone else for that matter. Bischoff says something I couldn't make out and leaves.
The Rock d. Kurt Angle via DQ by Taker's interference. Taker was a ringside observer. Great match with a lot of trademark spots. After the match Angle lays out Taker with a hellish chairshot. Angle then makes the Rock tap out to the Ankle lock. Show's over. Taker exits...man he's still over. They'll have to pipe in boos for him...LOL!!
Afterwards the Rock and Angle start a rather comedic spot which ends in the complimentary "go home happy Rock Bottom." Then the two come out again and break character with Kurt telling Rock that he's glad he's back. Rock says he's glad to be back and they hug and it's over.
This was a great experience and it should be a decent enough show. It will be interesting to see how they piece it together.
James Portillo sent this report
I just got back from tonight's Smackdown tapings from Wilks-Barre. VELOCITY tapings saw...
Jamie Noble VS Funaki : Both men go at it with arm drags and a DDT from Funaki. The finish saw Nidia distract the ref. and enable Noble to force Funaki to submit. JAMIE NOBLE picks up the win.
Hardcore Holly/ Val Venis VS Billy/ Chuck : The finish of the match saw The Alabama Slam Followed by the Money Shot from Val, 1-2-3
Good bout for your winners VAL and HARDCORE HOLLY
SMACKDOWN.....
John Cena VS Chris Jericho : Trash talk and slaps precedes this bout. Finish saw Y2J to attempt a Walls Of Jericho but Cena counters into a rollup and Y2J lowblows him for a DQ finish. After the match Y2J slaps on the Walls and nails Cena with a chair until refs clear the ring. JOHN CENA wins by DQ
Backstage we see Eric Bischoff arrive and he ignores Mark Loyd as everyone should.
Later we see the first time in a while Bischoff and Hogan come together. Eric says he's looking for the Rock and they exchange talks and as Eric leaves, Hogan tells him to shave his ass.
The Hurricane VS Chavo : Finish sees Chavo make Hurricane tap. Winner CHAVO
Chavo says He is sick of Rey Jr. and his promos. He claims to be the #1 Latin talent and challenges Rey to a match.
A limo is shown and Loyd assumes it's the new GM but it is Vince. Loyd tells Vince that Bischoff is here and Vince replies that it should be interesting tonight.
Vince and Eric come together as Eric was about to go see the Rock. Eric and Vince chat and Eric Leave to meet with The Rock, but not before Eric dusts off Vince's suit
Up Next is the Canadians VS Hogan/ Edge/ Rikishi : Finish saw Edge spear Christian and then give Lance the Edge-e-cution for the pin. Winners, EDGE/ HOGAN/ RIKISHI
Eric Bischoff is shown and finally finds the Rock. Eric tells him he wished he went to WCW. Rock then says he tried to put Eric out of business and the give each other an icy stare.
Tajiri VS Billy Kidman : Finish saw Kidman to hit a shooting star press for the pin. Trailer Trash duo hit the ring and Tajiri hits the mist on Kidman followed by a double powerbomb by Noble. Winner via pinfall, BILLY KIDMAN
Now the moment we have been waiting for, the new GM. Vince comes down and talks a bit on how Roster trading are now open but must be cleared with their GM's. Who is the new GM? none other the Screech McBoobs herself, Stephanie McMahon (ugh) She agrees with what Shane-o said and tells Bischoff that he is ejected from the building. Steph finds Eric talking to Team Canada and tells him to leave and he will se her on Sunday.
Rock VS Kurt Angle : Finish saw Taker hit Rock causing the DQ. Angle hits Taker with a chair and slaps the ankle lock on Rock. Angle holds the belt in the air but is given a chokeslam for his troubles. Winner via DQ , ROCK
Afterwards, Rock is in the ring and calls Angle back comes and they do the usual handshake into a Rock Bottom and Elbow, and the Rock leaves. Angle calls the Rock back and says the Rock Bottom doesn't hurt and that Taker and his elbow are both sissys.. As Angle Leaves, Rock comes down and they shake hands.
Gillan Borum sent this report.
Here are some Smackdown spoilers from Wilkes-Barre, PA, the best damn hyphenated city in the country (screw you, Winston-Salem!). Hope you enjoy.
Opening Dark Match: Simon Diamond vs. Johnny Swinger -
The former ECW tag team champions gave us an pretty good opener, with Diamond winning with the Simonizer (fireman's carry into reverse DDT) for the win. In case anybody cares, I marked out super huge for this match.
Then Michael Cole & Mark Loyd came out for Velocity, Mark Zylbert's territory. It was kinda weird, though, cause they asked us to cheer for the Velocity opening for the last pre-Smackdown match. I was confoosed. But here we go...
(By the way, I'm not sure of the order of the matches, so sue me if I get this wrong...no, wait, don't sue me...that'd suck.)
Match 1: Hugh Morrus vs. Shannon Moore - The "Alliance Warthog" faced off against Essa Rios' body double. Both men got below average pops. The match was pretty good, but most of my fellow WIlkes-Barreans were ignorant and didn't care. Shannon Moore pulled off the upset of the night when he beat Hugh Morrus with basically a Whisper in the Wind. Hugh was as surprised as anyone who was awake in the arena.
Match 2: Albert vs. Mark Dinsmore - Surprising, I've never seen anybody wrestle in a sweater before. You'd think it'd be hot with all that running arou...oh, wait, that's just Albert and his raging follicles. Strangely, Albert got a pretty good pop, and Dinsmore got the usual ovation for someone from a developmental territory: none. Anyways, this was basically a squash, with Dinsmore getting approximately 7.2 seconds of offense. Albert wins with the Baldo Bomb.
Match 3: Jamie Noble w/ Nidia vs. Funaki: Noble got a decent heatish welcome, Funaki got a pretty good nostalgia pop. A good cruiserweight match, with Noble working on Funaki's leg most of the match. Funaki hit a sweet jumping swinging DDT from the second rope, but couldn't get the pinfall cause of that nasty Nidia. But man, does she have some huge...hair. Anyways, Noble hitched in the Trailer....Hitch for the win. Sorry, but I like being repetitively redundant.
I think at this time, Molly came out and talked about her wholesomeness, and demureness and blah, blah, blah. She eventually got to the point that she thought we weren't good enough to watch her wrestle, so she said she wasn't gonna defend her title. There was a match? I wasn't told. Then she left to a chorus of boos. I was crying on the inside.
Match 4: Billy & Chuck w/ Rico vs. Hardcore Holly & The Big Valbowski - There were actually good pops for both teams. It was a decent tag team match, although there wasn't any of those "questionable" antics I read so much about in the house show reports...probably because this is gonna be on TV. Oh well, it's their loss. Even though Rico interjected himself into the match, goodness prevailed in the end as Chuck, I think, got himself the Alabama Slam followed by the Money Shot for the uno-dos-tres. I guess Hardcore showed those two guys who was Tough Enough! LOL! Good gracious, I should be on TV.
Now enough of the hors d'eouvres! We want the main course! That's right! Put a little Smackdown on it! (BEEEEEEEP! BEEEEEEP! Corporate shill warning!) Tazz and Cole go to their respective seats.
Match 1: Chris Jericho vs. John Cena - Chris Jericho got what I believe was one of the bigger pops of the night...that's right, you read correctly. We northeast Pennsylvanians loves us our Y2J! Cena got a "meh" reaction. Another good match, although Jericho didn't hit any of his money moves (Lionsault, Flashback). Jericho got the DQ when he gave Cena's unmentionables an unwelcome bashing. Jericho then put him in the Walls of Jericho for a hurting he won't soon forget. Then the ref calls out of his burly ref friends to get Jericho off of Cena, to basically no avail. The true living legend got a chair and proceeded to give his back a hittin' or four. Y2J then left to a big pop.
At this time, they cut away to the parking lot, where a limo was pulling in, of which the dyed one, Eric Bischoff. Mark Loyd was there and asked Bischoff why he was at Smackdown! Bischoff smiled and kept on walking. I guess Mark Loyd doesn't watch his own company's product since on Raw he talked about signing the Rock and HHH! And he wonders why he gets picked on.
Match 2: Hurricane vs. Chavo Guerrero, Jr. - Hurricane came out to a good pop, and Chavo Guerrero got a "What's he doing here?" kind of reaction. During the match, Hurricane somehow hurt his knee, don't ask me how, I missed it. Eventually, Chavo Guerrero got Hurricane to submit with an STF. Wait, what? Chavo Guerrero won? But why? I'd soon find out, as he grabs a mic and proceeds to say that he is the premier Latin American cruiserweight, but all he's hearing about is Rey Mysterio Jr. He challenges Li'l Rey Rey to face him for his debut match next week. I would assume this would happen, but Vince might cancel his debut due to low ratings and appeal, so I'm not making any promises.
Another limo pulls in, and out pops Vince McMahon. Mark Loyd is there again, I think, and asks VInce when the Smackdown GM will arrive. Vince replies that the GM might already be here. Verrrrry intereshting.
After a break, Bischoff is seen talking to Randy "I nearly broke D-Von in half last week" Orton and saying what a bright star he is. He then goes to Hollywood Hogan's locker room and gets to gabbin'. Eric's notably more chipper than Hogan, as he brings up how he's gonna take Raw to new heights. Hogan says he knows why he is here: to talk to the Rock. Bischoff replies with something he said Hogan taught him: "Always negotiate." We then fade to black again.
Match 3: Hollywood Hogan/Edge/Rikishi vs. Team Canadia (Lance Storm, Christian, Test): Hogan's team got a big pop, mostly because it was his music that was playing. I'm sure Rikishi was closing his eyes, thinking, "They're all cheering for me." The Great White North's contingent then came down to boos. Damn evil Canadians, with their rainbow money and 110-yard football fields. Many "Hogan" and "USA" chants throughout the match. Everybody hit their spots, except, of course, for Rikishi, who never gets the Stinkface, at least during the match. They milked the crowd good for Hogan's hot tag. After some broken up pins and fisticuffs, Edge hits Storm with the Edge-cution for the win. Pops all around.
After another break, Bischoff is seen in Rock's dressing room. And everybody chants Stevie Richards' name. (Yeah, I wish.) "Rocky" chants brew up quicker than Mr. American Taliban's guilty plea. Eric starts to proverbially brown the ol' nose when Rock halts him, and says "Finally, the Rock HAS COME BACK to Wilkes-Barre!" And I'm pretty sure everybody in the entire arena said it along with him. Eric starts to butter up the Rock cause he wants him on Raw. Rock then says of course he'll be on Raw, to Eric's delight. But he then went on to explain he'll be on Raw due to the fact he'll be Undisputed Champion after Vengeance, not cause he'll sign with them. Touchè. He says he'll go on any show he wants, whether it be Raw, Smackdown, The Osbournes, The Sopranos, or Fraiser and proceed to kick Kelsey Grammer in the undercarriage (obviously a rib for Frasier's hospitality when it came to Tough Enough 3). Eric thinks it funny. Who doesn't? Eric begins to dream of what it would have been like if Rocky was on Nitro, thinking of how he would have slayed his Connecticut counterpart in the ratings. Rocky said it would've been cool, except for one thing...he was too busy in the WWE trying to put the WCW out of business. Harsh words, indeed.
Match 4: Billy Kidman vs. Tajiri - Billy and Tajiri both came out to moderate pops. The match was mostly dead, probably because of the six-man tag and Rocky beforehand. Tajiri got in his TUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUHRANTULA (I miss KK too, Matt) and a swift kick to the face. Billy eventually won with the shooting star press. There was reason to celebrate, until Jamie Noble and Nidia ran out to ruin Kidman's good time. Kidman ran at Noble, and Noble went for a clothesline, which Kidman ducked; unfortunately, Tajiri had a mouthful of mist waiting for Billy at the other end. Jamie then powerbombed Billy, yelled at him all redneck-like, and made out with Nidia. Tajiri wanted to play tonsil tennis too, but Nidia declined, cause of that whole mist gimmick. Another day, my Oriental friend...another day.
