Raw presents Vengeance - 07/11/04
by Scott Christ
I went into this totally, seriously, kind of looking forward to the show. I mean, I go into all of them pretty fair, I like to think. I didn't go into Judgment Day or the Bash hating, and I think calling either of those worst PPV ever or whatever is kind of a stretch. I can dig on everyone's opinion, I just didn't think they were THAT bad. They were not good, to be sure. Anyway, I thought this show had good sleeper potential, with the possibility of strong matches in the main, Jericho/Batista and Kane/Hardy (because I loves a no-DQ match) and I hoped Orton/Edge would build off the promise they showed on Raw a while back in that singles match that started slow but then started clicking.
Heat was where it all began ... again for Stevie Richards and Victoria. Ivory was really annoying. Coach assured us that he was looking fly despite being in his wrestling gear, and then announced that the first match of the PPV would be himself and Garrison Cade against Tajiri and a partner of Tajiri's choosing. That was cool! Here's your match from Heat, already done up proper by Cubs.
We are LIVE on SpikeTV, on July 11, 2004, from the Hartford Civic Center in Hartford, CT.
Your commentators are JIM ROSS and THE KING.
VAL VENIS (242, Las Vegas, NV, with Vengeance is coming up NEXT! on pay-per-view, and brought to you buy 1-800-CALL-ATT) v. TYSON TOMKO (310, Jacksonville, FL, with Trish Stratus): We are treated to replays of Trish hitting Nidia with her cast on Monday, which brings out NIDIA to even the odds at ringside. Your referee is Chad Patton. Venis with forearms to start and he follows with rights. Tomko off the ropes, Venis catches him with a hiptoss. Back up, back down. Tomko bails because Val is furious about something, apparently. Tomko drops him throat-first over the top rope, then comes in to mount and pummel. A second video jump makes me think we might have video problems at some point, but thankfully they never come. Tomko backs Venis into the corner, back right elbow, back left elbow, repeat, repeat, etc., and that's pretty cool. Venis fires a right and King makes a joke about Trish. JR takes a shot at the internet! That fucker! I hate him! Venis with chops, corner whip is reversed. Tomko comes in, eats elbow, and he's down on a clothesline. And again. And a back elbow. Venis with a right, off the ropes, reversed, kick to the chest. Tomko has trouble with the half-nelson slam, but Venis gets it in anyway. Cover, 2. JR excuses it by casually mentioning that Tomko is very raw. Venis tries a sunset flip, Tomko sits down and gets two as Trish gives him support. Nidia comes around to stop that from happening again, but Tomko big boots Venis. He turns to walk away? Oh, no, he's coming back. 1, 2, 3. Weird guy, that Tyson Tomko. He should try to solve the problem of remembering his own finish. (2'52") Nidia moves on Trish, but Tomko moves on Nidia. And then HERE COMES MAVEN! A dropkick neutralizes Tomko and I think we've got us a Heat main event in two weeks after people have forgotten about this even happening. At least Maven and Nidia remember their roots. Josh should come interview them.
One final hype package for tonight's main event. Let's go to the PPV!
Benoit/HHH package. "Triple H - your foolish rants have only pushed me harder!"
Raw and 1-800-CALL-ATT present WWE Vengeance! We are LIVE on pay-per-view, the same date, venue and city as before. Here's JR and the King again. There's CARLOS CABRERA and HUGO SAVINOVICH.
