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TNA
Raw from JHawk's Beak (4/19/2004)
Posted by Jared "JHawk" Hawkins on Apr 19, 2004, 22:20
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Raw from JHawk's Beak (4/19/2004)
by Jared "JHawk" Hawkins
A brief moment of silence as wel toll the bell for multi-time NWA Americas Tag Team Champion Gran Goliath, a legend in the Los Angeles area in the 1960s and 1970s, who passed away this weekend.
DING!
DING!
DING!
DING!
DING!
DING!
DING!
DING!
DING!
DING!
Thank you.
I should seriously start doing these recaps while watching the show in a bar, because I seem to enjoy the pay-per-view events a lot more when I'm watching them at BW3 with complete strangers. Maybe that's because I don't actually have to analyze each and every little detail. It's either that or the alcohol numbing my smarkness. Eh, whatever.
Tonight: Backlash was last night, and those who came in as champions left as champions. Will Chris Benoit's next opponent be established? Will Lita wrestle and actually learn to bridge to avoid a three count before the referee stops his count for 15 seconds? Will anybody care about Eugene Dinsmore? The answers are maybe, no, and not likely if you watch wrestling for the wrestling. I'd rather finish the Bruins-Canadiens game myself.
Segment 1
L-I-V-E from the Pengrowth Saddledome in Calgary [dramatic pause], Alberta, Canada! Good Ol' JR and The King are at the broadcast table as usual for all the action!
One fall: Y2J+4 (w/new entrance video) vs. Christian (w/Trish the Bitch)
Mike Chioda is your referee. Lockup, stalemate. Lockup into the corner, and Jericho with a light slap to the midsection. Jericho with a side headlock. Shoulderblock. Christian with a slap, and Jericho returns the favor with a hard tackle, then unloads on punches and kicks. Back bodydrop. Chokehold, and a chop in the corner. Stomps in the corner. Christian with a kick and some punches in the corner. Jericho floats over the top and gets a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for 2. Christian with a corner whip, but he runs into a flying dropkick for a near fall. Jericho with a side headlock. Christian breaks with a series of punches. Jericho reverses a whip, then counters a sunset flip with a sitdown for 2. Trish into the ring illegally, and he repeats the spanking he gave her at Backlash, so Christian pulls her outside the ring to safety. Jericho over the top rope onto both of them, and the heels are down!
COMMERCIAL BREAK
I think they should start every show like this: With a good match played in front of a hot crowd. Not really a lot of great wrestling, but at this stage in the feud, who would believe there being a lot of wrestling in the first place?
Segment 2
Christian pulls Jericho outside the ring and throws him into the barricade. Back into the ring they go. Christian chokes Jericho against the ropes. And Trish does it herself and gets a slap in while Christian distracts Chioda. Jericho grabs a hold of Trish before Christian makes the save. Jericho to the floor, and Trish knocks him down with a roundhouse kick. Back in, and Christian covers for a near fall and locks in a reverse chinlock. Jericho breaks with elbows and gets some chops in. Roll up for 2, but Christian regains control with a clothesline and covers for 2. Chokehold. Choke against the ropes. Jericho catches Christian coming in with a clothesline. Right hands. Flying forearm. Drop toehold into the ropes, and the squisher (tm Kevin Nash). Bulldog. Christian avoids a Lionsault, but Jericho lands on his feet and takes Christian down for 2. Kneelift. Christian with the inverted DDT (and the feet on the ropes) for 2. Up top, but waiting too long, and they begin brawling on the turnbuckle until Jericho hits a double underhook superplex. Both men down as the crowd remains firmly behind Jericho, and a Jericho cover only gets 2. Elbow by Christian, and he gets a reverse tornado DDT for 2. Kick to the knee, and Christian goes for a Texas cloverleaf, but Jericho counters with a small package for 2. Trish with the distraction, and a slap meant for Jericho hits Christian. Running enzuigiri gets 2, and Jericho knocks Trish down and goes for the Walls of Jericho on Christian until Some Big Guy runs in and kicks Jericho in the face (and falls backwards in the process). Christian covers for the pin at 15:16, and aside from that last bit of interference this was simply an awesome opener. ****
Last night, Chris Benoit retained the World Heavyweight Title, and he's here tonight.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
Who was that unmasked man and why does he want a piece of Jericho? That's the unanswered question after that incredible opening match. Not exactly a fitting blowoff to the Jericho-Christian feud, which is what I assumed last night's match was supposed to be for, but it introduces a new character without WWE simply going "Here's some new heel, boo him," so hopefully this goes somewhere.