Everybody's favorite devious mastermind, Vince McMahon, then came out to announce the Smackdown GM. To probably nobody's surprise, it turned out to be Daddy's Not-as-little-as-she-once-was-in-certain-places Princess, Stephanie McMahon. She was talking, but I couldn't hear most of her speech cause after every other word that came out of her mouth, some people behind me were yelling "Whore" and "Slut" and all the other female derogatory remarks you can think of. The gist of it was that HHH was going to decide who to sign with at Vengeance, and he was going to make the right choice and stay at Smackdown. Also, she was going to make an impact tonight by throwing Eric Bischoff out of the building! She walked to the back, eventually found him and told him to get out the easy way, or the hard way. Eric chose the easy way, and left. He had some choice words, but of course, guess what? Couldn't hear them.
Main Event: Kurt Angle vs. The Rock - Kurt Angle came out to the "You suck" chorus. Undertaker unexpectedly came out next on the cycle, drove down to a pretty big pop, pulled up a chair, and watched the match by himself. And Rocky came out to his usual eardrum-popping ovation. Very good back and forth match with "Rocky" and "Angle sucks" chants numerous. The bout eventualy spilled to the outside. Rock went for a clothesline but whoops! He hit the Undertaker instead, sending him over the guardrail. It got back into the ring and went back and forth for a little while longer, until Rock hit the spinebuster. People popping everywhere for the People's Elbow, but UT breaks it up with a clothesline, and gives a DQ win to Rocky. UT attempts to beat on him further, but Angle hits him with a chair. He then puts Rock in the ankle lock for a good while. Both men are laid out as Angle backs up the ramp, at which time I assume Smackdown ends, since Tazz and Cole appear to start gathering their notes. Angle then comes back down and grabs the Undisputed Title and holds it up in front of the crowd. But guess who's behind him? If you guessed Susan Lucci, you're wrong. It's the Undertaker, with a chokeslam on his mind. He hits it to a big pop, then rides away on his motorcycle. This leaves Angle and Rocky in the ring. Angle eventually rolls out of the ring, but Rocky getrs a mic thrown to him and invites Angle back. Angle obliges, and asks Rocky how his ankle feels, because that pain will be nothing compared to the pain at Vengeance. Rocky says that'll be a hell of a lot of pain, but not as much as this: BOOYAH! Rock Bottom and People's Elbow to the delight of the crowd. Rocky goes to the back, but oh no, Angle's not done. Angle gets the mic, and strainingly says that the Rock Bottom didn't hurt (funny as hell) and that the People's Elbow is a sissy move (which, face it, it is). Rocky eventually comes out again, meeting Angle face to face. They both notice referee Mike Chiota staring at them. Rocky tells him to stop playing pocket pool and get the hell in the back. Angle then asks what pocket pool is (another LOL moment). But, on a serious note, Angle says he's happy to have Rocky back in the WWE. They shake hands, embrace, and go to the back. Everybody goes home happy.
Biggest Pops:
1)Hogan
2)Rocky
3)Tie between Y2J and Undertaker
Biggest Heat:
1)Team Canada
2)Kurt Angle
3)The guy who shoots the shirts into the crowd. He was gettin hassled big time. And deservedly so...bastard didn't shoot any shirts my direction.
2007 - The Georgia Bureau of Investigations and the State's Chief Medical Examiner held a press conference to disclose the results of the toxicology tests done on the bodies of Chris, Nancy and Daniel Benoit. Highlights from the conference:
-Fayetteville Georgia District Attorney Scott Ballard stated that the investigation into the Benoit tragedy is still ongoing and as they continued to investigate, all aspects still lead them to believe it was a murder-suicide. He said that one aspect of the investigation is the toxicology reports. He thanked the G.B.I and their crime lab for all the investigation assistance. Ballard said they wouldn't answer questions regarding the crime scene and aspects of the investigation until they could discuss the entire investigation accurately.
-Ballard turned it over to the GBI's Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kris Sperry.
-Sperry said that with Nancy Benoit had three drugs in her system - Hydrocodone (a prescribed pain reliever - Vicodin is considered Hydrocodone), Hydromorphone (which the body creates when Hydrocodone is broken down in the body) and Xanax. All of the drugs were at a therapeutic level, not a toxic level. Sperry said that the levels they found could have been affected by the decomposition of her body and that they may have been higher levels before she died. She had a blood alcohol level of 0.184, which could be clearly due to the decomposing of her body.
-Daniel Benoit's blood was positive for Xanax. Sperry noted that Xanax was not a drug that would be given to a child under normal circumstances, so their belief is that Daniel was sedated at the time of his murder.
-Chris Benoit's blood was positive for Hydrocodone and Xanax, both at levels within therapeutic range for normal usage of the drugs, not toxic or elevated usage.
-Chris Benoit's urine was tested for the presence of steroids and the "only steroid drug that we found was testosterone, which was measured at the level of 207 micrograms per liter." He said that the level of led them to ascertain that Benoit had been using testosterone "at least in some reasonable period before the time that he died."
-There were no other "steroids or artificial steroid-like drugs that were found in his urine."
-There was no evidence of GHB in Nancy, Chris or Daniel Benoit.
-When asked about the testosterone level, Sperry said that they test urine to see what the levels were. They said the ratio of Testosterone to Epitestosterone was an indicator that he had been using it, "but how much, how often and for how long is something that cannot be answered through this."
-When asked if the drug tests would shed any light on what happened that night in the Benoit home, Sperry said, "No, I would not say that they do. These results give answers as far as drug and medication usage. They do show that Daniel Benoit was sedated at the time he was murdered. beyond that, I don't think they reveal anything at all, other than the fact that Chris Benoit had been using at least testosterone for some period of time."
-Daniel Benoit did not die of a drug overdose of Xanax based on the autopsy findings, which they did not discuss due to the ongoing investigation. There was never any indication that it was an overdose death.
-When asked about how the combination of drugs in Benoit's system may have affected his behavior, Sperry said there was no way to tell that at all. He said that the level of drugs in Chris Benoit's system were at therapeutic level for someone with pain and being prescribed them. Sperry said there are thousands of people walking around with the same levels in their system. Benoit wasn't at a toxic or overdose level.
-In regard to whether testosterone creates mental disorders and outbursts of range, there are "conflicting data" as to whether that can be the case and "I think that's an unanswerable question." He said he was relying on the scientific date, which states that no one really knows.
-Chris Benoit's abnormal range of ratio of Testosterone to Epitestosterone (10 times the normal range) shows Chris Benoit was injecting it but couldn't prove that led to changes in his behavior. When asked why, Sperry said the scientific data when individuals are given these drugs under monitored conditions, the ratio does not translate to something abnormal in that person's thought process or behavior.
-When asked about needle marks found on Daniel Benoit's body and what the needle marks were from, Sperry said that they were not able to find what they were from. He said that they appeared to be needle marks, but they did not have enough urine specimen from Daniel to analyze for HGH or other growth hormones.
-Sperry said there was nothing on Daniel Benoit's body that led Sperry to believe Benoit had been using needles for long periods of time. "I would say at this point and time that will never be known."
-The levels of the drugs in Nancy Benoit's body were therapeutic, not at an extremely elevated or toxic range. Sperry did note that the decomposition of the body could lead to the levels being lower than they were at the time of death. He said that he knew that she had orthopedic surgeries in the past and wouldn't be shocked to see she was taking the drugs for pain and muscle spasms.
-When asked if anything stands out as significant. Sperry said the Xanax in Daniel Benoit's blood was surprising. He said that beyond the testosterone, there was no finding of any other illegal type or anabolic steroids that are out there to be used. He said that the presence of the Testosterone could be an indication Benoit was being treated for testicular insufficiency [Note from Mike: Dr. Phil Astin had claimed shortly after the Benoit family was found that he was treating Benoit with Testosterone replacement therapy].
-When asked about the Fragile X rumors of Daniel Benoit, Sperry said that it was impossible to perform that type of chromosome analysis post-mortem.
-When asked if he was given results of WWE's drug testing of Chris Benoit, Sperry said he hasn't seen the results and only knows about that from what he's seen on the news. He said he has no knowledge of what WWE tested for or what they look for.
-Ballard was asked how the results help the investigation. Ballard said they are trying to decipher what happened in the home and this part of the investigation will help them put a complete picture in focus with other aspects of their investigation.
-When asked about Daniel Benoit being sedated, Ballard said, "I could speculate but I'm not going to."
-Ballard said that the level of cooperation in the investigation (including from WWE) has been good, but noted there has been "help" (obviously said in a sarcastic way) from some with theories and emails that they have gotten that they do look into, but find it hasn't helped the investigation.
-Ballard declined to comment on what direction the investigation would take at this point. He said you want to try and re-create the who, what, why but he suspects many of the answers they may never learn.
-Sperry said that the testing only gives the examiners a "snapshot" of what was in Benoit's body in the period before he died. He said that they found no evidence of any other drugs that would be used for bodybuilding purposes. He said that neither he nor anyone else can tell what Benoit used in the past.
-Sperry said the most common usage of Testosterone injections would be to treat testicular inefficiency and there are thousands of men who use injections for the same reasons.
-When asked about the effect of the drugs on Benoit's mental state, Sperry again pointed out that there is no scientific data that supports those theories.
-Nancy Benoit's blood alcohol level would be legally drunk, although there's no way of saying how that factored into the deaths. It was also noted the alcohol level could have changed with the decomposition of the body.
-Nancy Benoit's body had decomposed much more than Daniel or Chris, so she was murdered first.
2007 - WWE's primary attorney Jerry McDevitt and Dr. David Black, head of Aegis Science, which oversees the WWE Wellness Program appeared on MSNBC to discuss the Chris Benoit toxicology results, being interviewed by Dan Abrams. Highlights of their appearance saw:
- McDevitt said the toxicology essentially removed steroids from the case and points the evidence to what was in the house. He said that Daniel Benoit was sedated before he was murdered. Steroids had nothing to do with this and there were no anabolic steroids found. He said that Benoit took testosterone after his April 2007 WWE drug test.
-Dr. Black said it was reasonable and logical that Benoit took the testosterone after he passed the WWE's most recent test. He noted there were tests before April and Benoit was on testosterone replacement therapy "as a consequence of that." When asked if it was a medical condition that led to Benoit being under the therapy, Black said that they are dealing with a program overseeing WWE talents that have used anabolic steroids in the past, which can lead to problems with the body producing testosterone and Epitestosterone. Black said that Benoit was not producing testosterone naturally, which could lead to "debilitating fatigue" and was on, "appropriate medicine", replacement therapy. Once a talent goes on replacement therapy, the focus is no longer on the body's T:3 ratio, "the focus goes onto the blood compartment." Black said Benoit's physician reported to Black that Benoit was being treated for testosterone replacement therapy and his diagnosis was accepted, as was the use of the replacement therapy.
-Dr. Black said they are in the business of changing behavior for performers and that testosterone replacement therapy was mainstream medicine and accepted practice for what Benoit was dealing with.
-When asked if anyone was "kicked out" of WWE due to the Policy, McDevitt said there would have to be three failures, which there have not been yet. He said there have been discipline imposed for violations of the Wellness Policy, including steroids..
-McDevitt pointed out that Dr. Phil Astin has not been charged with anything in regard to the Benoit situation to date.
-McDevitt said only Astin and Benoit knew what their dealings were and they will come out in time. He said the emphasis on "roid rage" has diverted the focus on the evidence of what happened in the home. He understands that "some people don't like" what science has proven. He pointed out that it was reported by People Magazine that Benoit was keeping a diary in the wake of Eddie Guerrero's passing, but the diary has never found to date. McDevitt said the crime scene was handed over to the family after a day, and no one knows where this diary is and whether Benoit wrote anything in regard to the tragedy that weekend. [a journal is later found in the trash by a neighbor and given to Michael Benoit.]
2009 - TNA broadcast Impact on SpikeTV. Richard Trionfo filed the following TV Report:
We start off tonight’s show with the comments that Jeff Jarrett had for Mick Foley and Mick’s response. We see the footage of the wreckage left after the Main Event Mafia was done.
We are live on tape from Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida and your announcers are Don ‘True Orlando Wrestling’ West and Mike ‘Remember Victory Road is Sunday’ Tenay.
