WWE Raw presents Bad Blood - 06/13/04
by Scott Christ
One year ago at Bad Blood, HHH retained the world heavyweight title by beating Kevin Nash in a Hell in a Cell match with Mick Foley as the guest referee; Chris Jericho proved his excellence by carrying Goldberg to a good match; Ric Flair and Shawn Michaels squared off in a BATTLE OF LEGENDS; Scott Steiner won Stacy Keibler; Rodney Mack and Christopher Nowinski were a bizarre tag team; and Steve Austin and Eric Bischoff had their legendary Redneck Triathalon.
Live on June 13, 2004 from the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.
I missed most of Heat and the entrances for the match, but got back into the room right as the bell rang. Hooray for timing.
BATISTA (310, homeless according to the Heat recap) v. MAVEN (230, Charlottesville, VA): Your referee is Chris Kay. Batista catches a Maven kick and hits a spinebuster pretty much right out of the gate, then flexes at him. Forearm to the back and a vertical suplex - 1, 2, kickout. Batista with a half-crab, but Maven comes back with a flurry of rights. "Go down!" Dropkick doesn't work either. Maven kicks up in the corner, he's caught and dumped to the apron. Maven with a shoulderblock and some forearms, up top, flying dropkick! 1, 2, kickout with authority. Boot up in the corner, up top again, Maven comes off, and BAM, Batista just punches him right in the face. Batista is great. Sit-out power bomb! 1, 2, 3. (03'43")
One last hype job for Hell in a Cell and we head to the PPV portion of tonight's card.
"Tonight, battles will be waged. Blood will seep from the souls of gladiators. And warriors will be changed forever. To eliminate his greatest foe, a man who wields rage and hatred to destroy opponents, must become rage, become hatred. To conquer hell, one man must set aside his beliefs and become vengeance, become sin. To slay the monster, the champion must himself become a monster. To become a champion, the malicious beast must evolve into pure evil. Tonight, men will descend into hell to settle old scores and seek new beginnings. No man will be left unscathed. And although victorious, the hearts of those who survive their transformation, will forever be tainted with Bad Blood."
And now, Raw and Subway present WWE Bad Blood. The demonic Hell in a Cell is here! It'll end in HELL. Your hosts are JIM ROSS and JERRY THE KING LAWLER. If you're Spanish, your hosts are HUGO SAVINOVICH and CARLOS CABRERA.
WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH - LA RESISTANCE (champions, combined 477, Province of Quebec) v. EDGE (1/2 challengers, 250, Toronto, ON) & CHRIS BENOIT (1/2 challengers, world heavyweight champion, 229, now residing in Atlanta, GA): Edge is going for what would be a record 10th world tag team title reign. Row-BEAR Conway told Lilian on Heat that his name is not Rob, it's Row-BEAR. Cute bit as Benoit comes in holding up the world heavyweight title belt so Conway holds up his world tag team title belt. Your referee is Jack Doan. Grenier and Edge are going to start us off, and that they do with headlocks and the like. Edge with a heel trip, tag to Benoit. In JR's view, it all started for Benoit when he won the Royal Rumble. Benoit is in briefly before tagging back out. Tag to Row-BEAR Conway. Edge with a couple chops and Benoit is tagged back in, assumedly to answer, and he does. Row-BEAR throws one back, but another one puts him down. Back suplex, cover, 2. Tag back to Edge. Conway with a headlock, tag to Grenier. Edge ends up taking Conway off the apron, which opens his back for Grenier to send him to the floor. Conway rams him into the wall and throws him back in. Cover, 2. Conway tags in and works Edge over in his corner. Conway works on the neck. Grenier tags in and right when he's about to drop something (leg or knee or elbow to the neck) the camera changes and I can't tell what it is. More work on the surgically-repaired neck of Edge. Conway back in and he's hammering away in a mounted position. Oh, how lewd. Quick tag to Grenier and Lawler speculates on Benoit staying out of the match on purpose because he has a match with Kane later tonight. Chinlock from Grenier. Off the ropes, spinning heel kick from Edge, both men down and the count is on. Conway comes in to knock Benoit from the apron, and the champs go for a double vertical suplex, but Edge lands on his feet and gets a double reverse neckbreaker. Edge goes to make the tag and Benoit's not there. Benoit gets up and makes the tag. Snap suplex on Conway and his legs hit Grenier. Release German on Grenier! Release German on Conway! Conway dumped to the floor, snap suplex on Grenier. Sharpshooter! Conway saves and Edge is back up to go after Row-BEAR. Edge sets for the spear on Grenier, who moves, and Edge puts the brakes on before hitting Benoit. Grenier charges, Edge ducks, and Benoit has the crossface locked on. Spear on Conway! It's KANE! The indestructible Grenier won't tap out as Kane lumbers to the ring, and now he's in and he kicks Benoit in the face for the DQ. (10'13") Chokeslams for Benoit and Edge, and then he whips Benoit into the steps outside. This certainly puts a damper on Benoit's chances later tonight!