GARRISON CADE & JONATHAN COACHMAN (combined 498) v. TAJIRI (206, Japan) & RHYNO (275, Detroit, MI): JR wrongly states that Coach is undefeated on PPV despite his high-profile, stunning loss to Eugene at Bad Blood. Tajiri and Rhyno look good together visually. Rhyno will start with Coach. JR "isn't sure this is what Coach had in mind, Rhyno-wise." Nevermind, Coach will tag out before we get going. Your referee is Jack Doan. Cade with an armwringer, Rhyno turns it around and works into a side headlock. Off the ropes, Rhyno with a shoulderblock. Cade smacks Rhyno and shows his wingspan, but Rhyno is pissed off and ready to fight. Out of the corner, Rhyno with a hiptoss and he's ready for the gore - Cade bails. To the floor, Rhyno throws Cade back in after winning a short trade of fists. Tag to Tajiri, and he has kicks, of course. Tajiri with a hard kick on a telegraphed backdrop, off the ropes, dropkick to the quad. La magistral - 1, 2, kickout. Kick to the leg, jabs to the bread basket, another kick, Coach gets in a cheap shot, but pays for it with a kick to the shoulder that knocks him off the apron. Cade takes advantage and chokes. Coach tags in. You don't dis Coach, Tajiri! You understand? Coach with shoulderblocks to the back in the corner, and lookit Coach focus in on the lower back. Scoop aaand ("oh yeah, baby!") a slam. Coach bows over Tajiri, but gets kicked in the head. He shakes it off to drop an elbow to the back. "Coach sucks" chant, tag to Cade and a double-team vertical suplex. Cade covers and gets two. Coach is back and Tajiri gets a boot up in the corner. Coach comes back, TARANTULA! Tajiri crawls for the tag, but Coach holds his leg. Up and a hard kick to the chest, tag to Rhyno! Clothesline on Coach! Running clothesline! Vertical suplex, Cade comes in to take a backdrop. Shamrock belly-to-belly from Rhyno, cover gets two before Cade breaks it up. Rhyno off the ropes, Tajiri makes the blind tag, and Cade dumps Rhyno off the other side. Tajiri is kicking and punching Coach, and Cade comes to his aid. Off the ropes, handspring back elbow on both of them. Green mist for Coach hits Cade! Coach tries to help Cade out, and you can't see it, but you can hear the crowd calling for it - GORE! misses Coach and hits Cade. Jesus, poor Garrison Cade. Kick to the head on Coach! 1, 2, 3! (7'30") Perfectly fun and Tajiri and Rhyno are seriously a good idea for a tag team.
Backstage, EVOLUTION discuss Eugene. Flair and Orton and Batista aren't fans. HHH is going to reveal his plan, but wait, where's Eugene? Orton: "It was Dave's turn to watch him." They don't know where he is. HHH is off on a search! He spies CHRIS BENOIT trying to convince EUGENE that Evolution is using him.
It's a shot of the beautiful Hartford Civic Center in beautiful Hartford, CT
NEXT - Chris Jericho v. Batista
CHRIS JERICHO (230, Manhasset, NY) v. BATISTA (318, Washington, D.C.): Your referee is Earl Hebner. Collar-and-elbow, but Jericho ducks. Jericho backed into the corner and Batista hammers away. Boot choke and Hebner's count is on. Into another corner, shoulderblocks to the gut. Jericho does his grab the ropes and taunt bit, where the opponent always stupidly charges and falls to the floor. Batista back to the apron, and boy, Jericho's not working by the hour here. Springboard dropkick connects. Baseball slide doesn't and Batista takes over outside. Back in and Batista stays on the advantage. Rude Awakening! Batista should a robe. I think that's a good idea. Neck vice - shades of Zeus! Into a full nelson, kneeling, and there are some Y2J chants. Jericho stands it up and tries to get his way out. Hold is broken, elbows to the gut, but Batista knocks him down and goes right back to the kneeling full nelson. Jericho manages to get out AND send Batista to the floor to grab a breather at the same time. What a clever tactician. Batista comes back and Jericho goes to the quad to take Batista down. Shots to the leg, Batista with a kneelift and a forearm to the large of the back. Jericho is placed on top, backwards, and Batista goes up for a back superplex? Interesting idea. Jericho elbows out, comes off the top, and hits the flying back elbow. Cover - 1, 2, kickout. Off the ropes, Jericho staggers Batista. Off again, duck an elbow, back, Batista catches him with a sidewalk slam for two. Batista: "Fuck!" Batista with a boot choke over the bottom rope. "Hey, hey, are ya deaf?!" Earl's gettin' SASSY! Choke with the knee. Backbreaker and Batista holds him over the knee as JR and Lawler discuss the Order of the Buffalo Hunt that Jericho received in Winnipeg. Jericho with three knees to the head and both men are down. Batista is up quicker and he targets the back some more. Side backbreaker attempted again, but Jericho flips out with his bad back. Off the ropes, backdrop is telegraphed, kicked, back off, forearm shot. Off the ropes, crossbody, caught, slide down and a chop block. Jericho goes for the Walls, but Batista kicks him away. "Not many can, and have, kicked out of the Walls of Jericho like that." Only just about everyone ever for two years. Jericho off the ropes, big spinebuster, two count. The crowd seems a little more split than you'd expect. Up for the power bomb, Jericho gets out and hooks a backslide for two. Batista gives him three rights to the head. Charge into the corner after a whip, Jericho gets the boot up and hits his "bulldog" from the second rope. Jericho moves forward, then decides to stumble back into the ropes. Lionsault, Batista gets the knees WAY up. Big predictable spot as Batista charges for a clothesline, Jericho ducks, and comes back with the enzuigiri. Delayed cover gets two. Three kicks to the head, Batista gets up and hits another right, and a second spinebuster. Repeating moves is not a crime when they're awesome. Sit-out power bomb! Cover, 2, Jericho's foot is so on the rope, 3. (12'19") Finish was not good, with Earl holding his head WAY down so it's clear he doesn't see the foot on the rope. Batista is awesome removing it before he leaves, though. Decent, but I hoped for better.