Mick Foley comes to the ring to start off this week’s show. Mick says that he feels a bit naked without the title belt over his shoulder. He says that nobody wants to see Foley naked so he is going to do his best to get the TNA title back on his shoulder. Foley says that there is so much more at stake because as the TNA Title goes, there goes TNA. Mick says that if Kurt holds on to the title, the company goes one way. Mick says that if he wins the title back, it goes another way. Mick says that he has a few favors for Kurt Angle. He wants Kurt to meet him in the ring one-on-one.
Kurt comes out and Mick appreciates him coming to the ring. Mick says that he was a bit hurt by the comments of the Main Event Mafia after he lost the title. Mick says that he knew that they were playing with his mind. Last week, he got a new signal by being wrapped up in barbed wire. Foley says that when Angle put him in the ankle lock, he did not give up but Eric Young called for the bell. Foley tells Kurt not to take it away from him. He mentions the night in 1991 when he tapped out to Dory Funk Junior. At that time he said that he would never give up again. Foley tells Angle that he can try to beat him on Sunday. Foley says that he will have to be at his best to beat Angle. Foley tells Angle that he will not tap out on Sunday. The second favor is to have no outside interference from the Main Event Mafia or any of Mick Foley’s security. He wants it to be a one-on-one match.
Angle says that he runs with the Mafia because of what they believe in and he says that Foley shares some of their values. Angle says that you have to do what you have to do to survive in the business. Angle says that is why they are angry at the young punks. They are spoon fed and are paid more than they deserve. He talks about how they won’t wrestle if they have a boo boo. Angle reminds Foley that they wrestled hurt. Angle says that it isn’t about money and they are trying to help Foley and Jarrett.
Sting’s music plays and he comes out. Sting asks Kurt if he heard him right that he was doing it for Jarrett and Foley. Sting says that it is a bunch of bull. Sting tells Kurt that the Main Event Mafia stands for deceit. Sting says that a lot will be settled on Sunday. We will find out who will run TNA. Sting says that he has an agenda. He will take Joe and his handler up one side of the Impact Zone and down the other. Sting asks Foley for a big favor tonight. He wants Mick to give him a match against Kurt Angle tonight.
Foley starts to talk, but Angle stops him. Angle tells Sting that Foley says yes. Angle says that there will be one small tweak. The match will be inside the six sides of steel.
We go to commercial.
We see Samoa Joe attacking Red in the back as he throws Red into everything in the back.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Joe with a kick that sends Red down the ramp inside the Impact Zone. Joe with a clothesline to Red and then Joe throws Red into the ring and the match officially starts.
Match Number One: Samoa Joe versus Red
Joe kicks Red in the corner and Joe hits the referee and the referee calls for the bell.
Winner: Red by disqualification
After the ‘match’, Joe with a muscle buster followed by punches to Red’s head. Security comes to the ring and they have night sticks. Joe decides to leave the ring before hurting anyone else.
We have a Samoa Joe video package.
Lauren is in the interview area with Sarita and she says that she has been looking forward for tonight. She has been wrestling all over the world to get ready. Lauren asks Sarita about Alicia Flash and she is not sure about her opponent. Sarita addresses her fans in Spanish.
We go to commercial.
We are back with a look at the issues between Jenna and Sharmell.
Don West is in the interview area with Sharmell and Jenna and their helpers. Don asks Sharmell why she has been the instigator. Sharmell says that she is the only woman in the Main Event Mafia. She says that Jenna has not shown any respect. Sharmell says that if Jenna had apologized, we wouldn’t have this match. Jenna says that she was invited to be with the Main Event Mafia. Don points out that Sharmell has a definite advantage and then Jenna interjects and we are about to have fireworks. Sharmell says that she will have the advantage and she has some words for Jenna. Don asks Jenna why she thinks she can compete with Sharmell. Jenna says that she has Kong. Things have broken down while Kong sits and watches.
Suicide is in a cage as we go to commercial.
We are back with comments from Kurt Angle and we go to Jeremy Borash. Jeremy talks about how they have been around the world together and he says that he thinks he knows what is going on inside Kurt’s head. Jeremy wonders why Kurt would agree to a match with Sting and then tweak it to put the match inside the six sides of steel. Kurt says that he wants to prove to Sting, to TNA, and the entire world that he is the real icon, not Sting. The only way to do that is to get Sting in the cage. Jeremy asks Angle about the match on Sunday. Angle says that Foley was right because the future of TNA relies on Victory Road. Kurt says that they will have to win all of the titles. Kurt says that even Jeremy will be calling him boss.
Match Number One: Chris Sabin with Alex Shelley versus Suicide in a Non-Title Match
They lock up and Suicide with arm drags. Sabin with a chop and Suicide chops back. Suicide with an arm drag and arm bar. Sabin with an arm drag but Suicide holds on to the arm bar. Suicide with another arm drag. Sabin with a knee to the midsection. Shelley grabs Suicide’s leg and Suicide stomps on his hand. Sabin with a back kick and a drop kick. Sabin with a choke in the corner and then he chokes Suicide in the ropes and then he starts to go after the mask. Shelley with a kick to the head when the referee was with Sabin. Sabin with an Irish whip and a flying forearm. Sabin with a snap mare and then he goes to the apron and tries for the springboard clothesline but Suicide moves. Suicide with punches to Sabin and a side Russian leg sweep. Sabin goes to the apron and then Suicide with a slingshot into a TKO for a near fall. Sabin with an enzuigiri but Suicidie with a fireman’s carry slam and then he hits a pescado onto Shelley. Sabin runs into a shoulder. Sabin with a corkscrew neck breaker using the ropes for a near fall. Suicide avoids the Cradle Shock, but he cannot avoid a running boot into the corner. Sabin puts Suicide in the Tree of Woe. Suicide stops Sabin and he runs Sabin into the turnbuckles and then Suicide hits the Suicide Solution for the three count.
Winner: Suicide
After the match, Alex Shelley spits in Suicide’s face and then Shelley works on the leg and then he puts a chair under Suicide’s head and Sabin with a springboard leg drop onto the chair.
Homicide comes to the ring and he hits Sabin and Shelley with the briefcase.
Match Number Two: Homicide versus Suicide for the X Division Title
Homicide with a cover on the prone Suicide but Suicide kicks out. Suicide with punches but he falls to the mat. Homicide with the Gringo Killer for the three count.
Winner: Homicide
We see Angelina Love, Velvet Sky, and Madison Rayne walking in the back and Angelina has a beekeeper suit on. We go to commercial.
We are back and we see the Ultimate Opportunist with his title belt. Lauren congratulates him on winning the title. She asks if the win was a bit questionable. Homicide tells Snowflake that he did not come up with the rules and now he is the champion. Homicide says that he is going to party now.
Angelina Love, Velvet Sky, and Madison Rayne come out to the ring and Angelina has a mic and a beekeeper suit. Velvet has Spider spray and Madison has a broom.
Angelina says that she has filed a formal complaint with PETER, whoever that is against a certain new TNA knockout who was trying to endanger her with a big freaking spider. Angelina tells Tara that she is a big ugly freak show and there is no place for her in TNA. Angelina says that the match last week did not happen and it was a fluke. It was not an official match so Angelina says that she is still the champion. There was no contract signed and it was never official. Angelina says that she will make it official on Sunday.
Tara’s music plays and she comes out with her title match. Tara says that the belt around her waist says that she is the TNA Women’s Champion. Tara says that she will have to confirm it on Sunday night. Tara says that Angelina doesn’t have to worry about Poison because Poison likes dark and warm places. Tara put Poison in Angelina’s beekeeper suit. Angelina freaks out at the thought that the spider in in the suit.
Tara with a kick and then she hits the Widow’s Peak.
We go to commercial.
Match Number Three: Alissa Flash versus Sarita
Flash spits at Sarita and then she punches her in the midsection. Sarita with chops and then she uses the ropes and hits an arm drag. Sarita with a drop kick that sends Flash to the floor and then Sarita with a suicide dive. Flash sends Sarita into the ring post and then hits a forearm to the back. Flash with a slam on the floor. Flash sends Sarita into the guardrail. They return to the ring and Flash with a series of kicks. Flash with a slam and then she gets a near fall. Sarita with punches and forearms but Flash sends Sarita into the turnbuckles and she kicks Sarita in the back of the head. Flash with punches in the corner. Sarita with a cross body for a near fall. Flash with a clothesline and then she grabs Sarita by the hair. Flash with a hip lock take down. Sarita with chops and a kick. Sarita with a cross arm breaker but Flash turns it into a near fall. Flash with a curb stomp for a near fall. Flash with a version of a power bomb for a near fall. Sarita with a forearm and clothesline. Flash with a wheelbarrow suplex that sends Sarita into the ropes but Flash can only get a two count. Sarita with a victory roll for the three count.
Winner: Sarita
After the match, Flash kicks Sarita and then hits a Michinoku Driver.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Lauren is with A.J. Styles. A.J. says that everything that Lauren said was true. He says that he can do nothing about it. He says that it is what it is. A.J. tells the Main Event Mafia that he will take them apart piece by piece if he has to. He tells Nash that he can give a history lesson of what he accomplished. A.J. says that Nash took companies to the next level, but it was for the worst. Others suffered because Nash had to make the money. A.J. says that it is not about the money. At Victory Road, Nash has cashed his last paycheck.
Match Number Four: Kevin Nash, Scott Steiner, and Booker T with Jenna and Sharmell versus James Storm, Robert Roode, and A.J. Styles
Styles and Steiner start things off and Steiner works on the arm. Steiner with a side head lock and shoulder tackle. Styles with a knee drop to Steiner and then he works on the arm before tagging in Roode. Roode sends Steiner into the turnbuckles. Steiner with an Irish whip but Roode floats over. Roode with a snap mare and a leap frog neck breaker. Booker tags in and Roode with a drop toe hold. Storm tags in and they hit a double suplex and it is time for names to be announced. This allows Booker to tag in Nash. Storm and Roode with punches as they pinball Nash. Styles with a springboard forearm and then all six men are in the ring for a moment. Styles and Nash remain in the ring and Styles punches Nash. Nash with an eye poke and a jackknife power bomb for the three count to eliminate Styles.
Nash with a side slam to Roode for a two count. Steiner tags in and he kicks Roode and chops him. Steiner with a clothesline and the flex elbow drop. Booker tags in and he chops Roode. Booker misses a side kick and Roode punches Booker. Booker with a kick and then he tries for another side kick and he crotches himself. Storm and Steiner come in and Storm with clotheslines. Storm with a facebuster and a neck breaker. Storm takes care of Booker and Nash. Storm with a lungblower and Nash breaks up the cover. Storm chops and punches Nash. Nash sends Storm to the apron. Storm with a kick and Roode with a clothesline. Booker crotches Storm and Roode and Nash fight to the floor. Steiner with a Flatline for the three count to eliminate Storm.
We go to commercial and when we return it will be three on one.
We are back and Roode takes care of all three of his opponents. Booker with a Bookend but he pulls Roode up. Booker with the back heel kick and then he tags in Steiner. Steiner kicks Roode and chops him. Steiner with a belly-to-belly suplex for a near fall. Nash tags in and he connects with knees in the corner. Nash punches Roode and we see the laser beams being exchanged by Sharmell and Jenna on the floor. Nash with a clothesline for a near fall. Roode avoids a jackknife power bomb and the referee misses a low blow and Nash is eliminated.
Steiner chops Roode and then hits an overhead belly-to-belly suplex. Steiner misses the flex elbow and Roode punches Steiner. Nash trips Roode and the referee wonders how Roode fell.
Storm comes to the ring with a steel chair but he is stopped by Matt Morgan. Morgan sends Storm into the guardrail.
Storm with a flying double clothesline and all three men are down. Roode punches Storm and Steiner. Steiner clotheslines Booker and then Roode with a reverse atomic drop on Steiner. Roode with a flying forearm to Booker and a swinging neck breaker to Steiner. Roode with a David Young Spinebuster for a two count. Steiner puts Roode on the turnbuckle and Roode knocks Steiner off and then Roode with a blockbuster to Steiner. Booker with a kick to the midsection but he misses the axe kick. Roode with the Payoff but Sharmell is in referee distraction point number one and he misses the cover. Roode turns into Steiner and Steiner holds Roode up for a jumping side kick for the three count.