Backstage, JONATHAN COACHMAN gets instruction from ERIC BISCHOFF to get rid of Eugene tonight. Also, Regal is barred from ringside. This is overheard by EUGENE himself. "You don't like me, Uncle Eric." Eugene misunderstood Uncle Eric, he's just looking out for him, he doesn't want him to get hurt. Eric gives Eugene a choice - he can get some autographs and go home and tell his friends he was in WWE, or he can wrestle. Well, he'll wrestle. That's TONIGHT!
It's the Cell!
CHRIS JERICHO (230, Manhasset, NY) v. TYSON TOMKO (285, Jacksonville, FL, with Trish Stratus): Tomko just uses Christian's music for now and he's in black underwears that feature a TRIBAL DESIGN and boots. Your referee is Chad Patton. Tomko brawls right away and Jericho ducks a clothesline. Many chops. Tomko telegraphs a backdrop and gets kicked, but a clothesline puts Jericho down. To the corner and Tomko blatantly chokes. Corner whip, corner charge, boot up, Jericho with a second-rope dropkick. Tomko to the apron, springboard dropkick puts him on the floor. Tomko catches Jericho "jumping" off the apron, but Jericho sends him into the post. Back in, and Jericho goes up top. Trish distracts and Tomko presses Jericho, then drops him down into a gutbuster, working the ribs that were injured in the table power bomb three weeks ago. Tomko stays on the ribs as Lawler comments on Trish's breasts. Tomko with a BOSS MAN SLAM and it gets a two-count. Bearhug and Tomko isn't near as bad as one would expect given his 200 missed big boots leading up to this match, but he's also not any good. Slam out of the bearhug, Tomko is strong! Also, menacing, as I can tell from his blazin' tattz. Chops and Jericho hits a forearm and the Modified Bulldog. Lionsault flat out misses, which is extremely rare, as usually he either hits it, the other guy gets his knees up, or he lands on his feet. Tomko with a nice shoulderbreaker for another two-count. Press slam #2, this time Jericho rakes the eyes and hits a chop block. Walls of Jericho gets countered with a kick, knee in the corner misses, another chop block. Walls of Jericho attempted again, this time Trish is on the apron and it distracts Jericho long enough for Tomko to leg-strength his way out. Tomko runs into Trish by accident, enzuigiri hits! 1, 2, 3. (06'04")
Here is a shot of the beautiful Nationwide Arena in shitty Columbus. Bad Blood is brought to you by Subway. 3 Weeks Ago, Shelton pinned Orton in a tag match. 2 Weeks Ago, Shelton pinned Orton in a non-title match. Last Monday, Batista beat Shelton and Shelton received a beatdown. At least JR is calling it a t-bone now.
Backstage, TODD GRISHAM is with RANDY ORTON. Later tonight, he'll face Shelton Benjamin. "You know what, Todd, you know what, Todd - let, let me ask YOU a question. Okay, what, what's tomorrow, WHAT - is tomorrow known for? Well, that's exactly right, you don't know, I'm gonna tell ya. Okay, tomorrow marks the half-year anniversary that I've been the intercontinental champion. Okay? I've had the longest reign with this title in the last seven years, okay? And the last pay-per-view that I was on, I left Mick Foley in a pool of his own blood. Okay, I beat him at his own game. Now granted, Shelton Benjamin is a better athlete than Mick Foley. There's something that I have that Shelton Benjamin will never have, and that - is greatness. I am a living legend. I - are you people booing me?! You people disagree with me?! Oh, okay, like, like you people know what greatness is! You pe - I'm 24 years old and I've accomplished WAY more than anyone in that arena, anyone in that arena put together, okay? Keep talking smack, test me, I will come out there. I WILL come out there okay but anyway, Todd, as I was saying - okay, know what? Know what, you get it, camerman! Follow me, follow the IC champ, we're goin' for a walk. You people wanna boo me? You people know who I am? I am Randy Orton! Third-generation superstar! You people are in for a treat, you want me to come out early? Fine! Have it your way! Get a look at greatness! Get a look at greatness! Huh?! Have a look! Have a freaking look!" Orton is in the crowd. "You're looking at the man that ended Mick Foley's career! You're looking at the man that spit in Mick Foley's face! You people have your jobs, your people have your jobs, sure you work hard! You work hard for that raise! You work hard to become that employee of the month! That's greatness to you. But this is real greatness. You're looking at real greatness, people! That's just my point! That's just my point! There's millions of people like you! There's millions of people - (stops to notice a hot babe) - there's millions of people like you, and that's just my point, y'see, Randy Orton is one in a million." Now he's in the ring. "Greatness has entered the ring, thank you very much, you may bow at will! Now about my match later tonight, about my match with Shelton Benjamin, I want the respect I deserve from each and every one of you! I want you to stand up on your feet and respect Randy Orton, respect me! Because I am Randy Orton, and I'm the living legend! I am a living legend. (slip on the buckles) As well - as well as the intercontinental champion, thank you very much!"