Backstage, HHH and Eugene talk and HHH calls Benoit a liar. HHH gives Eugene one of Flair's robes to wear to the ring. Flair is disgusted.
WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH - LA RESISTANCE (champions, combined 477, Province of Quebec) v. THE NATURE BOY RIC FLAIR & EUGENE (challengers, combined 476): Flair styles and profiles down the ramp until he sees Eugene coming up behind him. Eugene mimics everything Flair does during the disrobing and getting into the ring and all that. Your referee is Mike Chioda. Eugene and Conway will start, rekindling their rivalry. Eugene woos and looks for the knucklelock, then psyches Conway and woos again. Collar-and-elbow, Eugene backed into the corner. Turn around, clean break, WOOO! Strut! Flair is disgusted. Side headlock from Eugene, Conway holds the waist, and Eugene flips sides. Into the hammerlock, Conway reverses, Eugene drops down and brings Conway down with a drop toe-hold. Into the side headlock. "Eugene did that a thousand times, JR!" So Bret's right. Off the ropes, Conway tries a hiptoss, countered with a big one by Eugene. Chop! Wooo! Grenier tags in, Eugene grabs him for the kneebreaker. To the corner, out and a kneedrop. Eugene's a better Flair than Flair. Grenier with a kneelift and says something or other. Corner whip, Eugene comes out and stumbles into a backdrop. That's a bit much. Eugene begs off, Grenier comes in, and Eugene pokes him in the eye. I dunno, this is fun but it makes it look so stupid. Conway in and he chops in the corner, so Eugene turns it around. Conway turns it back around and hammers away with rights. Eugene stumbles and flops. Flair is INCREDULOUS. This is getting really dumb. I mean I can enjoy it but still. Flair tags himself in and the crowd is hyped for Flair. And Flair will strut to show us he loves us. And he'll shake his head and woo and strut some more. And woo at Eugene. And woo at Conway. Woo. Woo. WOO! Collar-and-elbow and a back into the corner. Chop! Hard right on the button. Grenier in, chop and he's down. Off the ropes, backdrop on Conway. For not wanting to be in this match, Flair sure is having fun. It reminds me of Mania when him and Rock had such a hell of a blast together that it killed the match's actual story. Flair with more woos and Eugene is thrilled. Flair with a hanging vertical suplex and I haven't seen that in a long time. Flair looks good and honestly this match is going really well. NOW! WE GO! TO SCHOOL! Figure-four leglock on Conway, but Grenier breaks it up. Tag to Conway and he stomps and stomps. Grenier with a forearm over the chest, followed with an elbow. Grenier with a right, and lefts and rights to the body. Rights to the head. Hard right puts Flair down, cover, 2. Tag to Conway and they've cut the ring in half. Flair chops Conway, Conway throws a right, chop, chop, chop, Conway chop puts Flair down. Cover, 2. Conway mounts and pummels. JR says many have "compared Flair to the Michael Jordan of his gendre." More neutralizing Flair and cutting off the ring. Grenier's back in and throwing big rights, but the staggering veteran Flair is chopping away. Grenier fires up in the corner and hammers away. Corner whip, out, backdrop. Cover and a two-count. Grenier goes to the rear chinlock. Conway tags back in and gets a front facelock. Flair really needs the tag. Eugene nearly gets it, but Grenier comes over to knock him off the apron. Au Revoir on Flair! 1, 2, Eugene breaks and he's snapped. Conway is dumped to the floor, and Eugene is FUCKING AWESOME wrapping both of Grenier's legs around the ringpost multiple times. Conway's back and Eugene drives him into the corner. Chioda tries to stop Eugene, and Eugene shoves Chioda. That's the bell and the DQ. Stunner on Grenier! Rock Bottom on Conway! People's elbow w/Flair strut! But, again, DQ. (12'30") I'm torn on this match because it had stuff to love and stuff to hate, but one thing I can say is I was totally entertained all the way, so that's something. Post-match, Eugene attempts to console Flair.