Winners: Kevin Nash, Scott Steiner, and Booker T
After the match, the tempers flare between Jenna and Sharmell and we have a brief preview of Sunday’s match.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Jeremy Borash is with Team 3D, but first a Twitter plug. Jeremy asks Team 3D about their match against the British Invasion. Devon tells Jeremy that must be how they roll across the pond. If you are going to swim in it, you are going to drown in it. Devon says that he thought they had potential, but they lack two things . . . respect and class. Devon says that Storm and Roode had the same problem until they were taken to school. It will happen on Sunday. Ray says that after twenty-two world titles and a tag team dynasty, they should have expected some respect from the British Invasion. Ray blames them for losing the titles at Slammiversary. They were screwed a second time by them in the number one contender match. Ray says that they have one thing on their minds and that is revenge.
The British Invasion come out and security separates them. Magnus says that they have signed the contract. The IWGP titles are on the line and Big Rob poses. Ray and Devon are ready to fight now.
It is time to run through the card for Victory Road.
Lauren is with Abyss in the back and he says that he is so sorry for everything that happened. He says that he will never let anyone harm her again. Abyss points out that Stevie tazed him, took his best girl, and then drugged him. Abyss says that he is not an animal. He is a pissed off 350 plus pound monster. He was taught to control his lust for pain and suffering and carnage. Abyss tells Stevie that he has failed. Abyss pulls out some thumbtacks and he says that he likes pain, suffering, carnage, and inflicting damage as he puts thumbtacks in his arm. Abyss says that he does not need Dr. Stevie anymore. He says that he has a prescription for Dr. Stevie for Sunday. There will be one more session on Sunday but this one is on him.
Jeff Jarrett is walking in the back as we go to commercial.
Jeff Jarrett comes to the announce table with his founder’s guitar to sit in the founder’s chair with Don and Mike. Don asks Jeff about his hidden hamstring injury and Jeff does everything not to attack or fire Don.
Match Number Five: Kurt Angle versus Sting in the Six Sides of Steel
They lock up and Sting with a side head lock. Sting with a shoulder tackle and Angle has a smile on his face. They lock up again and Sting with a waist lock but Angle with a standing switch. Sting and Angle with a series of standing switches and then Sting with a front face lock but Angle escapes and applies a hammer lock. Sting with punches and chops in the corner but Angle with a kick. Angle charges into a boot and then Sting with a suplex for a near fall. Angle with a rake of the eyes and then he sends Sting into the cage and we go to commercial.
We are back and Angle sends Sting into the cage one more time. Angle and Sting exchange punches and then Sting with clotheslines. Angle with a kick but Sting hot shots Angle into the cage for a two count. Sting hits the Stinger Splash but Angle avoids the Scorpion Death Drop. Angle with shoulders in the corner and then Angle charges but Sting moves. Sting sends Angle into the cage and then hits a clothesline for a near fall. Angle hits a German suplex and the straps are down. Angle tries for the Olympic Slam but Sting with an arm drag. Sting applies the Scorpion Death Lock.
From out of nowhere, Samoa Joe attacks Jeff Jarrett at the announce table and then Joe attacks the referee on the floor to get the key to the lock for the cage. Joe has the lock reapplied and Sting attacks Joe. Sting puts Joe in the Scorpion Death Lock. The lights go out and we see a graphic that says FTW and the number 13. Joe has Sting in a choke that looks a lot like a former ECW Champion’s finisher. Jarrett and Foley try to get into the cage but they are stopped by Angle with a night stick. Nash, Booker, and Steiner attack Foley and Jarrett on the floor as we go to credits.
2009 - WWE broadcast Superstars. Richard Trionfo filed the following report:
Match Number One: Cryme Tyme with Eve Torres versus Tyson Kidd and David Hart Smith with Natalya
Smith and Shad start things off and they lock up and Shad has a brief advantage and he backs Smith into the corner and he has a clean break but Smith with a punch. Shad with a forearm and then they both exchange forearms. Smith with an Irish whip but Shad with a clothesline and a back elbow. Smith goes to the abdomen. Shad tries for the STO but Smith blocks it. Shad with a thrust kick and Kidd makes a blind tag but Shad hits a pounce on Smith. Shad then presses Kidd over his head and he drops Kidd to the mat. Shad clotheslines Kidd over the top rope to the floor and the Hart Dynasty regroups on the floor as we go to commercial.
We are back and Shad with a knee to Kidd. Shad has Kidd up for a slam but Kidd escapes the hold and Kidd clips Shad. Smith tags in and he starts to work on the injured leg. Smith with a step over toe hold and he drops down to the mat to work on the knee. Smith with a bridge when he reapplies the hold. Smith with cross faces to Shad and then he brings Shad into their corner to tag in Kidd who kicks Shad in the leg. Kidd wraps the leg in the ropes and then he hits a drop kick into the knee. Kidd returns to the knee. Smith tags in and he kicks Shad in the head as he tries for the tag. Smith turns his attention to the back and then he returns back to the leg. Shad tries to get free from the clutches of Smith but Smith holds on. Shad with an inside cradle but Smith is able to immobilize Shad. Kidd tags in and Shad has to hear from Natalya. Kidd with a spinning toe hold but Shad shoots Kidd through the ropes to the floor. Shad is able to tag in JTG and he hits a shoulder from the apron and he rolls Kidd back into the ring. JTG with a flying shoulder and then he does a drop kick and hits a float around clothesline but Smith makes the save.
All four men are in the ring and then Natalya tries to get in but Eve pulls her from the apron. JTG with a Japanes choke into a back breaker for the three count.
Winners: Cryme Tyme
We see Rey Mysterio walking in the back as we go to commercial.
We are back and did you know that John Cena does a lot of work for the Make-A-Wish Foundation?
Rey Mysterio comes to the ring and he starts off by speaking in Spanish. He reminds everyone about what happened last week on Smackdown when he defeated Chris Jericho to retain the Intercontinental Title. Rey returns to the Spanish for the Miami crowd. He says that beating Chris Jericho felt great, but his celebration was cut short because of Dolph Ziggler and we go to the footage of the attack.
Rey says that he does not get it. Instead of making the challenge to his face like a man, Dolph had to jump him like a coward. Rey’s comments are interrupted by Dolph’s music and he comes out onto the stage. Dolph starts off by reminding everyone what his name is. After what he did to Rey last week, he says that it is a name that Rey and the fans will never forget. Rey asks Dolph if he wants to come out and make an impact and a name for himself. Dolph says that he did that. Rey wants to give Dolph the 411 that it won’t be at his expect. Rey says that Dolph isn’t the first person to dye their hair blonde, do a few sit ups. Rey says that he has been a performer, entertainer, and competitor his entire life. Rey says that he has beaten better. Dolph asks Rey if he thinks that Rey can beat him. Rey suggests that Dolph come into the ring right now and find out. Dolph says that when and if he fights Rey, it will be on his terms. Dolph says that if Rey thinks he has a chance against him, why doesn’t Rey put up his title at Night of Champions. Rey looks at the belt and he thinks about it for a minute and then he tells Dolph that he agrees with the people who say that Dolph sucks. Rey says that if it means that he gets to show everyone that Dolph is not on his level, Dolph has a title match. Rey tells Dolph that since he is so big on introductions, Rey says that he would love nothing better than to introduce Dolph to the 619. Rey tells Dolph to come to the ring.
Dolph walks to the ring and Rey is ready for a fight. Dolph gets to the ring steps and then he decides that it isn’t time. Rey hides behind a cameraman and Rey chases Dolph into the ring. Dolph is able to escape to the back and we go to commercial.
It is now time to go extreme for our next match.
We see footage from the match between Katie Lea Burchill and the Bellas.
Match Number Two: Katie Lea Burchill versus Brie Bella with Nikki Bella
Brie with a rollup for a near fall. Katie with a kick and forearm but Brie with a kick of her own. Brie with a flying mare but then she misses a running boot into the corner. Brie with a monkey flip and forearms. Katie with a back breaker for a near fall. Katie kicks Brie and then she sends Brie into the turnbuckles and snap mares Brie followed by a drop kick to the back for a near fall. Katie with an arm bar but Brie with forearms and clothesline. Brie continues the attack with drop kicks and then she gets kicked out of the ring. Nikki decides to lie down next to her sister and the referee and Katie are confused. They both get into the ring and the referee accidentally sends Brie to the floor. Nikki with a rollup for the three count.
Winners: The Bellas
We go to commercial.
We are back with an R Truth video package.
It is time for the vintage portion of Superstars and we go to Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler.
Who wants a Raw Rebound?
Match Number Three: Kofi Kingston versus Big Show
Kofi avoids a punch and he kicks Show in the leg. Show with a kick to a charging Kingston and Show follows that with a forearm to the back. Show kicks Kofi and then he chops the champion. Show with a head butt but Kofi with punches. Show responds with a vicious clothesline to Kofi. Show head butts Kofi out of the ring. Show pulls Kofi to the apron and then he connects with a chop that brings Kofi back into the ring. Show with a slam. Kofi with kicks to Show and a forearm. Show with a side slam for a near fall. Show with an Irish whip but Show takes too long charging into the corner and Kofi with a kick and then he hits a drop kick that sends Show into the corner. Kofi leaps onto the turnbuckles but Show with a reverse power bomb. Kofi with a drop kick to the knee and head. Kofi sets for the boop boop leg drop. Kofi sets for Trouble in Paradise but it was blocked by Show and Show with a choke slam for the three count.
Winner: Big Show
2010 - Lucha Libre USA: Masked Warriors debuted on MTV2, kicking off a run of seven episodes. Richard Trionfo filed the following TV report:
It is time for the debut episode of Lucha Libre USA: Masked Warriors. Your announcers are Nigel Sherrod and Lalo Gonzalez.
The ring girls come out with American and Mexican flags as they approach the six sided ring.
Match Number One: El Oriental, El Limon, and Neutronic versus The Puerto Rican Powers (PR Flyer and San Juan Kid) and Mascara Purpura
Neutronic and Purpura lock up and Purpura with a front face lock into a snap mare and reverse chin lock but Neutronic with an arm bar followed by a series of reversals. Purpura with an arm drag. They lock up again and Neutronic with a waist lock take down and elbow drop. Purpura with a leg sweep followed by an arm drag. Neutronic with an arm drag followed by a clothesline. Neutronic has something to say to the PR Powers on the apron and while that happens, Purpura returns to the ring and hits a springboard back splash and gets a near fall. Neutronic with a chop but Purpura with an Irish whip and he gets sent to the apron. Purpura with a chop from the apron and then he goes up top and hits an arm drag after doing a flip off the turnbuckles. Neutronic goes to the floor and Purpura teases a dive to the floor but he bounces off the ropes and returns to the center of the ring. El Limon and El Oriental attack Purpura and the Powers as Neutronic returns to the ring. All three men work over Purpura and Neutronic with a clothesline followed by a double chop by Limon and Oriental. Purpura goes to the floor and PR Flyer enters the match.
Neutronic with a clothesline and then Oriental and Neutronic hit running clotheslines into the corner followed by a running back elbow from Limon. Limon with a suplex and then Oriental and Neutronic hit splashes from the top turnbuckles. They hit a triple running kick to Flyer and he goes to the floor. San Juan Kid enters the match and he kicks Limon, Neutronic, and Oriental, but all three men work over San Juan Kid with kicks. Neutronic and Oriental with a double wheelbarrow slam to San Juan Kid and then they hit a triple drop kick. Purpura returns to the ring and he chops all three opponents but then they attack Purpura with another three on one attack. Purpura avoids the onslaught after being caught by Neutronic when he ducks a double chop and Neutronic goes down. Purpura with a handspring into a leaping back splash on Neutronic. San Juan Kid with a missile drop kick on Oriental while PR Flyer hits a cross body on Limon. Purpura is on the apron and he hits a corkscrew Asai Moonsault on Neutronic. The PR Powers with a double kick to Limon. Oriental kicks the Powers and then he drop kicks San Juan Kid in the knees.
