RAW this week starts with a video replay of Orton touting himself in the ring the end of last week. The torch runner comes in the back and gets clotheslined. The end of the SAVE_US videos and out comes Y2J. The fans went bloody wild for his return that was almost identical to his WWE debut on August 9, 1999. The fans loved him and he totally pissed off Orton.
Music and pyro. Y2J has been added to the open of RAW.
HHH’s music and he comes out for his tag match. He does his regular ring entrance and poses on the corner for the fans who are going wild. Jeff Hardy comes out to join him and the fans seem totally pumped. Jeff throws a shirt into the crowd. Video of Jeff and HHH winning at SS, followed up with video of Jeff facing Umaga last week but being attacked by Snitsky. HHH came out to rescue him. Umaga comes down to the ring. HHH stares a hole through him. Snitsky comes out to round out the match.
Jeff and Snitsky start. They lock up and Jeff gets an arm bar, but it doesn’t last as Jeff gets tossed. “Hardy” chants. Jeff gets flung into HHH who takes a tag. They lock up and HHH gets backed into a corner. Snitsky doesn’t give a clean break. A couple shoulders to HHH’s gut, but HHH moves for the last one and Snitsky gets the ring post. Jeff tags in. “Hardy” chants. Jeff runs hard into Snitsky, lands hard and rolls to the floor. Snitsky goes out after him but Jeff returns to the ring. Umaga rushes him but Jeff pulls the ropes down. Umaga goes flying outside. Jeff flies out onto Snitsky and Umaga but they catch him. They are about to slam him into the side of the ring when HHH comes off the corner and all four go sprawling.
– Commercial
HARD sidewalk slam to Jeff. Snitsky tags in and scrapes Jeff off the mat. A suplex and Snitsky gets a two count. An under-hook hold on Jeff. Jeff punches out but runs into an elbow. Umaga tags in and takes Jeff down. Two kicks to Jeff’s chest and he’s still standing, the third kick goes to his back and Jeff goes down. Umaga covers for two. “Hardy” chants. Snitsky tags in and grins ad he goes to slam Jeff. Jeff counters and kicks Snitsky into a corner. Jeff is crawling to HHH, but Snitsky grabs him. Jeff kicks Snitsky away and tags out.
Umaga tags in and gets hung up to dry on the ropes and then in the corner. HHH hits a clothesline but only gets a one count. A spine buster to Umaga. HHH goes for the pedigree but Snitsky tries to kick him in the head. HHH ducks and goes after Snitsky. He sets Snitsky up for the pedigree but Umaga kicks him in the head.
Jeff sends Snitsky outside. HHH and Snitsky fight outside until Snitsky goes over the barrier. Umaga beats on Jeff in the ring. Before Umaga can slam all his weight on Jeff, HHH pulls him out of the way. HHH hits a pedigree and Jeff hits a swanton. Jeff covers for three!
– Winners: Jeff Hardy & HHH
Regal comes out and gets huge “You suck” chants. He says he would like to see HHH in action at Armageddon and wants to see Jeff in action. Jeff will not be fighting to retain his IC Title, but he will be fighting for his life. He will be facing HHH one on one.
A limo pulls up out back. The driver gets out and opens the door. Flair climbs out with a huge grin on his face. King says he hopes Flair is not there in his hometown to make the announcement he’s afraid he’s there to make.
– Commercial
Woooooo and Flair comes out to the ring. He looks wonderful in a very expensive pinstriped suit with a pink shirt. He looks a bit tried and sad around the eyes. His pop was not as loud as Hardy’s or HHH’s – or it seemed at watching on TV. He says so many people have asked why he’s there tonight. He says because his hometown has been so good to him. The fans get louder and more into it now. He says every city the world over has been great and he thanks them all. He says there’s a reason he hasn’t been on RAW for 6 months. That’s because he knows, as do the fans, that he can’t wrestle forever. He spent time opening a marketing firm and getting involved in politics. He says sooner or later there will be time for him to retire. He says that tonight, in front of Charlotte and the world, he will announce that he “will never retire!” He will only retire when he’s dead in the ring. He has too much juice left. The jacket comes off. He says he loves the business and he’s not going anywhere. The fans love this.
