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" The Gravel Pit "
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TNA
The Royal Treatment: RAW (4.4.05)
Posted by Peter Kostka on Apr 5, 2005, 16:59
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Didn�t see Wrestlemania, but how it turned out looks worthy of a DVD purchase. I was just 3 for 8 in my picks, however.
Live from the site of Wrestlemania Los Angeles, California. Another trailer, featuring Stone Cold Steve Austin as The Gladiator leads to an extended Wrestlemania highlight video.
Out comes HHH to start the show. Gee, you�d think they�d have the guy who WON have the opening promo spot. He admits that he lost the title (gee, nice of you to come around Trips), but that�s because Batista was great for �one night.� HHH owns the title and when he gets his rematch, he will win it back and cram it down the fans throats.
Thoughts: Well, HHH at least got to the point quickly and didn�t drag the damn thing out for 20 minutes like he usually does. But no Batista out for at least a retort to rub it in HHH�s face? Buh? Even Chris Benoit got to punk HHH out again the night after he won last year.
Shelton Benjamin � vs. Christian (w/Tyson Tomko) vs. Chris Jericho (IC Title triple threat)
Jericho and Shelton pound on Christian to start, but they fight over who gets to do it so they mix it up themselves and Shelton gets a crossbody for 2. Jericho fires off the chops and hits a bulldog, but Christian cuts off the Lionsault. He works over Benjamin, hitting a neckbreaker and backbreaker for 2 counts before hitting the chinlock. He goes up, but Shelton cuts him off. They fight, which allows Jericho to sneak back in and under Shelton, powerbombing him off while Shelton suplexes Christian. Nice spot. Jericho gets 2 on both and dumps Christian. Shelton gets a sunset flip but Christian comes back in to roll him up for 2 and Jericho bridges on both for 2. Shelton puts both guys in the corner and goes for the splash, but only Jericho gets it and Christian gets 2 on Benjamin. Jericho gets caught in the Exploder, but Tomko yanks him out and Christian steals the cover for 2. He tries the Unprettier but Jericho escapes, using the momentum to dropkick Tomko off the apron, and gets the Walls. Christian looks ready to tap, but Shelton springboards back in with a bulldog on Jericho to get the pin and retain.
Rating: 6/10
Thoughts: Very good TV match, with good spots involving all three men. Apparently Shelton was also one of the stars of the ladder match, so it�s a little surprising he�s still IC champ when there�s not much quality competition for him (though he�s had good matches with Jericho). Maybe a draft will fix that, but I�d like to see him get into the big picture sometime soon.
Eric Bischoff watches as Edge signs the contract he won and assumes that he wants the shot tonight, but Edge tells him that he�ll take his shot �when I�m damn good and ready.� In that case, Bischoff puts him against Benoit.
Randy Orton comes out, less cocky than he has been recently. JR and King Lawler put over how close he was from beating Undertaker on Sunday. It wasn�t supposed to go that way, says Orton. When he picked Taker up for the Tombstone, he heard something snap in his shoulder and lost the feeling in that arm. If his shoulder hadn�t gone out like that, he would have won. When he was getting treatment in the back, he watched Batista win the title, which made him sick. Unlike HHH, he has no respect for Batista. HE was supposed to be the future of the business and they would always joke about how far behind Batista was. He�s beaten him twice, so the only way to make up for last night is to beat him tonight. Bischoff comes out and reminds him that there are people ahead of him, but Orton insists, so Bischoff gives it to him.
Thoughts: Good bitter promo from Randy, but no Batista here either? Did the guy get laryngitis overnight or something?
Christy Hemme (w/Lita) vs. Trish Stratus � (Women�s title match)
Apparently Trish requested this rematch. She bows to the crowd�and then takes Christy out with a kick before wrecking Lita�s knee again. No match.
Thoughts: And Trish the Heel Bitch continues to please millions. Asking for a rematch just so she can get at Lita? Brilliant. Christy was a non-factor, which she should have been all along.
We take a look back at Hulk Hogan beating up Mohammed Hassan on Sunday. That leads to another break. What, did I bring them back from Smackdown with me?
Shawn Michaels heads out, selling the ankle injury well. He just came out to thank the fans for letting him do what he loves and asks the fans if they�d like a rematch. He promises to do what he can to make it happen and Hassan interrupts. He points out that the fans love cheering broken down old men (Hogan) and losers (Michaels) because they�re all losers as well. Shawn attacks, but Daivari goes for the ankle to cut him down and the beatdown commences. Hassan slashing his arm across his opponent�s throat when going for the camel clutch is a BIT tasteless, I must admit.
Thoughts: Well, finally Hassan gets a feud that can actually get him somewhere. Remains to be seen if Shawn can drag a decent match out of this guy, but it should be an entertaining feud.
Edge vs. Chris Benoit
Benoit�s arm is bandaged, selling an injury from the ladder match. Edge tries to go for it to start, but Benoit keeps him away and gets a knockdown before rolling, holding his arm. Edge follows, only to get thrown into the barrier. Back in, Benoit knees him in the gut but rolls back out again only to eat a baseball slide. He goes after Edge on the apron, but Edge snaps his arm on the top rope and goes after it for a while. Chris tries to bodyslam himself out of an armbar, but Edge rolls through and keeps it on. Benoit elbows himself free and hits a German, landing on his arm in the process, but he fights through the pain to hit two more before going up, but Edge avoids the headbutt (with Benoit landing on his arm again) and gets 2. Benoit rolls to the apron, so Edge baseball slides him out and we take a break.
Edge has an armbar again as we come back, but Benoit tosses Edge off, only to get his arm kicked. Edge goes up, Benoit crotches him and follows, and they trade headbutts before Benoit hits a superplex leading to a double KO. Benoit gets the Sharpshooter and pulls Edge from the ropes, but the arm forces him to release. Edge tries a DDT, but Benoit counters into the Crossface but, again, the arm forces a release and Edge preps, but Benoit sidesteps the spear and gets a rollup for the pin. Afterwards, Edge rams the bad arm into the steps and smacks it with a chair twice.
Rating: 6/10
Thoughts: Great selling by Benoit (also showing that he has more guts than brains) and Edge smartly focusing only on the arm through the entire match. I think they�ve used the �sidestep spear, rollup� finish a bit too much, though.
Simon Dean and Maven run down the LA crowd, which allows Stone Cold to make an appearance. He agrees to drink a shake if Simon drinks a beer. Simon has to work off the calories with push-ups, so Austin makes Simon do more. It goes on for a while (a little too long for me) until Maven spills the shake on Austin (to a �You fucked up!� chant) and Austin beats them up. Austin looks pretty good though, recently.
Randy Orton vs. Batista (non-title match)
Batista�s pop is noticeably lacking since this is his first appearance on the show. Orton sells his shoulder to draw Batista in, but Batista controls in the corner to start. He goes for a powerslam, but Orton escapes and dropkicks him out, throwing him into the steps and getting 2 back in. He drops a knee and drives some forearms into the chest before hitting the chinlock. Batista snapmares him off and sends him shoulder first into the post twice before hitting a spinebuster and �Tistabomb for the pin. HHH comes out and gives him the golf clap and they trade words as we fade to black.
Rating: 2/10
Thoughts: Batista�s only appearance on the show is a very average match to send Orton out to recover from his injury. One show in and they are already starting to drop the ball on the Batista reign. Orton didn�t need to get one lick of offense here.
Final Thoughts: Decent post-WM show, but they really didn�t introduce any new programs outside of Hassan-Michaels, which is usually what the post-WM shows are for. Two pretty good matches though.
That�s it for me, see you next week. Send feedback to: [email protected]
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