SummerSlam spot
JR and the King talk about our next match. Here's a video package.
NO-DISQUALIFICATION MATCH - KANE (320, homeless) v. MATT HARDY (228, Cameron, NC): Matt charges and the fight starts at ringside. Kane gets stuck with a right to the jaw but fires a thrust that puts Hardy down. Kane sent into the post and the Spanish table. Monitor to the head! Into the crowd and Kane starts dominating. Hardy dropped over the security wall. This is the best possible use of Kane. Oh, your referee is Chris Kay. Through the ring and back to the floor, Kane drops Hardy over the apron twice. Shot to the chin, back in, and Hardy rolls out wisely. Kane follows him out and nails him with a short-arm clothesline. That was a crazy nice bump on a bad knee. Back in, sidewalk slam gets a two-count. "He BARTERED HIS WAY INTO SEX WITH A WOMAN!" JR saying "sex with a woman" is really unsettling. Kane would like to literally mutilate Matt Hardy. My God all they're talking about is sex-bartering and this is a perfectly good no-DQ match. Kane with a big boot and a bootchoke. Lots of boot offense. "We want tables" chant dies out rather quickly. The commentary is KILLING this match. They aren't putting it over at all. Kane shoves Matt down face-first on the steel ramp, throws him back in, and heads up top. Flying clothesline connects and for once looks good. Kane taunts Matt as he struggles to his feet. "Kane's breath is hot and it stinks." Hardy sent to the floor, which gets this one: "Stinking hot breath! I'll say it again!" Yeah, you sure will. Over toward the Spanish table again, but Matt gutshots Kane with a chair. Run, and right into a big boot. JR has had it with Lawler. "Folks, you just heard the King ask me, during this match, if I thought the BABY would have bad breath, when Matt Hardy ate a size sixteen boot." Kane has the chair and Lawler prods JR some more. Lawler's really a master of sucking when he wants to be. Kane manages to NOT telegraph getting his foot tied in the ropes, and Matt attacks with rights. Kane covers up, which JR has never seen before. Jesus Christ, he does it all the time. He's one of the only guys that ever does. Ring bell to the head from Hardy, and he heads up with Kane back in the ring. Flying legdrop to the back of the head. So he has a bad knee and chooses NOW to do that from the top rope. Matt Hardy rules. Twist of Fate is countered with a backdrop. Up for the tombstone, Hardy gets down, TWIST OF FATE! Cover, 2, NO! And Kane sits up. Hardy doesn't waste time, throwing rights and hitting the ropes. Uh oh - chokeslam! That looked wonderful, with Hardy fighting all the way and not letting Kane get him all the way up. Kane goes out and tosses the top portion of the steps into the ring. LITA bounces on down to the ring, and begs Kane to put the steps down. He does. Kane shoves her into the corner: "You listen to me! I've had enough of this! You watch what I'm gonna do to your boyfriend!" Kane gets the steps up, this is predictable. Chair to the steps! Looks terrible! 1, 2, 3! My God Matt Hardy's beaten Kane! (10'35") Perfectly fun match with a crappy finish. You wouldn't know Hardy's on a bad knee if you didn't know it. He is amazing when given the chance to do something.
Backstage, Lita catches up with Matt. Matt needs Lita to stay away from the ring and him until he figures things out.