Oriental holds San Juan Kid and PR Flyer for Limon but they move out of the way and Limon hits a drop kick on Oriental. San Juan Kid hits an alley oop double drop kick sending Oriental and Limon to the floor. PR Flyer hits a suicide dive onto Limon while San Juan Kid hits a flip plancha onto Oriental. Purpura and Neutronic are in the ring and Neutronic hits a suplex for a near fall. Neutronic with a kick but Purpura with a drop toe hold. Neutronic responds with a drop toe hold of his own into the turnbuckles. Neutronic misses a splash into the corner and Purpura hits a spinebuster. Purpura goes up top and hits a shooting star press but Limon and Oriental break up the cover. PR Flyer and San Juan Kid are Irish whipped into each other and they bump heads and that allows Limon and Oriental to get near falls on rollups. Limon hits a clothesline on PR Flyer and gets a near fall while Oriental hits a Northern Lights suplex on San Juan Kid. Oriental misses a splash into the corner on San Juan Kid and Kid hits a belly-to-back inverted suplex. PR Flyer hits an enzuigiri. PR Powers go up top and PR Flyer misses a 450 splash while San Juan Kid misses a corkscrew 450 splash. Limon hits a back senton from the turnbuckles on PR Flyer while Oriental hits a German suplex for a double pin.
Winners: El Oriental, El Limon, and Neutronic
We go to commercial.
We are back and El Oriental, El Limon, and Neutronic continue to celebrate and we see highlights from the match.
We go to comments on the video screen from R.J. Brewer, who is from Arizona. He says that when he grew up his mother taught him to have strong moral values. He says that is what he plans to bring to Lucha Libre USA. He says that there are some people in this company who might not be here properly. He says that he is sure that they are ruining the sport that he grew up loving. He says that he grew up watching traditional pro wrestling and he fell in love with that. Now they are ruining the sport by wearing masks hiding their identity, wearing capes, and doing backflips. He says that is not pro wrestling. He is going to use the values he was taught by his mother to make a statement.
We go to commercial.
Match Number Two: Pequeno Halloween and Chi Chi with Tigressa Caliente versus Mascarita Dorada and Mini Park
Dorada and Halloween start things off and Dorada avoids Halloween. They lock up and Halloween with a waist lock but Dorada with a side head lock into a front face lock. Halloween with an arm bar but Dorada with a drop toe hold. Dorada with a head scissors take down and arm bar into a cross arm breaker. Halloween picks up Dorada while he still has the arm bar applied. Dorada with a take down as he holds on to the arm bar. Halloween picks up Dorada again and Dorada holds on to the arm bar as they go back to the mat. Halloween with a near fall. Dorada with a sunset flip but Halloween rolls through and hits a drop kick. Halloween with an Irish whip but he misses the charge. Dorada hits a slingshot arm drag on Halloween. Dorada with a running shoulder block followed by a flip senton onto Halloween off the turnbuckles. Dorada is sent to the apron and Dorada with a springboard arm drag and Halloween goes to the floor and Mini Park is tagged in. Chi Chi also enters the match.
Park dances and Chi Chi with a kick and snap mare. Park with a springboard arm drag but Chi Chi hits Park from behind. Chi Chi tries to punch and kick Park in the corner but Park avoids him each time. Park with a hips toss and he loses his wig. Park with a drop kick and Chi Chi goes to the floor. Halloween enters the match and he hits a mule kick on Park. Halloween with a chop but Park with a kick. Halloween with a clothesline and he tries for another one but Park moves out of the way and Halloween goes to the floor. Park kicks Halloween into the guardrails and then Park dances in the ring. Dorada tags in and he hits a cross body on Chi Chi. Chi Chi with a kick followed by a suplex attempt but Dorada counters with a sunset flip attempt but Chi Chi blocks that. Dorada with a DDT on Chi Chi followed by a drop kick and Chi Chi goes to the floor. Halloween with a kick to Dorada. Dorada with a head butt from the top turnbuckles followed by kicks to the leg. Dorada with a satellite head scissors and Halloween goes to the floor and Dorada is a bit dizzy too. Dorada with an Asai Moonsault but back in the ring Chi Chi hits Park from behind. Park with a rana and Chi Chi goes to the floor. Tigressa attacks Park from behind while Chi Chi distracts the referee. Tigressa gives Park a power bomb and Chi Chi makes the cover for the three count.
Winners: Chi Chi and Pequeno Halloween
We go to commercial.
We are back with a highlights from the last match, focusing on the satellite head scissors by Mascarita Dorada.
We go to a video for Lujo Esquire, International Man of Luxury. We see at a pool with a bevy of women. He says that he doesn’t always buy expensive things. Sometimes he buys really expensive things.
Marco Corleone and Solid in the dressing room as Marco does push ups to prepare for his match while Solid is eating candy in between push ups.
Tinieblas Junior and Neutronic enter the dressing room and Tinieblas asks Marco (in Spanish) if he knows who he is because his mask is famous in the United States and Mexico. He says that he is going to show Marco that he is the man and that he will win the Lucha Libre USA Title Tournament. He is not going to let Marco beat him tonight.
Marco responds to Tinieblas (in Spanish as well) and he says that he knows who Tinieblas is and he knows his father. Tonight, he will be Tinieblas’s daddy.
Tinieblas tells Marco that he is in trouble now and they will settle it in the ring.
They leave Marco’s dressing room and we go to commercial.
Match Number Three: Marco Corleone with Solid versus Tinieblas Junior with Neutronic in a Lucha Libre USA Tournament Match
Tinieblas and Marco try to get the crowd behind them. Tinieblas with a kick and wrist lock take down but Marco with a punch. Tinieblas with an Irish whip but Corleone with a clothesline from the turnbuckles for a near fall. Corleone runs into a drop kick in the knee. Tinieblas works on the arm and he puts Corleone in an abdominal stretch but Corleone reverses and he gets a near fall with a rollup. They exchange punches and Neutronic hits Corleone from behind and then he comes into the ring and attacks Corleone. Solid tries to get in but he can’t get into the ring because he won’t let go of his donut.
Tinieblas chokes Corleone on the ropes and then he tells the referee to deal with Solid so that allows Neutronic to drop Corleone on the top rope. Tinieblas sends Corleone into the turnbuckles followed by a punch but Corleone with punches of his own. Tinieblas with a bicycle kick and he poses on the turnbuckles while ignoring Corleone. Tinieblas with a snap mare and running kick to the chest. Tinieblas with a fireman’s carry slam and then he goes to the turnbuckles and he hits a splash for a two count. Tinieblas pushes Corleone in the corner and then he chops Corleone, but Marco with a punch. Tinieblas with the Drop of Darkness for a near fall. Tinieblas with a chop and Irish whip but he runs into a boot. Neutronic grabs Corleone’s boot and then Marco breaks free while Solid hits Neutronic with a clothesline on the floor.
Back in the ring, Corleone throws Tinieblas to the floor and then he hits a plancha onto Tinieblas and Neutronic. They return to the ring but Neutronic grabs Corleone’s foot again. Solid takes care of Neutronic to allow Corleone to return to the ring. Tinieblas with an Irish whip but he misses a charge and Corleone with a rollup for the three count.
Winner: Marco Corleone
After the match, Lizmark Junior hits Corleone with a super kick while Sydistiko attacks Solid on the floor.
We see Tinieblas Junior, Lizmark Junior, Neutronic, and Sydistiko celebrate on the stage as we go to credits.
2010 - Former ECW World champion Jerry Lynn was inducted into the ECW Arena's Hardcore Hall of Fame today during a ROH on HDNet Television taping. The induction, which was an unadvertised surprise at the taping, was handled by Jim Cornette. Lynn's feud with Rob Van Dam for the ECW World Television championship in 1998-2000 was the highlight for many an event for the original Extreme Championship Wrestling. Lynn has worked for a number of promotions in the venue since ECW shut down, including ROH.
2010 - WWE broadcast Smackdown. Richard Trionfo filed the following TV report:
We start off tonight’s show with a look at last week’s show when Big Show demanded a rematch against Jack Swagger and Kane’s post match attack on Jack Swagger where he demanded for Swagger to admit to the attack on the Undertaker. Swagger asked for a week to produce his alibi.
We are live on tape from Louisville, Kentucky and your announcers are Matt ‘Doctor Dunkenstein’ Striker and Todd ‘Bluegrass’ Grisham.
As Kofi Kingston comes to the ring, Matt and Todd talk about the attack on Kofi Kingston after the battle royal on NXT.
Match Number One: Kofi Kingston versus ‘Dashing’ Cody Rhodes
Cody works on the arm with a hammer lock but Kofi with a reversal into a side head lock and take down. Rhodes with a head scissors and Kofi escapes the hold. They lock up and Kofi backs Cody into the corner and there is a clean break. Rhodes with a side head lock but Kofi with forearms to the ribs but Rhodes with a shoulder tackle. Kofi tries for a leaping butt bump as Cody comes off the ropes but Rhodes holds on to the ropes and Rhodes gets a near fall with a rollup. Rhodes with a forearm and then he sends Kofi into the turnbuckles. Rhodes and Kofi with kicks in the corner but Rhodes with the definite advantage. Kofi with an Irish whip and he punches Cody in the corner. Kofi rolls off and then he hits a European uppercut. Cody sends Kofi into the turnbuckles and then he drops Kofi on the top rope and then Cody sends Kofi to the floor with a knee lift as we go to commercial.
We are back and Rhodes has Kingston in an abdominal stretch. Kofi escapes the hold and punches Rhodes but Rhodes continues with the advantage after a side Russian leg sweep followed by a rolling knee drop. Rhodes with a punch to Kingston’s head and Kofi fights back but Cody returns to the abdominal stretch and he uses a claw on the abdomen to add extra pressure. Kofi tries for a hip toss to escape but Cody reverses it. Kofi with a head scissors take down to Rhodes as he tries to recover from the attack. Kofi with an elbow and forearm to Rhodes followed by a punch and chops. Kofi with a drop kick but he misses the leaping clothesline. Kofi with a spinebuster and the referee pulls Kofi off after he starts punching Rhodes. Kofi charges into an elbow from Rhodes in the corner. Rhodes goes to the turnbuckles for a bulldog and he gets a near fall. Cody runs into a pendulum kick from Kingston and then they fight on the turnbuckles. Cody tries for a superplex but Kofi knocks Cody off the turnbuckles and Kofi hits a cross body and both men are down.
Kane’s pyro goes off and he makes his way to the ring and Kofi kicks Kane but Kane is able to shake that off and he hits a choke slam on Kofi and then he gives Rhodes a choke slam.
Kane gets on the mic and he says that he has breaking news. There will be a bludgeoning tonight. He knows Jack Swagger and Jack Swagger is a liar. He says that Swagger will pay for his sins and Kane says that he will enjoy extracting his vengeance when he pronounces judgment on the condemned.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Did You Know that WWE is more popular on Facebook than the NFL, NHL, NASCAR, and Major League Baseball?
Matt and Todd turn their attention to the match between Rey Mysterio and Jack Swagger. They talk about Rey’s current medical condition and they talk about the torn ligament in Rey’s ankle. We go to footage from the last few weeks when Swagger put Rey in the ankle lock.
The doctor is talking to Rey about the brace on his ankle to provide his ankle with more support. Rey holds his title belt as Josh Mathews enters. He asks Rey how he is feeling. Rey says he is in an excruciating amount of pain even though the swelling has gone down. Rey says that it hurts when he stands up. Josh asks Rey how is he going to defend his title on Sunday at the pay per view. Rey says that he is not going to defend the title. He says that he has made his decision. He is going to go out and forfeit his title to Jack Swagger. Josh asks Rey if he is serious and Rey tells Josh that he is not serious. Rey says that he is not going to give up his title. Thanks to the support of the doctors and an ankle brace, it will give him the support to stand on his own two feet. It will allow Rey to continue to live his dream as World Champion. Rey speaks in Spanish and then he says that Jack showed him that it was a moment of desperation last week. He says that with the attack on the Undertaker, karma works in mysterious ways.