Segment 3
Moments ago, some guy kicked Chris Jericho in the face.
During the break, Christian introduced Trish to Tyson Tomko, Trish's new problem solver. What's wrong with "Travis" Tomko? Because after seeing Tyson Dux in action on Velocity, neither first name seems all that badass.
Chris BenOIT is on his way to the ring to address the crowd. And he gets a huge ovation from his home province crowd. It all started in a place that everybody involved in wrestling calls "The Dungeon". A chant of "Stu" from the crowd. Just over 18 years ago, Stu Hart (another pop) springboarded Benoit's career into professional wrestling, and now he's here as World Heavyweight Champion. The sad part is that Stu isn't around for Benoit to thank him for everything he's done. After he left the Dungeon, he heard people tell him he'd never win the big one. Benoit smiles at another "Benoit" chant. He proved them wrong at the Royal Rumble. He was the underdog on March 14, but he proved them wrong at WrestleMania XX by being the only man to ever make Triple H tap out. (Is that true? Somebody needs to double check that.) And people called him lucky, but he proved them wrong by making Shawn Michaels tap out at Backlash. "Chris Benoit is for real, and I am the World Heavyweight Champion." And here comes the Holy Bible Kid. This should be interesting. Michaels gets booed before being met with "You screwed Bret" chants, which you knew were coming in Calgary. HBK always believed Benoit was for real and never thought otherwise. Cue the "asshole" chants. But HBK and Benoit are a lot alike, so Michaels questions whether Benoit believes he is really the best. Benoit believes it, and the belt proves it. But as HBK rightly claims, Benoit's never won the 1-on-1 meeting, and there's the footage from back in February. Michaels wants to prove who the best is once and for all...tonight in Calgary. Why do I have a bad feeling about this one? Benoit immediately agrees, and both men take their shirts off, but here comes Eric Bischoff with Johnny Monday Nitro. He asks for clarification that Benoit's accepted the challenge, but he likes the idea so much that the match will never happen in Calgary. Benoit immediately interrupts and says HBK issued a man-to-man challenge, so Bischoff has no business being out there. But Bischoff is the GM, and he wants to give it two weeks to be promoted properly. After checking with Nitro for the location, we find that in two weeks in Phoenix, Arizona, we'll get that match. Um...who outside of Arizona gives a shit about Phoenix? Benoit extends the hand, and HBK accepts it...and they're nose-to-nose.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
Great segment all around. Benoit cuts a very good promo, HBK cuts a very good promo, and I can't say I'm thrilled about Bischoff coming out and putting a damper on it, but he's right...the match needs buildup. But Phoenix? No offense to the fans in Phoenix, but after spending five minutes putting over Stu Hart, the match really seems more fitting for Calgary or St. Louis or some other area that has a historic significance of classic wrestling. I've neber heard of that hot Phoenix territory.
Segment 4
One fall for the WWE Women's Championship: Victoria (champion) vs. Good Golly Miss Molly Holly
About time Molly got her WrestleMania rematch. It's the least they could do after the bullshit haircutting. And Molly wastes no time going after Victoria. Baseball slide for 2. Victoria blocks a handspring elbow with a kick and gets a backslide for 2. Molly heads to the floor, and Victoria clotheslines Molly from the apron. Back in, and Molly heads to the ropes, only to get pulled off by Victoria. Standing moonsault by the champion for 2. Slingshot into the turnbuckle. Off goes the wig, and Molly ain't happy. Molly kicks Victoria in the face and unloads on her. Molly locks in a rear chinlock, and it's apparently a choke, as she gets disqualified at 2:19. 1/2* She refuses to let go, and even two referees can't pull her off of Victoria. She finally leaves, but Victoria is out cold.