Vince’s music and out he comes. Vince picks up Flair’s jacket and brushes it off. He hands it off to Flair. He tells Flair he had him going there. The fans hate Vince and give him a “You suck” chant. He says he’s happy Flair will never retire. He calls Flair “a good piece of property.” He hopes Flair goes on forever, as long as he keeps winning. He says Flair’s career will continue as long as Flair wins. As soon as he loses a match, his career will be over. Vince turns nasty and gets in Flair’s face. He doesn’t care if it’s pinfall, submission or count out, but when he loses his career is over. Vince tells him good luck and he hopes he doesn’t die anytime soon.
Orton’s music and out he comes. Vince steps back and shrugs at Flair. Huge heat for Orton. Vince announces Orton and they get more heat. Orton says he came out to thank Flair. Thank him for all the advice he gave to Orton early in his career, for being a friend in his formative years, for being a friend when he had problems, for being the legend and role model his is and became. And thanks in advance for the honor, the pleasure, tonight, of ending Flair’s career.
Vince steps in and says it will be Orton against Flair tonight.
Orton steps up into Flair’s face and says simply, “Thank you.” They glare at each other in the center of the ring.
– Commercial
Hardcore, Cody, Crazy and Hacksaw are facing The Highlanders, Cade and Murdoch. They are all in the ring and ready to go.
Rory and crazy start. They exchange arm bars. Crazy gains control and Hacksaw tags in. He keeps control over Rory. Cody tags in and comes off the corner with an elbow. Rory head butts him and Cade tags in. Cody gets tossed shoulder first into a corner. Cody tries to fight back but gets a forearm to the upper back. Murdoch tags in and hits a snap mare. A shoulder hold on Cody in the center of the ring. Murdoch gets sent shoulder first into the ring post. Hardcore and Robbie tag in. Lots of clotheslines to Robbie. A dropkick to Robbie. Hardcore covers and they all enter the ring. The fighting spills outside. Hardcore gets Robbie up in the air and spins quite a bit before hitting the Alabama slam. Hardcore covers for three.
– Winners: Hardcore Holly, Cody, Super Crazy & Hacksaw
– Commercial
Grisham is out back with Jeff Hardy. He wants to know about Jeff facing HHH. Jeff says it’s an honor to face HHH. He says he likes tagging with HHH and hopes their match doesn’t come between their…
HHH comes behind Jeff. He asks if Jeff was going to say friendship. HHH says he has never had a partner he hasn’t turned on. HHH says that Jeff isn’t stepping into the ring with a friend or a buddy, he’s stepping in with The Game.
King and JR talk about HBK in the ring last week. Kennedy comes down and HBK takes him apart. A superkick to Kennedy through a chair.
Kennedy is out back showing off HBK’s new DVD. He says he’s going to give us his take on things before HBK can shill it to us. He says it spans HBK’s career, like HBK turning on every partner he’s had, coming up short on every big championship shot he’s had. HBK also loses his smile. Kennedy says it’s real touching, really emotional. We do get to see HBK at his best – complaining, manipulating and BSing his way to keeping his main event status. We will walk away being enriched. HBK has had some amazing highs and some abysmal lows. But nothing compares to the low he will feel when he steps in the ring with Mr. Kennedy.
– Commercial
Barry Windham, Flair and Arn Anderson are out back talking.
Y2J’s music and he comes out in a sleeveless SAVE_US shirt and wrestling tights with more of the falling letters and numbers down the thighs.
He says the second coming of Y2J is here! There’s only one way to rock and Jericho rocks. There’s only one reason he came back to RAW and that to save us from Orton and become the new WWE Champion. He wants a title match everyone knows that, except Orton. He hasn’t gotten an answer from Orton all week. He thought Orton was spineless, then he realized Orton doesn’t have enough brain cells. He has the brain of a cumquat. So he will Orton-ize it. “Me want title match”. He even brought visuals for him. On the tron is a picture of Jericho for me. For want is a picture of Cookie Monster. For title is a picture of the title belt. The last is the picture of a match. He has everyone say it with him with all four pictures on the screen. The fans are loving him!
Santino comes out calling him KYJ. He says things have changed a bit since the last time he was here. He can’t barge past security with his Lindsay Lohan haircut and demand a title match.