Orton's music is cut off by that of SHELTON BENJAMIN. "Do you ever shut up? There's not a person in this buildin' that gives a DAMN what you have to say! That's right - but I tell you what, since you're out here right now, and I see you got your gear on, and I got my gear on, I say we forget dat 'later tonight' B.S. that you were spittin'. I say we do this right - now!" So we will!
INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH - RANDY ORTON (champion) v. SHELTON BENJAMIN (challenger): Your referee is Jack Doan and we've got a quick roll-up attempt by Benjamin - 1, 2, kickout. Dropkick and Orton bails. He grabs his belt from Lillian and he's ready to leave. Pretty big "Randy" chant as Shelton hits a baseball slide. I do like the touch of bringing up the Intercontinental Championship graphic late, to sell that this is impromptu. Orton takes control with a corner whip, but his charge misses and Shelton gets a nice armdrag. Clothesline from Benjamin, cover, 2. On the floor and Shelton snake eyeseseses him over the apron. JR says Shelton knows he can't win on the floor, and Lawler is pretty great when he wants to be: "He doesn't act like he knows it. I think he just thinks that the referee'll say, 'Well, I can't count out young Shelton Benjamin, he's such a star of the future here.'" Back in and Shelton gets an inside cradle for two as the "Randy" chant goes up again. Sunset flip, Orton gets the ropes. Clothesline and Orton is back out again. Vertical suplex back in, cover, 2. There's just nothing about Shelton Benjamin that any other good natural athlete (and Shelton is a great one without a doubt) couldn't do with his experience level. He has some nice offense, but it's just moves moves moves. He hasn't gotten the psychological part down at all yet, and you've got to go back in time and applaud HHH not only for putting him over pretty clean right off the bat when he came to Raw, but for making him look better than he is. Shelton misses the Stinger splash and falls to the floor, which gives Orton the opportunity to take over, and he quickly goes to the wacky wrenching chinlock. Benjamin gets him up in the electric chair and drops. Both down for a four-count, cover by Shelton, 2. Orton gets him up on the shoulder and drops down into a neckbreaker. Orton covers and gets two. Let us wrench on another chinlock. Shelton elbows away, Orton scoops aaand slams. Up top, Orton's frog crossbody doesn't find the mark. Northern lights suplex from Benjamin - 1, 2, kickout. Trade of rights and it breaks down into a slugfest, which would be super cool if it didn't break down into slapfighting. The thought was there. Shelton with a shoulderblock that sounded lovely, backdrop from Benjamin. Shelton goes up and the flying clothesline connects - 1, 2, shoulder up. Russian legsweep from Benjamin, another two-count. RIC FLAIR made his way down at some point, I forgot to mention or else just didn't notice. Dragon whip from Benjamin makes another lovely noise. Cover, 2. Stinger splash! T-bone hits! There's very noticeable booing. Flair puts the foot on the ropes and Orton is saved. Benjamin decides to give chase as Flair heads up the ramp, and now he's sending Flair into the ring. They miscommunication immediately and look like morons. Flair is backdropped and eats a Stinger splash, which JR doesn't ignore. Another for Orton, clothesline on Flair and Shelton gets the figure-four on Ric Flair, which is overwhemlingly booed. Orton tries to take advantage but he's cradled - 1, 2, no! That would've been a good finish. Double clothesline on both of them and Flair rolls out. Roll-up, another near-fall. Shelton up top again, crossbody hits, Orton rolls through and pulls the tights - 1, 2, 3, Randy Orton retains. (15'03") This was not what you'd hope for at this point from Orton, who is now in the position to carry a guy like Shelton Benjamin, and though he tried, it just didn't work out. It was definitely a notch better than their Raw match, which I thought stunk.