Still daylight in Calgary as a white limo pulls up, and out of it comes Evolution. Todd Grisham immediately sticks a microphone in his face and mentions that Triple H doesn't have the title. Grisham asks how he feels about the next title match, and Hunter hadn't heard about it, and his response is simply "What? That's my match."
COMMERCIAL BREAK
I like it! Not the match itself, as that by itself was kind of a waste, but I love the story and postmatch chokeout. After about six weeks of hiding her baldness and letting distractions beat her, Molly has finally had enough and is taking out her frustrations on the woman who shaved her head. Terrific storytelling, and I'm very interested to see where they go from here.
Segment 5
Kane tells us a problem has been eating away at him. He's shown weakness. Human compassion. But no more. Tonight, he will once again "feast on fear itself. My appetite for agony will be awakened." The taste of the innocent is the sweetest taste.
Bischoff and Nitro say Kane won't sacrifice Bischoff because he doesn't want to end up like Kurt Angle did on SmackDown, and a knock of the door brings in William Regal. Taking care of Eugene is too taxing, and he can serve Bischoff in much better ways. Where's Eugene? Well, when they arrived, Eugene decided to have a game of hide and seek, and apparently Eugene's winning. Bischoff tells Regal that this job isn't optional, and if he doesn't take care of Eugene (and find him immediately), Regal will be booked against Kane.
Up next, footage of Randy Orton vs. Mick Foley.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
Well, it looks like we're going to go back to Kane being the unstoppable monster again (like he was...what, two weeks ago?), and if they stick with that, then it's cool. But please don't sacrifice Regal for it, because so far he's been the lone bright spot with the Eugene gimmick.
Segment 6
Thank you for watching Backlash (at least those of you who did).
And speaking of Backlash, we're being joined by Randy Orton. So who's the punk kid now? Everybody thought Mick Foley was going to destroy him (not me...I won a free beer on it), but it didn't happen. That was the biggest victory of his career, and as strange as it may seem, he wants to thank Mick Foley. He faced a true hardcore legend and not the retired author of children's books. Am I actually hearing a "Randy" chant? Foley did everything humanly possible to him, and the people loved it when he was hit with garbage cans, thrown off the stage prior to the big elbow, hit with the barbed wire bat, and dumped onto thousands of thumbtacks. He took everything and won the match with an RKO onto the barbed wire bat. He beat Mick Foley under his own terms. And he did it all by himself. And then something amazing happened. After he beat Foley, he turned into something he sought out to destroy. Something he despises. A living legend. That might be pushing it a bit. And here comes Edge. That was one hell of a victory speech, maybe his best one yet (and I have to agree). And for 14 months, Edge has sat on the sidelines watching him run his mouth, and "I don't like you." But one thing he didn't do stuck in his mind. "I might not be a legend, but I'm daring you to spit in my face." Orton doesn't do it, saying if he wasn't tired and sore he'd drop him, but Edge isn't worth it. Well, Edge is going to make himself worth it, as he works over him until Batista and Ric Flair attack from behind. Batista with the Sitout Power Bomb from behind, and here's Chris Benoit to help out his former partner...until an angry Triple H goes to work on Benoit. Batista with a short clothesline for Benoit, and Triple H takes him down with the Pedigree. Evolution walks away with Edge and Benoit both laid out in the middle of the ring. But Bischoff comes out, claiming that's no way to treat the World Heavyweight Champion and his pal. Save it for the main event, as Flair and Batista defend the World Tag Team Titles against Benoit and Edge.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
Excellent promo by Orton (I can't believe I just said that), a good one from Edge, and then this turned into nothing more than the setup for a main event. We go from having to have two weeks of buildup for a match to needing less than an hour to build to it. I'm actually looking forward to seeing the inevitable Orton-Edge match, but can we please start putting some new people against Benoit? Six weeks later, and it's still a Benoit-HBK-HHH triangle for the belt with everybody else pretending to be Arnold Horshak and going "Ooo ooo ooo! Can I be pushed next?"