Y2J asks who he is. He says he knows Lillian, Stan the camera man and Kevin selling popcorn in the fifteenth row, but he doesn’t know him. He then realizes who is and pronounces his name wrong. Santino says his name. They go back and forth more than a dozen times, Y2J giving him a different name every time until Santino gets totally pissed.
Santino says Orton has not responded because he’s not worth it. Santino says he’s there to beat up Jericho. Y2J takes off his shirt and says he’s ready. Santino rolls from the ring and says he needs to stretch, get a massage from Maria and get ready. He thinks it’s funny that Y2J want to fight after not being in the ring for over two years. He says he will leave Y2J with one thing to think about… He then dives over the announce table and attacks King. He’s right on top off him. They fall to the floor and he keeps throwing punches. JR is all freaked out. Santino finally leaves and walks up the ramp.
– Commercial
Santino is back in the ring with Y2J.
They lock up and Y2J gets a side headlock on Santino. King is pissed and doesn’t want to say anything that will get him thrown off TV. Y2J chokes him with his foot in the corner. A beautiful delayed vertical suplex from Y2J. Santino comes back with a chop to the throat but Y2J pokes Santino in the eye and a back body drop. A drop kick sends Santino from the ring. Santino tries to get out through the fans but Y2J throws him back in the ring. Santino holds the ropes so Y2J flops rather than hits a drop kick. Santino stomps him and a shoulder to his upper back. Santino covers for two. A back suplex and Santino covers again for two. Santino locks a lame hold on Y2J. “Y2J” chants. A huge clothesline, an arm drag and an atomic drop to Santino. Y2J hits his new finisher and covers Santino for three.
– Winner: Y2J
Y2J motions for the belt. Y2J calls King to the ring. He sits on the second rope and holds the top up with his shoulder. King enters and Y2J goes to the announce table.
King throws tons of punches and a big knee lift, then another knee lift. Y2J is having a blast at the announce table. King gets on the second ropes in the corner and drops a fist. King’s music plays and Y2J keeps rattling on with jr. They show video of the end of the match, Y2J talks us through it stating that his finishing move is ‘the code breaker’.
Out back Flair and HBK see each other and hug. HBK says he’s there tonight to see Flair. He did not know it might be the last time he sees him wrestle. He can’t imagine the industry without Flair. He says Orton’s on a roll lately. He says that he’s Flair, this is Charlotte, he’s a 16 time champion, he’s the only legend this industry this industry will ever have. He doesn’t care what Orton brings against him, to be the man, you have to beat the man, and tonight he doesn’t think Orton can do it.
Flair thanks him for the friendship and respect they’ve had the past three years. He says he will give it all he’s got and he’ll go out in a blaze of glory.
– Commercial
Video of Flair saying he will never retire. He will only retire when he’s dead in the ring. Over his dead body. Then Vince comes out and tells him he will continue on as long as he continues to win. He loses and his career is over. Orton comes out and says he thanks Flair for the pleasure of ending Flair’s career.
Kendrick is in the ring, London is no where to be seen. Kennedy comes out to face him. JR calls him brash but extremely talented.
They lock up and Kendrick gets a hammer lock and then a side head lock on Kennedy. A hard chop to Kendrick. Kendrick goes for a drop kick, but Kennedy comes back and slams Kendrick down hard. Kendrick gets hung up on the bottom rope. Kennedy covers for three. (That was kind of lame!)
– Winner: Kennedy
Kennedy’s mic comes down. He says that was just a tiny bit of what will happen to HBK at the next PPV. It will be HBK against Kennedy and Kennedy will be winning the match. He gets some heat, but not as much as he really should be getting.
SD! Rebound – Vickie and Edge in her office. She berates him and then gives him a title shot. They then end up kissing! (Um, yuck!) Edge and Vickie are then in the ring and Batista comes out. Edge gets pushed down. The lights go out and Edge flees the ring. Taker is there and hits a (very delicate) tombstone on Vickie.
– Commercial
Vince is out back talking to Hornswoggle. He says something about Finlay. They are talking about how lucky Horney is and how he’s winning matches, Finlay helping. Horney is upset about Khali crushing Finlay. Vince says they can give Finlay what he wants, a match against Khali at Armageddon. He asks Horney to get him an ice cream sandwich.
Horney runs out and Vince gets on a walkie-talkie. He says, “Mr. Rogers has left the neighborhood.”