Hall of Fame thing on the Fanatic Series
Vengeance is brought to you buy 1-800-CALL-ATT
Video package
INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH - EDGE (challenger, 250, Toronto, ON) v. RANDY ORTON (champion, 255, St. Louis, MO): JR makes note that the IC title has changed more times in July (10) than any other month. Your referee is Chad Patton. Collar-and-elbow and there's some pretty big "Let's Go Orton" chants. C&E goes nowhere. Attempt No. 2, side headlock from Orton. Edge goes to a top wristlock and grabs his own headlock. Off the ropes, Edge with a shoulderblock. Both men up and circling, C&E, Orton goes to the arm. Wristlock and Edge reaches to trip the leg but can't get it. "Let's Go Orton" is up again. Edge turns the wristlock around. Side headlock, off the ropes, down, up, leapfrog, shoulderblock from Edge gets booed. "Randy" chant. Orton with a kneelift and shot across the large of the back. Kick to the back, side headlock. "Orton about 6'4", young...single." Off the ropes and they break out the criss-cross to rip off Eugene and Coach. Orton hits the mat, Edge leaps over, shoulderblock and a side headlock takedown. Lay on the mat and up, Orton is taken down a few more times and he bails. They're clearly going long. So far so okay, but they would be benefitting from actual mat wrestling instead of imitation mat wrestling. Orton says "I'm sorry" and tries to walk out, but Edge chases him down and brings him back. Crowd is getting restless here. Orton sidesteps an Edge charge, and Edge winds up on the floor. Back in and the pace has really hit crawl-levels. There's a difference between a slow-paced match and a slow match. Orton with repeated forearms across the chest. Orton with a wacky chinlock/half nelson combo. Edge up with a series of clotheslines after a while. Off the ropes, Orton holds on but gets clotheslined out anyway. Edge with a baseball slide on Orton and Orton's face smacks the side of the announce table. Edge with a clothesline from the apron - "Let's Go Orton" is back. Back in, Edge is perched up top. Missile dropkick connects (boos), cover, 2, Orton gets the shoulder up. Edge charges for the spear, Orton gets a knee up. Choke across the bottom rope looks like crap. Orton with a Blatant Choke, break at four again. "Let's Go Orton" for the fourth time and Orton goes back to a chinlock. "Shut your freakin' mouths! I don't need your help!" While I respect that, would it kill them to have improvised a little and just had Edge play a subtle heel and get more offense in? Not all-out heel, just little things, sneering and taking his time to soak in the boos. But oh well. Edge makes the aborted Jericho comeback of some forearms and Orton cuts him off. Knee used to choke Edge. Orton goes back to the chinlock. The crowd wants to be way into this but Orton is slowing them down. It speaks to the mindset that fans have to cheer or boo as planned and there's no other way. If it persists for months, maybe then turn the person. Orton back to the chinlock. Edge struggles up, shots to the gut, hairpull brings him back down. Orton with a BIG legdrop. 1, 2, Edge kicks out. Forearm to the chest, again, again, chinlock. "Boring" chant as they lay in the hold. Orton grapevines one leg. Out of it, crossbody gets two for Edge. Rollup gets two. Orton knocks him back down with a clothesline.
Orton to the second rope for the flying nothing into a dropkick. Rude awakening from Edge, both men are down. Both to their knees at eight and they'll slug it out there. Up and let's have the Randy Orton Match Slugfest. Off the ropes, nope, Edge cuts it with a Russian legsweep for two. Catapult from Edge, and Orton takes it great. Edgecution! 1, 2, kickout! Edge goes up top, Orton nails him with a forearm. Another forearm. ANOTHER forearm. Orton up for a superplex, Edge tries to suplex him out but drops him or something and Orton hits the ropes. Edge up top - big crossbody, Orton rolls through, two count. Thumb to the eye. "Thumb to the eye. Thank you, Ric Flair." He was all happy about it when Eugene did it. JR isn't consistent. Orton makes good on the turnbuckle exposing on the first try. Patton goes to get it, and we get a couple of rollup near-falls from both guys. Standing dropkick from Orton. Implant DDT from Edge! 1, 2, shoulder up! Edge with five of a ten-punch in the corner, but Orton drops him with a snake-eyes on the exposed turnbuckle. Great spot as they repeat the Jericho/Orton finish from Raw, with Orton getting his feet on the ropes, but Edge kicking out at two. RKO - blocked, Edge charges, spear is leapfrogged beautifully and Edge hits hard on the turnbuckle. RKO countered with a backslide - 1, 2, no! Whip to the exposed buckle is reversed by Edge. SPEAR! 1, 2, 3! (26'35") Excellent ending to an otherwise super dull match. I'm not going to hate outright on this match, but it reminded me somewhat of the HHH/HBK HiaC match. Edge is now a five-time IC champion. Post-match focus on Orton being upset with the result. "Na na na na, hey hey hey" treatment. Because he's leaving forever!!!