Segment 7
Oh yay, Coach has a mic. Yeah, that's sarcasm. He introduces us to the man who helped him beat Tajiri last night, Garrison Cade, before joining JR and The King at the booth.
One fall: Garrison Cade vs. Tajiri Yoshihiro
Cade pushes Tajiri to the corner, but Tajiri takes control with kicks. Cade immediately regains control, but Tajiri regains it himself with an armdrag and a drop toehold. Handspring elbow, but Cade blocks it with a boot to the back. Backbreaker, and Cade holds it for the submission hold. Tajiri breaks it with a kick to the head. Cade with a series of kicks in the corner and a boot choke. Vertical suplex for 2. Tajiri counters a backbreaker with a flying headscissors, but Cade continues to work the back. Thrust kick to the chest, then some kicks to the ribs, and the handspring elbow connects. Knee by Cade, but he ducks a clothesline and gets a superkick for 2. Cade avoids a Tarantula but gets his throat dropped over the top rope, but Cade avoids a springboard moonsault. A flying elbowdrop gets 3 at 4:19, and Coach essentially says Cade's elbow is better than Randy Savage's or Shawn Michaels' elbow. I wouldn't go that far. I wouldn't even call it better than Michael Shane's elbow. 3/4*
Still to come, the World Tag Team Championship is on the line.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
Decent enough for what it was, but two glaring problems. One, after all that work on the back, and it didn't really mean anything to the finish in any way. And two, nobody cares about Garrison Cade, as the rousing silence would indicate. Cade has all kinds of potential, but his appearances on TV still seem forced, particularly since he's had to start from scratch after Mark Jindrak's move to SmackDown.
Segment 8
Still daylight in Calgary, and let's go to the SmackDown Rebound.
We've found Eugene Dinsmore, who's using the T-shirt gun alongside Lilian Garcia. Eugene almost hits Lawler with it as they discuss the main event. Luckily, this means Regal knows where he's at, so he's relieved as he enters the ring. Regal makes him put the gun down, and he does, but he immediately picks it back up. Regal gets angry...and gets his in the crotch when Eugene's gun goes off early. Maybe I should rephrase that. The fans actually start a "Eugene" chant, and I'm becoming terribly afraid for the state of WWE. Regal hobbles off as Eugene tries to check on Regal's injury.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
Completely predictable bit with the gun there, with Regal's facial expressions saving the segment in my eyes. Hey, I have to admit I laughed at Regal trying to walk back to the locker room. That's the only thing I enjoyed about this segment. Unfortunately, the live crowd popped for it, so no matter how ignorant I think this gimmick is, it's apparently working. Thank God for William Regal.
Segment 9
We're two weeks away from Benoit-Michaels II.
Edge is getting ready, and he tells Benoit he was ready at Backlash, but nobody gave him a chance againsy Kane. Benoit chimes in that nobody thinks they can win tonight either, so it's time to prove them wrong and stick the final nail in Evolution's coffin. I didn't even know Evolution was sick
Mixed Tag Team Match scheduled for one fall: Lita and Val Venis vs. Gail Kim and Matt Hardy v.1.0
So is Lita being recruited for Val's new movie? I guess it's a takeoff of Walking Tall called "Riding Long". Sadlt, I'm not sure I'm kidding. Matt Facts: "Matt has 44 different action figures" and "Matt doesn't waste time making his bed". But none of that matters, because it's apparently time for Kane's sacrifice. Val charges but gets choke slammed, and Kane turns his attention toward Lita. Hardy removes his shirt and says "Screw it" and runs in for the save. He eats a big boot, but it saved his "former" girlfriend. Kane rams Hardy into the ringpost, and there's the choke slam.
The World Tag Team Titles are on the line next.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
Um...well, I guess they wanted to turn Hardy face, and I suppose that's the best way to do it and make the casual fans happy. But I personally don't care if they're a real life couple or not, because Hardy's proven he doesn't need Lita in his corner to get himself over. He just needs a serious push. And the odds of him getting a serious push if he and Lita are actually back together are not good.
Segment 10
Vignette for "Hirohito", who is apparently a Japanese heel that isn't quite over Pearl Harbor. And you thought Mordecai was going to piss people off.