Horney sees a sign that says ‘free ice cream sandwiches’. He goes through the door and Carlito is there. He says Vince wanted him to teach Horney tough love last week.
Horney picks up a can of black spray paint and makes himself a little archway.
Carlito asks if he thinks it will work.
Horney runs around Carlito a couple times and into the painted archway. The camera is at a funny angle and Horney is gone – very Road Runner. Carlito looks with his eyes wide. He takes a bite of the apple and runs at the little painted archway. He goes splat and falls to the floor.
Ron Simmons comes in, sees him on the floor and the painted archway. He looks at the two, points at the archway and then at Carlito and says… “Damn!”
Melina is out back heading for the ring.
– Commercial
Beth is in the ring, Lillian announces her. Mickie comes bouncing out in a pink version of her normal two piece outfit. Melina comes out in a blue version of her two piece outfit. This one is a bit different with flames up the legs. She looks very wrestler in this outfit.
They lock up hard and Melina gets an arm bar on Mickie. Mickie gets out and chops Melina’s chin. A kick to Mickie’s face and Melina gets a two count. Melina gets whipped but gets her feet up into Mickie’s face. Melina sits up top. Mickie throws punches and sends Melina flying across the ring.
Beth is in front of the announce table watching closely.
They battle back and forth. Mickie hits a hurricanrana. A hard swinging DDT to Melina and Mickie covers for three.
– Winner: Mickie James
Mickie goes over to the side of the ring that Beth is standing. Mickie blows Beth a kiss and smiles down at her. Beth just shakes her head.
Flair is out back heading for the ring in his pink, feathered, sequined robe. He turns a corner and there are a bunch of wrestlers. Hardcore, Cody, Sargent Slaughter, Y2J, HHH, HBK, Jeff Hardy, dean Malenko and many others. They all give him a round of applause. HHH is the first person in front of him. HHH hugs him and says, “Show him who you are.” Flair walks between them all and they all clap for him.
– Commercial
Lillian announces the stipulations behind this non-title match. Orton comes out first. King calls Orton a sociopath. Flair comes out to much better pop that earlier. There are a lot of ‘Woooooo’ signs in the crowd.
They lock up. From the front row is a “Randy sucks” chant. Back body drop on Orton and he gets chopped in a couple corners. A back elbow drops Orton and then he stomps Orton’s face. Flair chops in a corner but Orton reverses it and punches Flair down in a corner. An upper cut to Flair and Orton covers for two. Back body drop to Flair and Orton covers again for two. Orton goes to suplex Flair, but Flair reverses it and quickly locks up a small package for two.
Orton stomps Flair in the center of the ring. Orton goes to drop a knee on Flair, but Flair moves. A drop kick from Orton for two. Another drop kick and Orton again covers for two. A chin lock on Flair in the center of the ring. JR and King are talking about how close this is and how terrible it will be fore Flair to loose. Flair gets to his feet and out. Flair hits chops but Orton clotheslines him over the top. Orton follows him out and gets chopped. Orton hits a suplex on Flair on the outside. Orton rolls back into the ring to wait for the count out.
Flair is out of the ring for nine but rolls back in. Orton drops a leg and covers for two. A side head lock on Flair in the center of the ring. Flair suplexes Orton to get out fo the hold. Orton goes for the RKO but Flair pushes out and hits a bunch of chops. A couple chop blocks to Orton and he is down! Flair gets Orton up and chops him. Flair raises Orton up and drops him hard on his knee. Flair lock on the figure four in the center of the ring. Orton manages to get to the ropes. Orton manages to hit the RKO, but both are down as Orton holds his left knee.
Orton manages to cover Flair, but Flair manages to get his hand on the ropes. Orton mounts Flair and throws punches. Lots of chants, but I can’t understand them – they seem to be for Flair. “Randy sucks!” chants. Y2J suddenly is ring side. He distracts the ref. Flair hits a low blow on Orton behind the ref’s back. Flair rolls Orton up for three.
– Winner: Flair
Y2J enters the ring and holds Flair’s head. Video of Y2J jumping on the apron and distracting the ref so Flair could win. Y2J helps Flair from the ring and claps for him. Y2J stares Orton down from the ramp. Orton glares back.
Biggest pop
Flair
Y2J
HHH
Jeff Hardy
Biggest heat
Orton
Regal
Vince