Backstage, LITA is wished luck by MATT HARDY and they make out. Bischoff comes in with security and throws Hardy out because he doesn't want him interfering in the world title match. Bischoff gives Matt a choice - leave the building, or have Lita removed from the women's title match. Matt leaves.
The official theme song of Bad Blood is "Sold Me" by Seether
Hell in a Cell later!
FATAL FOUR-WAY FOR THE WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP - TRISH STRATUS (challenger, Toronto, ON, with Tyson Tomko) v. GAIL KIM (challenger, Korea) v. VICTORIA (champion, Los Angeles, CA) v. LITA (challenger, Sanford, NC): This Goosebumps font they're using for the names on the chyrons is hilarious to me. Reader beware, you're in for a scare! Victoria still ain't da lady to mess wit but she doesn't get to dance anymore. None of them get any reaction except for Lita. Raw returns to PPV on July 11 with Vengeance. Your referee is Mike Chioda. Trish is sent out right away, and Victoria and Lita team up on Gail. Lita joins Trish on the floor. Tomko gets in Lita's face to back her down as Victoria hits the seizuresault on Gail in the ring. 1, 2, Lita and Trish both break. Trish shoves Lita and kicks Gail, who throws a knee. Lita springs off Trish with a clothesline. Lita shoves Trish down, and they slug it out. Tomko pulls Lita off of a pin and gets thrown out. All four in and Victoria hits a spinning side suplex on Gail for two. Trish schoolboys Lita, 2. Lita with the spinning headscissors on Trish. Move -> move -> move -> move, pin attempt, break, submission attempt, break, move -> move -> move. Gail gets the "satellite" on Victoria, Trish breaks. Trish with a crappy slap for Gail, who smacks Trish in the mush for it. Victoria and Lita go at it, Lita with a suplex and a kip-up. Collision out of the corner and everyone's down. Lita with a schoolboy on Gail, 2. Clothesline, clothesline, Gail reverses a corner whip but posts herself. Lita spikes Gail with the DDT, but Trish comes in and schoolboys Lita for the win, and Trish is now a five-time women's champion. That's a record. (04'44") This sucked and nothing has been good so far.
NEXT! Eugene and Coach!
JONATHAN COACHMAN (235, Wichita, KS) v. EUGENE (242, Louisville, KY, with William Regal): Coach is repping it 4 real in the blue, because seriously, F Ohio State. Regal gives Eugene some quick advice or encouragement or whatever, but he doesn't go to the ring. Your referee is Chris Kay. Eugene extends the hand, and Coach tries to hurt Eugene on the handshake. He can't though, Eugene hurts Coach's hand. JR wonders if Lawler has ever shaken Eugene's hand, Lawler hasn't. "He's got a strong tongue, I know that." "WHAT?! Oh yeah I remember that." Eugene rolls himself up into a ball on the mat, and Coach rolls him around in confusion. "What're you doin'?! What're you doin'?!" Eugene extends his hand, flips Coach over, and gets two. Side headlock, off the ropes, Eugene jumps over, jumps back and gets on all fours. This is, as expected, total comedy, with Eugene riding Coach's back. Coach with a kneelift, shot to the back, side headlock. Criss-cross spot, and Eugene goes to the floor. Coach continues to run the ropes well after Eugene has left to receive a stuffed bear from the babe that Randy Orton noticed earlier. Coach realizes he's been had and he's mad. Eugene and the bear go back into the ring. Chris Kay kicks it away. That jerk! Eugene with a snapmare and a bodyscissors. Oklahoma roll follows. JR "hasn't seen this in years," despite it happening six days ago. JYD headbutts and the leg lift. Coach motions for someone to come out and ... it's A GIRL IN A BIKINI CARRYING A PLATE OF COOKIES. What the hell. Coach offers Eugene cookies. Eugene gives one to a lady in the front row, and Coach attacks from behind. What a strange diversion. Back in, Eugene can't be hurt by turnbuckles. Eugene with the inverted atomic drop, regular atomic drop, and a standing dropkick. Airplane spin, which HASN'T BEEN SEEN IN *YEARS*! GARRISON CADE is out to rip the head off the stuffed bear. Cade holds Eugene for Coach, which backfires. ROCK BOTTOM! People's elbow! 1, 2, 3. (07'38") Cade is in and he eats a terrible stunner. Regal is out now, and Coach gets another terrible stunner from Eugene. Eugene steals Regal's nose and Regal takes it back.