One fall for the World Tag Team Championship: Batista and The Man WHOO! (champions) vs. Edge and Chris BenOIT (World Heavyweight Champion)
Flair and Benoit start. Benoit pushes Flair back to the corner, and we get a clean break. Back into the corner again, and another clean break, but with resistance. Flair pushes Benoit in the corner, and no clean break there. Flair gets beaten into the wrong corner and gets double teamed. Forearms and a "tag" to Edge. Backdrop. Chops in the corner, and there's the face first flop. Thumb to the eye by Flair, and he tags Batista. Shoulderblocks in the corner. Corner whip, but Edge catches him with the boot. Dropkick. Tag to Benoit, who pounds away with forearms and stomps. Snap suplex. Tag to Edge, and he pounds away at Batista. Edge telegraphs a backdrop, eats a boot, then eats a hard clothesline. Tag to Flair, who targets the cast on Edge's left arm. Arm into the turnbuckle, and a tag to Batista, who continues working the left arm. Tag to Flair, who uses an arm wringer. Top wristlock. Chop, and Edge tries to fight back with some of his own. Spinning heel kick by Edge, and both men are down. Tag to Benoit, who chops away at Flair. Backdrop. Running forearm smash, and he knocks Batista off the apron. Snap suplex and a sharpshooter. Batista in for the save, but he gets taken down with the release German, and there's the Crippler Crossface. Triple H is out, Triple H is knocked off the ring apron, and Flair goes to the eyes. Sidewalk slam by Batista, and Flair covers for 2.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
Couldn't that have been the finish? Not because I think Benoit should be jobbing here, but because this match hasn't been that good and probably isn't getting any better considering Flair's age and Batista's lack of anything that isn't a power move.
Segment 11
Flair with a knee to Benoit's head. Tag to Batista, who takes Benoit with a hard shoulderblock and starts punching away. And a bearhug. A series of headbutts by Benoit, but Batista hits a hard elbow and covers for 2. Tag to Flair. Corner whip and some chops. And punches. A series of stomps, and Flair distracts Mike Chioda long enough for Triple H to choke the World Champion. Tag to Batista as the crowd chants "We want Bret". Well, if he doesn't come out tonight, he's probably never coming. "Rear naked choke" by Batista (I'll let the MMA fans tell me if it's actually a rear naked choke or not). Definitely a reverse chinlock as Benoit gets to his feet and suplexes Batista to the mat. Tag to Flair, and Benoit backslides him for 2. Exchange of chops, and Benoit goes into the rolling Germans. Another exchange of chops, and both men down. Tag to Batista, hot tag to Edge, and Edge is pounding away at Batista. Flying forearm, and now Edge has to fight off both Edge and Flair. Clothesline for Flair, and Batista goes for the Sitout Power Bomb, but Edge uses the cast to avoid it. Benoit up top for the Swan Dive Headbutt, and Triple H pulls Benoit to the outside. Out comes Shawn Michaels with Sweet Chin Music to Hunter, and in the ring it's Edge with a spear for Batista to win the titles at 17:24. Hot finish, but not that entertaining getting there. **
END OF SHOW
Edge's first in-ring appearance on Raw since the initial draft, if I'm not mistaken, and he becomes a Raw Tag Team Champion? Well, I'm not a fan of unearned title shots (and I think this qualifies), and even if it's Benoit I've never been a fan of double champions, but the apparent goal is to begin the split of Evolution, as JR was making a big deal about it being the beginning of the end and all that. With Orton being the only champion left in Evolution (and not even needing Evolution last night) that could very well be the goal.
Overall, a very solid effort, especially for a post-PPV edition of Raw. A fantastic opening match that also introduces a new wrestler, some excellent promos, and some pretty decent storyline advancement throughout the show. Even what was bad wasn't offensive (except maybe Eugene, but again, the crowd popped for it...sick freaks). Hard to complain about that. Where was Shelton Benjamin though? Push him to the moon for a month and then not use him the day after beating Flair? He probably could have been into the match with Edge without too much difficulty.
And you know where to drop the feedback.
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