Jack Swagger is on the phone in his dressing room. He is telling the person he is on the phone with about what Rey Mysterio just said and he says that Rey is just as delusional as Kane. Jack thinks that he hears something. Jack wonders when the person on the phone is going to get there and he is told that they are stuck in traffic. Jack wonders how there could be traffic in Kentucky. He is told that this person will be at the building in thirty minutes. Jack is looking forward to putting this all behind him and moving on to Kansas City to win the World Title. Jack says that it is just like he taught always taught him.
We go to commercial.
We are back with the Money in the Bank video recap from Wrestlemania 21 when Edge won the initial one and then cashed it in at New Year’s Revolution.
Match Number Two: Drew McIntyre versus Christian
They look at the briefcase before Drew kicks Christian and follows that with forearms. He throws Christian to the floor and Drew goes after him. They fight on the apron with Christian connecting with a knee and Drew with a forearm. Christian with a pendulum kick that sends Drew to the floor and then Christian with a cross body onto Drew and both men are down. Christian sends Drew into the ring and Christian goes back up top and he hits a cross body for a near fall. Drew is in the ropes and Christian leaps onto Drew’s back to choke him. Christian goes to the apron but Drew drops Christian on the top rope. Drew gets a near fall. Drew sends Christian into the turnbuckles and then he punches Christian until the referee warns him. Drew with an arm bar and chin lock. Christian punches and slaps Drew and then connects with an elbow in the corner. Christian tries for a tornado DDT but Drew punches Christian and knocks Christian off the turnbuckles and Christian goes to the floor as we go to commercial.
We are back and Drew gets a near fall on Christian. Drew returns to the arm bar and then he punches Christian but Christian punches Drew. Drew runs Christian into the turnbuckles. Christian is put on the turnbuckles and Christian with a knee and then he hits the tornado DDT and he gets a near fall. Christian gets to his feet first and he punches Drew and he tries for a running forearm and Drew catches him. Christian counters and hits an inverted DDT and gets a near fall. Christian goes to the turnbuckles and hits a drop kick but only gets a two count. Drew punches Christian and pushes him into the corner. Christian with a drop toe hold and then Christian goes to the turnbuckles but he comes off and is met with a kick from McIntyre. Drew can only get a near fall on Christian. Drew catapults Christian into the turnbuckles but Christian with an elbow. Christian goes to the turnbuckles again but Drew stops him and Drew tries for a German suplex from the turnbuckles but Christian holds on to the turnbuckles and knocks Drew off. Christian with a sunset flip off the turnbuckles for a near fall. Drew with a neck breaker to the knee for a near fall.
Drew sets for the Future Shock DDT but Christian with a back body drop. Christian goes to the turnbuckles again and hits the corkscrew back elbow. Drew tries for Future Shock, but Christian counters and tries for the Killswitch but Drew gets to the ropes. On the break, Drew connects with a thumb to Christian’s eye and Drew sends Christian into the ropes and then hits the Future Shock DDT for the three count.
Winner: Drew McIntyre
We go to an Alberto Del Rio video package. He is reading a book and he says that he is proudest of his intelligence. It is fostered by his education. He attended the finest universities in Mexico, the United States, and abroad. It is said that knowledge is power. He says that so many have squandered their opportunities at a formal education. Alberto smells some wine and then says that higher education was like a lactating mother and he was a hungry baby consuming as much knowledge as possible. He says that is why he is the product of a superior education.
It is time for another look back at a successful Money in the Bank title cashing in. This time it is from 2009 when CM Punk won for the second time and when he cashed it in against Jeff Hardy at Extreme Rules.
The entire Straight Edge Society is in the ring, including the unknown masked man. Punk still has his arm in a sling and he tells everyone to be quiet. Punk says that everyone knows that he is a superior athlete who has built his reputation by winning back to back Money in the Bank matches. He has also built the foundation for a superior society through straight edge. While everyone is living in a society filled with cracks, they try to claim that there are cracks and dissention in the Straight Edge Society. There are none. They are all here, standing united. They are stronger than ever.
They are also interrupted by the Big Show and Punk wonders what he did to deserve this. Punk sees Show walking to the ring with a few ladders and he wants to know if his mic is still on.
Show sets up the ladders he brought to the ring and Punk wants to know if anyone can hear him on the mic. Show gets a mic of his own and Punk says that he is talking to the people and they are listening to him.
Show says that he thought Punk was putting everyone to sleep. He gets that Punk’s finisher is the Go To Sleep but his talking puts America to sleep. He says that CM Punk and the SES is America’s cure for insomnia. He wonders if SES stands for snoozing every second. Punk corrects Show on the name of the group. Show says that he is out here for Money in the Bank. He says that he is here to entertain everyone. Show then mocks Punk’s preaching of the straight edge lifestyle. Show says that we can talk about something exciting like a Money in the Bank match, that for the first time has a real walking, talking, fire breathing giant. Show says that sounds exciting to him.
Punk says that sounds exciting because he likes big car crashes. Punk says that he is looking forward to seeing Show climb the ladder and hit a 450. Show wonders if he means a 450 like Evan Bourne, but Punk means seeing a clumsy 450 pounds burbling down through the ring and to the center of the earth. Punk wants Show to sell him on a giant in Money in the Bank.
Show says that the Money in the Bank ladder match is one of the most dangerous matches in the WWE. First, he is going to be on top of a ladder and if he falls on someone, they are kaput. Show uses some visual aids and has a standard ladder. Show says that he is not confident in that ladder. He talks about the things flying around during a Money in the Bank match. Show starts to climb the ladder and he breaks the first rung he stands on. Show says that is a bit embarrassing. Show says that he doesn’t need a big ladder because he is seven feet tall. Punk comments on Show’s vertical leap while Show sets up a smaller ladder. Show looks at that ladder and says that it probably won’t work either. Show says that he is a giant and he breaks everything, including furniture, cars, and ex-girlfriends. He says that he doesn’t have small dogs because he is afraid that he will sit on one.
Show says that he has spared no expense and he brings out a special ladder that requires five men to carry it to the ring. Show says that he has a ladder that weighs more than 350 pounds and has a 2,000 pound weight limit. Punk says that this demonstration is getting boring. Show sets up Mega Ladder and he says that this is one fine piece of American ingenuity.
Punk wants to know if show and tell is done because he says that Show will look like King Kong on the Empire State Building. He reminds Show that King Kong fell off the Empire State Building. Punk says that if it wasn’t for Kane accusing him of a crime he did not commit and injuring him, Punk would not be in a sling and he would be climbing the ladder. Punk says that he would be unhooking the briefcase like he did two previous times.
Show is attacked from behind by Luke Gallows and the mystery SES member. Luke takes the small ladder and hits Show in the head. Punk enters the ring and he climbs the Mega Ladder and goes to the top. Show recovers from the prior attack and he throws Luke Gallows out of the ring. The other member of the Straight Edge Society tries for a cross body onto Show and Show catches him and presses the man onto Luke Gallows on the floor. Punk realizes that he is trapped and he begs for mercy. Show starts to climb while Punk kicks feebly at him. Show grabs Punk and he grabs Punk’s good arm and Show smiles as he pulls off Punk’s mask and Punk is bald. Show puts the mask on top of his head as we go to commercial.
We are back with a look back at the Straight Edge unveiling.
Jack Swagger is still on the phone and he tells the person on the phone that he should have been here by now. Swagger is told that the driver is lost. Swagger says that there are only two roads in the entire state. Swagger says that he cannot have Kane ruining his title match. He says that he needs the evidence and he needs it now. Swagger tells the person on the phone that he has never let him down before.
We take a look back at Layla interrupting Kelly’s interview last week.
Match Number Three: Layla and Trent Barreta with Caylen Croft versus Kelly Kelly and Chris Masters with Tiffany
The ladies start things off and Kelly with a slap and forearm. Kelly with kicks in the corner and the referee pulls Kelly out of the corner. Kelly tries for the handspring back elbow but Layla with a kick to stop her and Layla gets a near fall. Layla with a back breaker and then she stretches Kelly over her knee.
Rosa Mendes decides to use this time to skip rope to the ring.
Layla wants to know what is going on and Trent and Caylen turn the rope for Rosa. Layla gets outraged at what she sees her tag team partner doing and throws a hissy fit. Masters with clotheslines to Barreta and Croft on the floor and then Kelly with a kick to the midsection followed by the K2 for the three count.
Winners: Kelly Kelly and Chris Masters
After the match, Rosa is distraught over what she did and then she decides to back away slowly and then skips rope to the back.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Todd reminds us that every Money in the Bank winner has successfully cashed in their opportunity. We run through the card for Money in the Bank.
On his way to the ring, Matt Hardy wants to talk about the truth. He says that he feels as comfortable standing on top of a ladder as he does with his feet firmly on the ground. He says that on Sunday at Money in the Bank, when he grabs the briefcase, regardless of who the champion is, he is cashing in that night. Matt says that he will leave the pay per view as the World Champion.
We go to commercial.
We are back with a new Alberto Del Rio video package from the Del Rio Estate. Alberto walks into his house and he looks at a statue. He says that he is the bravest of the brave. He says that bravery is an extraordinary attribute that lies in the heart of extraordinary men. He says that bravery is more than facing overwhelming odds. It is more than spitting in the eye of adversity. Bravery involves breaking boundaries, abolishing cultural stereo types, and competing with so much passion and cajones that people say that you have changed their lives forever. They write letters, name their children after you, and sometimes send you gifts like the statue that is in front of him. He says that he is the bravest of the brave.
Match Number Four: Matt Hardy versus Dolph Ziggler with Vickie Guerrero
Ziggler with a waist lock and then he tries for the sleeper but Hardy fights off the attempts and Hardy with a front face lock and then he works on the arm and takes Ziggler to the mat. Hardy with a side head lock take down. Hardy with a shoulder tackle and gets a near fall. Hardy returns to the side head lock. Ziggler punches and kicks Hardy and the referee warns him. Hardy with a kick and he sends Ziggler into the turnbuckles. Hardy with an Irish whip but he runs into an elbow. Hardy tries to press Ziggler off the turnbuckles but Dolph punches Hardy. Dolph goes up top but he is met with a punch as he hit the mat. Hardy with a clothesline that sends Dolph over the top rope to the floor. Hardy goes to the floor as well and he sends Ziggler into the apron. Ziggler kicks Hardy into the ringside barrier and we go to commercial.
We are back and Ziggler with a side head lock and then he sends Hardy to the mat. Ziggler with a series of elbow drops and then he finishes it with a leaping elbow drop but he can only get a near fall. Ziggler with an arm bar on Hardy. Ziggler with a kick but Hardy with a sunset flip attempt but Ziggler stays on his feet and then he falls forward into the ropes to get the referee to get Hardy to release. Ziggler with a kick to the head followed by the leap frog neck snap for a near fall. Dolph chokes Hardy in the ropes and the referee warns him. Ziggler stands on Hardy’s head. Hardy with punches and a shoulder tackle but Ziggler stays on his feet. Ziggler with a kick and forearms that send Hardy to the mat. Hardy with clotheslines followed by a flapjack for a near fall. Hardy goes to the turnbuckles and he hits the screaming elbow to the neck but he can only get a near fall. Hardy tries for a Side Effect but Ziggler with elbows to get out of the hold. Ziggler tries for a Rocker Dropper but Hardy counters with a power bomb and gets a near fall.
Hardy goes to the turnbuckles again and he misses the moonsault, but he did graze Ziggler as he rolled out of the way. Ziggler with a rollup for a near fall. Hardy with a punch followed by the Side Effect but Ziggler gets his finger on the rope and the count stops. Ziggler puts Hardy in the sleeper but Hardy runs Ziggler into the turnbuckles. Vickie gets on the apron and argues with the referee. Ziggler misses a punch and Hardy tries for the Twist of Fate but Ziggler avoids it and he pushes Hardy towards Vickie and Vickie screams very loudly. Ziggler with the Zig Zag for the three count.