WWE Fanatic Series proudly presents WWE Divas: South of the Border
NEXT! Benoit v. Kane!
WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH - KANE (challenger, 320, homeless) v. CHRIS BENOIT (champion, 229, homeless now): Your referee is Chad Patton, drawing a rare world heavyweight title match. Benoit chops away to start and backs away from the corner to tell Kane to JUST BRING IT. JR is appreciative of this. Benoit goes to the arm already to try to wear him down for the crossface, but Kane just biels him off. Benoit continues to work at the arm and go for the crossface, but Kane is too strong. Uppercut from Kane and a smash into the buckle. Benoit throws chops, trying to go toe-to-toe. Kane with the snake eyes. Well, he was the fake Diesel!! HOOONK! AHAHA! Kane to the chinlock, out and into a side suplex for two. Back to the chinlock. Out of that but Kane continues to control. To the floor, Benoit turns the tide by posting Kane. Kane comes back in with a clothesline - 1, 2, shoulder up. Sharpshooter isn't a go and Benoit is trying to take the legs out now. Kane hooks for the chokeslam, but Benoit gets away. Kane misses a big boot and inexplicably holds his leg over the top rope so that he can get dropkicked in the other leg. Sharpshooter in the center of the ring. Kane gets the ropes. The three Germans follow and Benoit goes up top, but Kane sits up. So Benoit gives him three more. That makes eight Germans Benoit has thrown tonight. Now Benoit goes back up - headbutt connects! Another attempt at the crossface and Kane is again really strong. Benoit walks into it - CHOKESLAM! 1, 2, shoulder up! That's a real good near-fall and makes Benoit look strong. I mean, I wouldn't expect them to do that, and I'd say they'd have their reasons to not. So that's nice. Kane up top for the flying clothesline, jump, CRIPPLER CROSSFACE! He's ripping and tearing! He'll rip and tear! Kane stands it up, Benoit slides to the other side and goes for the other arm. Instead he rolls with a half-nelson cradle - 1, 2, 3! Benoit retains! (18'03") Good finish, good match by Kane standards, but not by Benoit's. What a split decision from me. It was okay.
What started as a rivalry - Turned to a severe hatred - And spurred a fierce encounter - That set the stage - For a vicious rematch - Great American Bash on June 27
Backstage, Todd talks to Benoit. He looks at highlights on comments. "Well they don't call him the Big Red Machine tonight for nothin'. Obviously, he wasn't in there tonight as the No. 1 contender for no reason. He is Kane, he is the machine, but tonight was not his night. Tonight he found out that CHRIS BENOIT is FOR REAL!" Benoit can't get the crossface. "Well it's early in the match - someone like Kane, you gotta give it your all to wear 'em down, obviously, at this point, he hadn't had enough of the Crippler." And again he can't do it. "As I said, they call him the Big Machine for a reason, he is a machine, he is big and he is strong, and to overcome someone like that, it takes the Rabid Wolverine, The Crippler, Chris Benoit, who is FOR REAL!" He can't get the sharpshooter. "The sharpshooter's one of my strongest holds, behind the crossface and the diving headbutt. But, you're in there with someone like Kane, over 7 feet tall, 300 pounds, it's gonna take a lot more than one sharpshooter to get him to tap out." Kane reaches the ropes. "Well that was the only way he was gonna get out of that, but in the end, Chris Benoit walked away with his arms raised, holdin' this world title high above my head, once again proving to the world that Chris Benoit is FOR REAL!"