Diva Search stuff
More (judges: Orton, HHH, Jericho, Edge)
NO. 1 CONTENDER'S MATCH - MOLLY HOLLY (Forest Lake, MN) v. VICTORIA (Los Angeles, MN): I ain't da lady to mess wit. Your referee is Chris Kay. Hey, a graphic for #1 contender's match! Collar-and-elbow, wristlock from Molly. Takedown into a cover for two. Molly stays on the arm, but Victoria turns it around. Monkey flip from Victoria. Scoop aaand a slam. Seizure sault is too early, and Molly schoolgirls her for two. Molly gets sent to the floor, and Victoria slingshots out onto her with a crossbody. Victoria uses the stairs to get back in, but Molly trips her up. Victoria sells the shoulder despite not hitting it very much. Kay's count is on, she's back in at six. Molly wears the bad shoulder down some more. Molly with the handspring elbow, which drives Victoria's shoulder into the buckles. Cover, 2. Top wristlock. Molly with a wakigatame armbar. Victoria won't give up and stands it back up, firing rights. Molly drops her arm-first over the top rope and continues the punishment. Victoria with a cradle for two. Backslide for two. Victoria starts throwing haymakers and a back elbow. Molly goes low, off the ropes, and she runs into a powerslam. Victoria tries to shake the feeling back into her arm. Up for the Widow's Peak, she doesn't have the strength for it. Molly slides down, charges, and is met with a nice superkick - 1, 2, 3. (6'21") Usual okay match from these two.
SummerSlam spot with Stacy Keibler
Video package
WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH - TRIPLE H (challenger, 265, Greenwich, CT) v. CHRIS BENOIT (champion, 229, now residing in Atlanta, GA): JR has woken up for this match. Your referee is Mike Chioda. Hard C&E, Benoit positions HHH into the corner. Struggle to the other corner, Chioda gets in to break them up. Another hard C&E, HHH slaps Benoit in the face when Benoit goes for an arm. C&E again, side headlock from HHH, go-behind by Benoit, reversal by HHH, armdrag from Benoit. "Let's Go Benoit" chant. Hartford's a pretty darn good crowd. C&E again, side headlock takeover from HHH, countered with a headscissors, out, repeat, out, repeat. HHH shoves Benoit, shove back, another C&E. This is damn good so far. Shoulderblock puts Benoit down, and he backs into the corner to collect himself. Side headlock from HHH, off the ropes, Benoit hits the mat, off the other side, hiptoss and Benoit goes for the crippler crossface but HHH gets the ropes and rolls out. Benoit follows - chop! Chop! HHH tries to ram Benoit into the wall, but Benoit turns the tables on him. Back in, HHH hits the ropes, Benoit goes after him, but HHH nails the high knee. That was a little...out of nowhere. HHH pulls Benoit up, vertical suplex. HHH picks him up and repeats the vertical suplex. Benoit fires two chops, but HHH cuts him off with a knee to the gut. Back elbow on Benoit's rope running, cover, 2. Lawler says unlike barbells, HHH is going to hit Benoit back tonight. I think Benoit should be more concerned with the fact that he apparently punches barbells to begin with. HHH with a side backbreaker, Benoit starts fighting back, and HHH sends him to the floor. Helmsley joins him and drives him into the apron. Back in, HHH charges the corner post-whip, but Benoit meets him on the way in. Benoit with chops, HHH goes down. Whip to the corner, Helmsley gets the elbow up. Heads up - German suplex! Helmsley blocks the second attempt and turns himself around with a front chancery. Benoit sweeps the legs and catapults him into the corner. Off the ropes, lariat puts Helmsley outside. Benoit goes out with him, HHH thumbs him in the eye. If only Batista would start thumbing people in the eye. Helmsley sent shoulder-first into the steel steps and JR even puts over that it will help set up the crossface. HHH rolls back in, and Benoit's up top - diving headbutt does not connect, and both men are down. Back up, Benoit's selling his chest/sternum. Hellacious whip to the corner, Benoit hits sternum-first, and that looked great. Benoit hasn't looked this good in a while. I'm not sure WHEN Hunter last looked this good in a singles match. Repeat, and again Benoit hits like a sumbitch. Hard kick to the sternum. "HHH using a very innovative way to damage the pecs, and the sternum." Yeah, a kick. Innovator of offense, this Triple H. Helmsley stalks and works the crowd a little. HHH holds the vertical, but instead of going back with it, just throws Benoit off chest-first. Cover, Benoit gets a shoulder up at two. Helmsley stays focused with his offense. Up for the vertical again, and again he's thrown off. Cover, another two count. Helmsley bows the arms back and stretches the chest out. Benoit's bleeding from the mouth a little. Benoit gets to his feet and breaks out of the hold. Two kicks, off the ropes, sent to the floor again.