Winner: Dolph Ziggler
After the match, Ziggler points to the briefcase above the ring.
Todd and Matt talk about what happened during the Kingston/Rhodes match and Kane’s comments after the choke slams.
A limo arrives and Jack Swagger comes out to greet him. He talks about how it is always about the photo finishes with him and we see Swagger’s father. Jack asks if he has it. He gets a production assistant to take it to the truck while they walk into the building.
We are back and Did You Know that WWE has a number of awards from the military?
Jack Swagger comes to the ring and he is accompanied by his father. Jack says that it is an understatement that he has lived a fortunate life. When you have his genetics it is hard to get lost in the glamour and limelight. It is easy to lose sight of friends and family when you are constantly put on a pedestal against the top in the world. When you are being terrorized by a monster like Kane, you forget about things like winning back his World Title. He is going to clear the good name of Swagger and he is going to prove to Kane that he had nothing to do with the Undertaker. Swagger says on Memorial Day, even with Fatal Four Way looming, he was able to spend time with the man who made him the All American American American American. Jack says that on Memorial Day they did what Swaggers do best. That is win and look good.
Jack tells the people in the truck to go with Exhibit A. It is photos of Jack and his dad stretching and doing All American American American workouts. Jack asks his dad how many push ups he did and dad says at least 175 and Jack says that his dad is being modest because he probably did at least 300. We go to Exhibit B which is the Swaggers winning the blue ribbon at the Memorial Day Father-Son Classic. Jack asks his dad if it was a proud day and dad says that it was a proud day. It is time for Exhibit C and we see the Swaggers win the Oklahoma State Chicken Eating Contest. He says that they annihilated the record.
Kane’s pyro goes off and he comes to the ring while Striker figures that Swagger is innocent because of the photos. Kane tells Jack that he doesn’t know if it is the smug look on his face or the inner loathing he has for Jack, but he doesn’t believe a word he says. Swagger tells Kane that he has more evidence and Jack says that it is a photo of a 5K he ran and he points out that his dad came in second. The photo speaks for itself. Swagger says that he had nothing to do with the Undertaker. Kane grabs Jack by the throat and Swagger’s dad tells Kane that his son was with him on Memorial Day. Swagger hits Kane with the mic and he kicks Kane and he puts Kane in the ankle lock. Kane gets to the ropes but this is not a wrestling match so it doesn’t matter.
Rey Mysterio hobbles to the ring and he hits Swagger with a 619 while he has Kane in the ankle lock. Rey steps over Swagger as he leaves the ring. Kane grabs Swagger and his dad by the throat and Jack hits Kane and escapes but it is not enough to get his father out of Kane’s grasp. Kane looks at Jack while he gives Jack’s dad a choke slam. Jack hits the announce table and he is outraged that Kane would do that to his father. Swagger gets on the apron and he thinks about whether to get in the ring or not. Swagger walks away and Kane gives Swagger’s dad a tombstone piledriver. Swagger cannot believe what he just saw in the ring and we get pyro as we go to credits with Jack walking to the back.
2011 - WWE ran Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Gregory Davis filed the following results:
Justin Roberts was your ring announcer. AJ was your guest hostess. Attendance was well under 10,000.
1. Miz won the Money in the Bank Battle Royal to earn a WWE Championship match against John Cena.
2. Beth Phoenix and Eve Torres defeated the Bella Twins.
3. Intercontinental Championship: Ezekiel Jackson (c) defeated Cody Rhodes.
4. World Heavyweight Championship: Randy Orton (c) defeated Christian.
5. United States Championship: Dolph Ziggler (c) defeated Kofi Kingston and Evan Bourne.
6. Big Show and Kane defeated Justin Gabriel and Heath Slater.
7. WWE Championship: John Cena (c) defeated The Miz.
2012 - WWE broadcasts Raw. Richard Trionfo filed the following TV report:
We are live from Las Vegas, Nevada and your announcers are Michael ‘I have Trip Nines’ Cole and Jerry ‘Is this my week to beat up Heath Slater’ Lawler.
We begin with the man who will eventually face John Cena for the WWE Title and the man who was able to defeat Daniel Bryan at Money in the Bank. CM Punk makes his way to the ring.
Punk says that this might sound a little bit strange from someone who is straight edge, but he loves Las Vegas. Punk says that he has a lot of great memories. It was a year ago that he sat on this stage and dropped a pipe bomb that resonated throughout the world. It started a revolution. He said that he was the best and he has proven that he is the best in the world.
He beat everyone who stepped in front of him, even Daniel Bryan last night. There was a very very very very very very confused guest referee who didn’t know if she was with him or against him. Punk says that he cannot believe that it happened a year ago in this city.
Next week will be the 1000th episode of Raw and he says that he thinks about the first episode of Raw because a guy who looks, talks, and acts like him would never have been on that first show. Let alone standing in the ring in the midst of his eighth month as WWE Champion.
Punk says that he plans to stand in the ring and holding up the WWE Title belt as the champion.
Big Show’s music plays and he makes his way to the ring. Show applauds Punk as he goes down the ramp.
Show says that was a really touching story. The voice of the voiceless returns to the scene of the crime as the conquering hero. Show says that he was inches away from winning the Money in the Bank match.
Show tells the crowd that is chanting that he sucks is being rude. Show continues and says that the briefcase was in his grasp but John Cena was in the right place at the right time when the handle broke. Show says that if he had the contract he would cash it in right now.
Punk wouldn’t be walking out of here as the WWE Champion . . . he wouldn’t be walking.
Punk interrupts and he says that Show talks about almost winning last night, but Show did what he always did. He beat the crap out of everyone and left destruction in his wake only to lose. Show has everything it takes to be champion. Maybe Show should be Mr. Money in the Bank because he has the power and the size, but Show lost.
Punk says that he has the respect of the people and the title while Show has a big contract and the respect of no one.
Show says that the people do not respect Punk and they don’t even respect themselves. If Punk left the WWE tomorrow, Show gives them a week to move on to the next new thing. Show says that he doesn’t care if the people respect him or not. Show says that this company revolves around one man. Punk isn’t special, he is just another cog in the machine.
Punk says that he is the WWE Champion and Show is not. Show is a bitter, underachieving, albeit well paid, shell of a man who happens to be a giant.
Show tells Punk that is his opinion. As it relates to Punk’s WWE Championship, John Cena is Mr. Money in the Bank. Show says that after he knocks Punk out and loses the match, Punk could very well lose the Championship to John Cena. Show drops his mic and walks away.
Kofi Kingston, R Truth, and the figment of Truth’s imagination walk in the back as we go to commercial.
We are back with the usual Raw in Las Vegas music.
We have a poll to find out which secondary title you want to see defended next week on Raw 1000, the United States, Intercontinental, or Divas Title.
Match Number One: Kofi Kingston and R Truth versus Titus O’Neil and Darren Young with Abraham Washington for the WWE Tag Titles
Titus barks before locking up with Kofi and he connects with elbows in the corner followed by a European uppercut. Young tags in and he kicks Kofi. Young sends Kofi into the turnbuckles and then he argues with the referee. Kofi with a kick and punches followed by a drop kick. Truth tags in and they hit a double elbow drop. Kofi with a back heel kick followed by a split and the spinning leg drop.
Truth tags Kofi back in and Kofi with a springboard cross body for a near fall. Kofi with a drop kick to Titus when he tries to interfere. Truth and Kofi with stereo baseball slides. Abe checks on his men but Kofi with a flip dive onto Titus and Darren as we go to commercial.
We are back and Darren with a waist lock on Kofi. Kofi knocks Titus off the apron and then he tries to make the tag but Young catches him. Kofi tries for a sunset flip but Titus tags in and he kicks Kofi. We see footage from the commercial break when Kofi got knocked off the apron. Titus with a bear hug on Kofi.
Kofi with head butts to get out of the hold but he goes to the wrong corner. Titus with shots to the lower back to continue to wear Kofi down. Young tags back in and he puts Kofi over the apron so Abe can fix Darren’s fro. Young with forearms and then he tags in Titus.
Truth tags in and he hits a drop kick to the knee followed by a punch and leg lariat and DDT. Truth gets a near fall but Young interferes. Truth clotheslines Young over the top rope. Abe distracts the referee and that allows Kofi to hit Trouble in Paradise on the apron and then Truth hits the Little Jimmy for the three count.
Winners: Kofi Kingston and R Truth
After the match, Abe argues with the referee and he sounds like he could be doing commentary on Fridays.
AJ Lee is in the back and Daniel Bryan stops by. AJ says that she is sorry if Daniel doesn’t like what happened last night. Daniel says that he is sorry for what he said since Wrestlemania. Daniel says that he got so caught up in trying to beat Punk that he made her the scapegoat. Daniel says that he can finally tell her . . .
Eve stops by and Daniel says that they are in the middle of things. Eve says that she protested to get another tag match. She picks her partner to face Daniel and AJ.
AJ wants to know what Daniel wanted to say. He says that he will tell her after they win their match tonight. Bryan kisses AJ on the cheek and leaves.
We go to commercial.
We are back and it is time to see the first Tout video that John Cena sent out about his favorite Raw moment.
Match Number Two: Zack Ryder versus Alberto Del Rio with Ricardo Rodriguez
Del Rio with a kick and punches to Ryder. Del Rio with kicks to the midsection but he runs into an elbow from Ryder. Ryder with a boot and punches. Del Rio with a divorce court and then he kicks Ryder in the shoulder and uses the ropes for extra leverage. Del Rio with a boot to the shoulder on the floor. Del Rio sends Ryder into the ringside barrier.
Ryder runs Del Rio into the apron and then he kicks Del Rio. Del Rio sends Ryder shoulder first into the ring post and then he applies the cross arm breaker and Ryder taps out.
Winner: Alberto Del Rio
After the match, Del Rio applies the cross arm breaker again but Rey Mysterio’s music plays and he is back.
Rey comes to the ring and Del Rio kicks and punches Rey. Del Rio lets up and Rey with a forearm and kicks. Rey with a rana that sends Alberto into the ropes because it is Rey and Alberto is stuck to the ropes so he cannot escape before Rey hits the 619.
It is time to take a look at Heath Slater’s favorite Monday Night Moment. He talks about facing Vader, being in the ring with Cyndi Lauper, wrestling with Sid and Doink, learning about the Diamond Cutter from DDP, and having wings with Bob Backlund.
We see the door of the Raw legend and the person who has the honor of defeating Heath Slater.
We go to commercial.
Heath Slater is in the ring as we await the blast from the past to ruin his Monday night. Heath wonders who will it be this week. He knows a Raw legend is about to come out.
Match Number Three: Rikishi versus Heath Slater
Slater with a slap to the back of the head and he gloats. Rikishi with a savate kick and it is stinkface time. Rikishi with the Samoan spike and then it is time for the Bonzai Drop and the three count.
Winner: Rikishi
After the match, Rikishi’s dance party is joined by his sons Jimmy and Jey Uso.
We go to commercial.
We are back and we see why we are getting another mixed tag match.
Eve introduces her tag team partner and he is Awesome.
Match Number Four: Eve Torres and Miz versus Daniel Bryan and AJ Lee
The men start things off and they lock up with Bryan applying a side head lock. Miz backs Bryan into the corner and he misses a punch. Bryan with kicks of Yes in the corner. Miz with a knee to the midsection followed by a boot to the head.
AJ tags in and that means it is time to see Eve in action. They lock up and Eve sends AJ to the corner and Eve with kicks. Eve with a snap mare and a kick to the upper chest for a near fall. Eve chokes AJ in the ropes and then Eve picks up AJ for a reverse chin lock while sitting on the top turnbuckle.
AJ with a forearm and kick followed by a spinning heel kick and kick to the leg. AJ with a Shining Wizard but Miz distracts the referee and he misses the count. AJ drop kicks Miz off the apron. AJ smiles at Miz and Miz likes it.
Eve with an inside cradle but Bryan pushes AJ over when the referee deals with Miz and AJ gets the three count.
