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TNA
The Royal Treatment: RAW (8.22.05)
Posted by Peter Kostka on Aug 23, 2005, 18:21
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If you haven�t already, be sure to check out the brand new Danger Zone Radio Show here at TSM. A new show was just posted with Summerslam thoughts, so go over to radio.thesmartmarks.com to stream or download it.
Live from Hampton, Virginia. A highlight video of the RAW side of the Summerslam card starts off the show.
Shawn Michaels hits the ring to start and its back to happy babyface Shawn apparently. He admits that last night, Hogan was the better man and had a style that Shawn just couldn�t figure out, so he ended up falling victim to the mighty legdrop like all the others. Uh�..wha? Is Shawn being sarcastic here or what? Ah, he brings us back to reality by saying that now Hogan�s on a jet back to Florida until the fans give him what he wants. Michaels, on the other hand, is there to give the fans what they want. Chris Masters (?) interrupts, saying that Michaels and Hogan have something in common: they�re both old men that don�t know when to pass the torch. Michaels is offended that he was compared to Hogan and calls Masters a �greenhorn� and essentially puts him in his place. Masters makes a crack about Shawn�s hairline, and that�s enough to trigger the brawl. Michaels hits the forearm and sends Masters running. Masters has developed some good charisma with this character, but Shawn�s probably going to have to carry the match when they hook up.
Chris Jericho laments his loss last night, but Eric Bischoff gives him another rematch. This time, he�ll face John Cena in a �You�re Fired� match, where Bischoff fires the loser. He calls it the �first ever You�re Fired match�, but I�m sure a variation of this theme has been used before (the �Pink Slip on a Pole� match between Rock and Mankind in late �99, for one).
Shelton Benjamin vs. Kurt Angle
To show that SOMEONE has paid attention to past storylines around here, Jim Ross brings up Team Angle. A nicely paced start as they go to the mat for the first bit with Angle working the arm, but Benjamin does a nice springboard off the rope to counter. He flips out of a German suplex and sends a charging Angle to the floor. Angle is in control after the break, having belly-to-belly suplexed Benjamin to the floor during the break. He mixes in some hard shots and uppercuts with submissions to wear Benjamin down, but Shelton keeps fighting back, hitting a Samoan drop for a near fall. Angle avoids a dropkick and tries the Anglelock, but Shelton kicks him off and follows with a whip kick. He goes up, but Angle pops up after him and hits a belly to belly. The crowd is WAY into this one by this point. Angle tries the Angle Slam, but Benjamin counters with a DDT for a very close two. He tries the Exploder, but Angle counters with the Anglelock and grapevines the leg to get the tapout. Angle stands on a chair and receives his medal from the ref.
Rating: 6/10
Thoughts: I thoroughly enjoyed this hard fought match, but I just wish this wasn�t just some throwaway RAW match and that they�d at least do a little something to build it up. I absolutely love Angle in this form, which makes me wonder why the hell he would go along with things like the Sharmell angle? I guess if you go along with the shit Creative gives you, the more likely they will actually listen to you if you have a better idea.
Kerwin White promo, as he focuses his attention on Benjamin, saying that the fans know Shelton �isn�t one of us because he isn�t white.� Why Chavo?
Snitsky plays with Maria�s foot until he�s run off by Big Show. I guess that�s the setup for their match later on.
Matt Hardy vs. Rob Conway
Edge and Lita join commentary and Edge spends the whole match ragging on Matt, saying he took Matt�s punk card and threw it right back at him. Conway dominates most of the match (?) until Matt makes the comeback, but runs into a boot. Conway goes up and Matt follows, only to get slugged off with Conway hitting the elbow for the pin (?). Edge attacks after the match and wedges Matt�s head between the ring steps and ring, kicking the steps. Ok�.ouch. Matt stares vacantly into space as he is attended to.
Rating: DUD
Thoughts: They already tried a losing streak gimmick with Matt and it bombed miserably. Hope you enjoyed your month near the top, Matt, because it�s going to be a long fall from now on.