Hunter whips Benoit hard into the security wall, and Benoit is in extreme agony. HHH fetches Benoit and throws him back in. Another goddamnedable whip to the corner, cover, 2. Another cover, another 2. HHH is building his frustration gradually instead of just "being frustrated." Benoit with two chops, off the ropes, and HHH grabs an abdominal stretch. HHH stretches on it, but Benoit turns it around. HHH with a hip throw to get out, and he goes down to his knees in pain. Benoit with a chop, off the ropes, and this time he runs into a sleeper. Arm drops once, twice, but not thrice. Benoit grabs the sleeper now, HHH tries to suplex out, Benoit lands on his feet flipping away, Benoit sweeps the legs, HHH counters the sharpshooter attempt. Pedigree - blocked, legs swept, SHARPSHOOTER! Benoit can't get it seated, though. Oh, now he does. And now he doesn't. HHH makes the ropes, but only scrapes it, and Benoit pulls him back out. HHH again powers up and this time gets the ropes. Benoit looking for the Germans, HHH counters, but here they are. One! Two! Three! Both down, Benoit's still clutching at his chest. He slowly makes it to his feet - cut da t'roat! This is reckless and foolish. HHH rolls out to the floor to avoid the flying headbutt. Benoit sets - suicide dive and WHAM right into the wall. You know things look good when they have the balls to slow-mo the replay. Back in, Chioda goes down on HHH's running forearm attempt, and he hits the floor. Benoit tries the crossface, HHH spins away, DDT from Helmsley. No referee. HHH calls for Eugene.
And here comes Eugene. HHH isn't paying attention - crippler crossface is on! Benoit screams for Eugene to get the referee, but Eugene doesn't. HHH taps out, Eugene is on the apron. Benoit has HAD IT - WHAM! DOWN GOES EUGENE! Benoit is sorry, but goddamn it, enough's enough. Low blow from HHH! Pedigree! Eugene gets the ref at HHH's orders. Chioda rolled back in. 1. 2. Shoulder shoots up! Chioda is still hurting and pretty much out of it. Eugene is told to get a chair, and he does. HHH pulls it back to swing, but Eugene grabs the chair. HHH shoves Eugene from the apron and calls him a son of a bitch. Benoit does something to knock the chair into HHH's face, but the camera missed it. Benoit has the chair, but here comes Evolution! Flair DOWN! Batista DOWN! Eugene is in the ring and Benoit tells him to leave. Goddamn it, this match was kicking serious ass before this. This is like when Vince ruined the Austin/Angle/RVD three-way. HHH has the chair now, low blow from Benoit. So now we've got three guys lying around in pain and a retard holding a chair. Eugene is going to hit Benoit - no he's not. Eugene is going to hit HHH - no he's not. Eugene turns back to Benoit - no. Back to HHH - no. Benoit tries to take the chair from Eugene, they struggle, Benoit lets go, down goes HHH! Eugene gets rid of the chair and runs away. Back up, schoolboy, 2, 3 and Benoit retains. (29'03") A great wrestling match just completely ruined at the end with garbage.
So that's that. This show was pretty okay, never got as low as the lows in the three bad PPVs before it, and had a hell of a main event that got screwed over.