Winners: Daniel Bryan and AJ Lee
After the match, Daniel gets on the mic and he tells AJ that there is something that she used to tell him. It was something that he was always too scared and too stupid to say back. He says that his career and state of mind as well as his entire life won’t be right until he says this.
Daniel tells AJ he loves her.
AJ thinks about what Daniel just said while Daniel says that last week he asked her a question because he wanted to become the WWE Champion. This week, he doesn’t want anything except this . . . Daniel gets on his knee and he asks AJ to marry him.
Daniel puts it on her finger and AJ doesn’t know what to say. AJ says yes. Daniel and AJ kiss. Daniel and AJ do stereo Yeses.
We go to commercial.
We are back with a Raw 1000 Memorable Moment: The night that the Rock stole the Smoking Skull belt and threw Austin and the belt into the river.
We are reminded that the DX Reunion will open Raw next week. That will be the opening act for the wedding of Daniel Bryan and AJ Lee.
Match Number Five: Jack Swagger versus Ryback
Swagger with kicks and punches to Ryback followed by a Doctor Bomb and then Swagger with the double jump Swagger Bomb. Swagger applies the ankle lock on Ryback but Ryback kicks out of the hold. Swagger with a shoulder tackle to Ryback. Ryback kicks Swagger away on another ankle lock attempt and then Ryback with a lariat and then he hits a spinebuster and then he picks up Swagger for a few powerbombs. Ryback kicks Swagger out of the ring.
We go to commercial.
We are back and it is time to talk about John Cena’s Tout announcement about the briefcase and how it will be made tonight on Raw.
Jerry and Michael wonder what the big announcement is.
Before we get the WWE Title Money in the Bank winner, it is time for Vickie Guerrero to introduce the man who won the World Title Money in the Bank briefcase.
Dolph comes to the ring with Vickie and he has something to say. Dolph reminds everyone that the briefcase has always been cashed in successfully. Dolph says that we are looking at the next World Champion. He says that it is a matter of time when he cashes in on Sheamus. At that time, he will become the greatest World Champion in history.
He will be better than Bret Hart, Steve Austin, The Rock. He will be the greatest.
Chris Jericho interrupts and he makes his way to the ring.
Ziggler cuts of Jericho and he tells Chris that tonight is not about him. Chris will not steal his spotlight or moment. Ziggler reminds Chris that he won his Money in the Bank match while Chris lost. Dolph asks Chris when did he last win something.
Dolph says that all he has heard since Chris came back is how great he is and how he is going to save us, how he is the best in the world at what he does, and how he will save us from the end of the world. What Chris does is lose. No one has been given more opportunities and main event matches than Chris Jericho. Chris has been coasting so long that he has everyone fooled. He says that Jericho is all hype.
He asks Chris when was the last time that he won an important match. He says that Chris cannot remember. Is it possible that Chris is losing his touch and that he can’t win the big one any more? The great Chris Jericho? Is Chris losing his touch. He says that he thinks Chris is losing his touch.
Jericho with a Codebreaker and Ziggler is out.
Jericho walks out of the ring without saying anything.
We go to commercial.
We are back with some of the Tout videos of fan’s favorite Raw moments.
We have a wedding next week and also Degeneration X gets to be the opening act for the greatest nuptials in WWE history. Rock and Brock Lesnar will also be in the wedding party.
Next week, the Intercontinental Title will be defended on Raw.
Match Number Five: Brodus Clay with Funkettes versus JTG
They lock up and Clay sends JTG to the mat and he shimmies. Clay with a shoulder tackle followed by a punch to the midsection. Clay with a million dollar knee lift followed by a suplex and elbow drop. Clay with an Irish whip but JTG gets his boot up and then he goes for the leg and clips Clay.
JTG with boots to the leg and then he works on the back with forearms. JTG with kicks to the head and he mocks Clay. Clay with punches but JTG with forearms and a front face lock. Clay gets to his feet and JTG kicks the knee and hits a drop kick. Clay catches JTG and hits the sheeeplex and the head butt to the chest.
Clay with a splash for the three count.
Winner: Brodus Clay
After the match, the children of Las Vegas get to dance with Brodus and the Funkettes.
We see Donald Trump’s favorite Raw moment and it was the night that Vince revealed his new hairdo after Wrestlemania 23.
We go to commercial.
Match Number Six: CM Punk versus Big Show
Punk avoids Show and he gets in a few kicks but they don’t really impact Show. Show backs Punk into the corner but Punk escapes with a shot to the shoulder from Show. Punk with kicks and foreams but Show with a head butt. Show with a chop in the corner. Punk with punches to Show but Show with a shoulder tackle. Show stands on Punk’s back. Show goes to the floor and he puts Punk over the apron and he connects with a chop.
Punk punches Show but Show with a head butt and Show breaks the referee’s count. Show wants to run Punk’s shoulder into the ring post but Punk sends Show into the post. They return to the ring and Punk with kicks. Show stops Punk with a head butt.
Show with a punch to the midsection and then he chokes Punk with his boot. Show with an Irish whip but he runs into a boot from Punk. Punk comes off the turnbuckles but Show catches Punk and then he slams Punk. Show punches Punk in the ribs. Show with a punch to the ribs. Punk with a chop and forearms and then he climbs Mount Show and applies a sleeper.
Show counters with a side slam. Show climbs the turnbuckles for an elbow drop but Punk moves. Punk with a kick to the chest followed by a clothesline or two. Show stays on his feet and Punk with more clotheslines and a kick. Show with a back body drop. Show signals for the punch but Punk avoids it. Punk with a round kick to the shoulder followed by an enzuigiri and a drop kick that sends Show into the corner.
Punk with a running knee in the corner and he hits a second one. Punk goes for a third one and he connects. Punk sets for the bulldog but Show pushes him out of the way. Show misses a splash into the corner and Punk goes up top for the elbow drop and he hits it and gets a near fall.
Punk is sent to the apron the kick out by Show and Punk sets for the springboard clothesline. Show catches Punk and hits the chokeslam but Punk gets his foot on the rope. Show sends Punk into the corner and Show punches Punk in the ribs and then he sends the referee to the mat and the referee calls for the bell while Show continues to kick Punk.
Winner: CM Punk by disqualification
Show with a slam after the match and Show wants to knock out Punk. John Cena comes to the ring with the briefcase and Show leaves the ring.
Cena gets on the mic and he says that he was going to make a huge announcement for tonight’s Raw about the briefcase. John says that he is going to . . .
Big Show says that we know his announcement. Show says that Cena is going to cash in the briefcase now. Show wants to know if Cena is going to do it because it has been so long that he has been the champion. Show reminds Cena that this is the belt that he helped to design so he would be a fool not to cash in.
Show says that Cena will never have an easier championship victory than now.
John Cena tells CM Punk that he has one week to prepare for the biggest match of his life. Punk has been champion for 239 days so next week when both men are fresh, we will see who is the best in the world. Cena will cash in next week for his WWE Title Match.
Show tells Cena to cash in.
Cena says that his huge announcement for tonight regarding the briefcase is . . .
Cena knocks Show off the apron with the briefcase.
2013 - Ric Flair’s ex-wife, Jacqueline Beems, turned herself in to the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office this morning, answering the warrant issued claiming she harassed Flair's current girlfriend Wendy "Fifi The Maid" Barlow Kidder last October. She was wanted on a the misdemeanor charge for allegedly making harassing phone calls to Flair's girlfriend. Flair and Beems were married at the time.
2013 - TNA announced that they had released Tara, real name Lisa Marie Varon.
2013 - An order for arrest was issued for Ric Flair. Flair was ordered to pay $4,000 a month in spousal support to his fourth ex-wife Jacqueline Beems, who ironically has a misdemeanor charge of harassment against Flair's current girlfriend filed against her. In July 2013, a contempt charge was filed against Flair, who is more than $32,000 in arrears in spousal support payments. The order for arrest was issued on July 3rd but Flair would have been able to avoid jail time if he paid the $32,352.51 that he owes. To date, the warrant is active, preventing Flair from returning to Charlotte, NC, where he's lived for many decades. Flair now lives in Atlanta, GA.
2014 - The Rock appeared on Sports Nation and discussed the idea of returning to a WWE ring. He noted that the original plan was to wrestle Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania 30 and then possibly return for a rematch at Wrestlemania 31, but his injury changed plans.
2018 - Masa Saito passes away. Mike Johnson penned the following:
Japanese wrestling publication Weekly Pro Wrestling broke the sad news this morning that former AWA World Champion Masa Saito, who had an incredible career that spanned the United States and Japan, passed away due to complications from Parkinson's Disease. Saito was 76 years old.
Saito first broke into professional wrestling after representing Japan in freestyle wrestling, during the 1964 Summer Olympics, where he placed seventh. He was broken into the business by Hiro Matsuda and was well known for a very physical style that included lots of suplexes, to the point that one variation of the move (popularized in the United States by Shawn Michaels as his original finisher after turning heel in 1992) has been commonly referred to as the Saito Suplex. He was also the originator of what is now known as the Sharpshooter. Saito was a brutish wrestler, who brought hard physicality with his clotheslines Everything he did looked legitimately painful and he was an excellent in ring performer, to the point that nothing I am about to write will properly convey his excellence and importance.
Saito ventured to the United States and Canada, working for a number of NWA territories in the 1960s and '70s, where he played the Japanese foreign heel, an easy character to get heat in the decades that followed World War II. Everywhere Saito went, he was an important part of that territory as a villain. He teamed with Kenji Shibuya to win the San Francisco version of the World Tag Team Championship. He held the NWA Hollywood Beat the Champ title twice. He captured the Florida Championship and held it for several months and also teamed with Ivan Koloff for a run with the Florida Tag Team Championship. In Vancouver, Saito teamed with Gene Kiniski to win the Canadian Tag Team Championship.. He held the Alabama Heavyweight Championship several times.
Saito moved to the World Wrestling Federation in 1981. Managed by Lou Albano, Saito teamed with Mr. Fuji, playing the foreign menace villain role. They captured the WWF Tag belts several times, feuding with Jay and Jules Strongbow. Bully Ray noted today that the first match he ever saw was with Saito and it made him want to become a tag team wrestler. WWE acknowledged Saito's passing shortly after it was announced.
After his WWF run, Saito moved on to Verne Gagne's AWA where he and Jesse Ventura teamed as the Far East-West Connection and worked a lot with Hulk Hogan, but the run would turn out to really be the end of a pretty long, successful run in the United States as his career was halted following a conviction for battery of a police officer that led to Saito being sentenced to serve two years in prison.
In 1984, Saito and Ken Patera were arrested after an April 1984 incident where they had attempted to get food at a McDonalds in Wisconsin, but were turned away as the restaurant was closed. Someone through a small boulder through the McDonald's window. Patera later claimed that Saito wasn't even at the McDonald's and that another person threw the rock. Police arrived to investigate at their hotel. The claim from the police was that Saito wasn't cooperating when he was questioned, which if you think about where the wrestling business was at that point, it wasn't likely a foreign heel was going to break kayfabe to anyone. The situation turned ugly with the wrestlers getting into a huge brawl with the police, some of whom were badly injured. One officer was knocked out and when a second wave of police arrived, Patera and Saito were brawling with two other police officers. In the end, Patera and Saito were subdued and arrested. It was the end of Saito's full-time career in the United States.
After being released from prison, Saito returned to Japan, where he worked for All Japan and New Japan Pro Wrestling. In New Japan, Saito feuded with Antonio Inoki, including a memorable 1987 Island Death match on Ganryujima Island that allegedly lasted two hours in a battle all over the Island, which of course, Inoki won.
Saito won the AWA World Championship from Larry Zbyszko at a New Japan Dome Show in February 1990, having a short run with the title before losing it back to Zbyszko. Saito also made appearances in WCW as part of that company's working agreement with New Japan. He did commentary for New Japan and was involved in many facets of New Japan.
Saito retired in 1999. He was diagnosed with Parkinson's the following year but still made appearance from time to time, including a convention appearance in Los Angeles where he reunited with Fuji for the last time.
On behalf of everyone associated with PWInsider.com, we'd like to express our deepest condolences to Saito's friends, family and fans.
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