It�s time for Carlito�s Cabana and Carlito�s guest this week is Ric WHOO Flair. Carlito �Whoooos�, but states that it is not cool. He points out that if Ric is a 16 time champion, that means he�s lost 16 times while Carlito is a one time champion and hasn�t lost yet. He spits apple at Flair and that triggers the brawl, with Flair firing off the chops and sending Carlito scurrying. Flair struts and drops an elbow on his jacket, always a crowd pleaser. Flair and Carlito? Ok. Not exactly a dream match, but it�ll be nice to cheer Flair again without HHH anywhere in sight.
Big Show vs. Snitsky
Show with his trusty chest slaps (ok, enough already) dominates most of the match. Snitsky simply walks out about 3:30 in. Yeah.
No Rating
Bischoff warns Cena for the millionth time that he�s going to lose his title. Look, no one is buying it Eric, so let�s just get on with it.
Cade and Murdoch promo, as they are now a Southern tag team. They warn the other tag teams (uh�.[i]what[/i] other tag teams?) and Murdoch rips off a line from Deliverance.
In yet another �Huh?� moment, Torrie Wilson and Candace Michelle (aka �Nails on a Chalkboard�) hit the ring. Apparently there was a trade (which involved Christy and Stacy going to Smackdown.) so now I have to mute the TV every time Candace picks up a mic (actually, Torrie�s voice ain�t exactly pretty). They introduce the 2005 RAW Diva Search winner Ashley and then punk her out, seemingly because they are jealous of her or something. Goddamnit, where�s Trish? She plays the bitch heel a billion times better than these two.
We find out that Shawn Michaels will take the Masterlock Challenge next week (which will probably end up in a beatdown), Jericho cuts a promo, though it doesn�t really matter what he says, and Bischoff heads out with security in tow.
John Cena � vs. Chris Jericho (WWE Title, loser is fired)
The finish wasn�t in doubt, so I decided to just enjoy Jericho�s last WWE match in a while. Bischoff immediately gets involved, grabbing Cena�s foot, but Cena avoids a charging Jericho, sending him to the floor. He goes after Bischoff, but that earns him a low blow as we go to break.
Jericho controls after the break, firing off some nice kicks and choking. He goes for a superplex, but Cena blocks it and tosses Jericho off, trying a crossbody but missing. Jericho boots a charging Cena to take back control and tries a bulldog, but Cena holds on to him and puts him in position for the FU, but Jericho slides off his back and puts him in position for the Walls. Cena nears the ropes, but Bischoff pulls them back allowing Jericho to drag Cena back to the center. Cena tries the opposite side and forces a break. Jericho argues with the ref and turns into another FU attempt. He fights this one, and Cena does a good job selling his back before managing to hit it, but Bischoff puts Jericho�s foot on the rope, giving Jericho brass knuckles out of the referee�s view. Jericho gets a shot in, but it only gets 2. Bischoff hops onto the apron, so Cena just slingshots Jericho into him and hits another FU (again fighting his back and Jericho) to get the pin and retain. Bischoff turns on Jericho and fires him for not getting the job done. Jericho cries and begs to keep his job, but Eric has him dragged out by security (which fits his character somewhat, but left a pretty bad taste in my mouth if this is the last image of Jericho on RAW). Suddenly, Kurt Angle attacks Cena in the ring and hits the Angle Slam with Bischoff introducing him as the new #1 contender (his reward for taking care of Eugene, I guess). Angle poses as we fade.
Rating: 4/10
Thoughts: It was all right, but there wasn�t much to write home about until the end where they did a decent job selling that Jericho might have a shot and then fighting over the FU at the end. As I said last week, I think Angle should go over Cena at Unforgiven, just because Cena�s better at chasing the title instead of holding it, and Angle should be put over as nearly unstoppable because he�s playing the vicious heel character perfectly. Hopefully they�ll reference Cena�s first WWE match against Angle on Smackdown with Cena saying something like �That was then, this is now� to show how he has matured as a wrestler (ok, so maybe he hasn�t, but work with me here.)
Final Thoughts: Was I the only one that kind of felt an �Old vs. Young� vibe during this show? Masters with Michaels, Flair and Carlito, Benjamin vs. Angle; I always thought the basic idea between the New Blood and Millionaires in WCW was very intriguing, so they might actually have something here if they decide to go that route.
See you next week.
Feedback: The usual address
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