HELL in a CELL
HELL IN A CELL MATCH - TRIPLE H (265, Greenwich, CT) v. SHAWN MICHAELS (weightless, San Antonio, TX): Your referee is Mike Chioda. Staredown. Keep staring. Let's stare. Let's have a collar-and-elbow! That's the first one of the night, if you can believe that. It's a slugfest right away. HHH lands a back elbow to put Shawn down. Michaels takes control with some punching, but then gets dumped to the floor. Outside, Michaels ducks a right and HHH punches the cage. HHH blocks a trip to the steel, and we go back in. HHH telegraphs a backdrop and Michaels gets a swining neckbreaker - 1, 2, shoulder up. More brawling, Michaels goes to the floor again. HHH is the first to hit the cage, and he blades, but not big. Michaels with a couple of fistdrops, but again he goes to the floor. In again, snapmare and a stomp from Michaels. Shawn starts selling his back after blocking an inverted atomic drop, then clotheslines HHH to the floor and JR plays it up. It's a good job, not doing it on a backbreaker or anything and making it look LEGIT to fool all the jerks. Hard whip to the corner and Michaels starts selling it big. Another hard whip and an elbowdrop to the back. And another. Backbreaker from HHH, followed up with a delayed vertical suplex. Cover, 2, shoulder up. Another backbreaker, another near-fall. HHH looks under the ring and pulls out a chair. HHH sets the chair up in a seated position in the ring, but Michaels starts fighting back. Kneelift and HHH grabs the chair again. Up for a chairshot, Michaels goes to the breadbasket. Rights to the gut, one to the jaw, and a chop puts HHH down. HHH is on the floor again. Michaels ends up getting caught on the floor and rammed back-first into the corner of the cage. Chioda gets down (wit his bad self wit his bad self wit his bad self) and asks Shawn if he wants to quit. Fan: "GET UP YOU SISSY!" Michaels sent into the cage again, stagger out, forearm shot. Further floor damage from HHH, then we go back in and Shawn takes a side suplex on the steel chair. 1, 2, shoulder up. Chairshot to the spine! Michaels gets another flurry in, and HHH is hiptossed high to the floor. Both men down. Trade of rights in the center of the ring and Michaels wins out. Off the ropes, backdrop telegraphed, pedigree, blocked with a low blow. Inverted atomic drop, and then another. Off the ropes, hard right. Michaels gets two off of a corner charge clothesline. Back to the floor and HHH goes back into the cell, then the steps. Michaels takes the steps apart and goes for a piledriver on the bottom half, but HHH backdrops him over to the floor. HHH looks under the ring and gets another chair, and hits him in the spine again. Top half of the steps come into play in the ring, but Michaels repeats the first chairshot attempt spot by going to the gut with a kick again. Forearm from Michaels, and he kips up? Granted he sells how much it hurts, but why even do it. If my back hurt, I just wouldn't bother kipping up this match. Stomp, stomp, superkick misses and he turns around to take the steps in the mush. Michaels blades, then takes another shot with the steps. Cover, 2, shoulder up. Outside and into the cage, and I think Michaels just cut himself again. HHH continues to dominate on the floor as this match begins to lag. Back in and we've got another fisticuffery standoff. HHH off the ropes and he hooks a sleeper. HHH goes for the pedigree, countered by Michaels with a DDT. Michaels gets the chair - whap! HHH has bladed again. Whap! again. Michaels goes to the floor, looks under the ring, pulls out a ladder, and smiles. Ladder to the head, ladder to the gut, ladder set up in the corner. HHH whipped into the ladder. HHH whipped into the ladder and over to the floor. HHH gets his head ground into the cage. They go on. This is not what they wanted it to be, I think. HHH goes for the pedigree, HHH gets catapulted into the ladder and I think may have bladed AGAIN. Cover - 1, 2, shoulder up. Michaels up top but the flying elbow misses. HHH covers and gets two. Both on their knees and Michaels slugs away some more, then we get a zoom-in on his swollen right hand. Cover, 2. Michaels gets posted and just stays there while HHH gets a table. This backfires, and Michaels falls off the ladder through the table with an elbowdrop. That's the first real reaction of the match. Michaels drapes the arm and gets two. He'll try and fail again. Sweet chin music misses - PEDIGREE! And we'll take a nap. Arm draped, two count. SWEET CHIN MUSIC! And we'll take a nap. Draaaape the arm - 1, 2, shoulder up. PEDIGREE! And we'll take a nap. Back up, PEDIGREE! And we'll take a nap. Draaaaaaaaape the arm - 1, 2, 3. (47'21") Evolution comes in to help HHH out, and then Shawn gets his music played before we sign off.
Now, I'm all for a good, long, slow-paced, methodical match, but this didn't work for me. I'm not one to "plug" things because I think it's lame, but if I elaborate here, it cuts out of elaborating on the match in my epic TUESDAY report on my site. They were going for an absolute classic, and for various reasons, it didn't happen.
This show as a whole was pretty bad. I know a lot of people liked it, but a lot of people liked Benoit/Kane more than I did, and nothing on the undercard was good. The main event was a fine match, but just so cheeseball and corny and overdone that it couldn't come off as anything less than a cheap imitation of a true classic. I applaud their efforts and applaud the company for allowing a 47-minute singles match, but it wasn't legendary. It wasn't even a Match of the Year candidate.