Disclaimer: I do not own WWE.
RAW: 19/3/2007
Monday Night RAW was live at the Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. the first match of the night was meant to be Shawn Michaels vs JBL but JBL said he had just flown in from Wall Street in New York City. He said he was told he had a match with Shawn Michaels. JBL said someone didn't get the memo. He said nobody, anybody tells JBL what to do and when to do it. He said no one told him when to come out of retirement and when and if he comes out of retirement, it'll be in New York City, not in front of these Indiana bumpkins. JBL said the match was not going to happen. He said it wasn't like HBK didn't have enough problems. He said he didn't need to worry about JBL kicking his butt tonight, that he's going to be getting his butt kicked by the Bladewolf at WrestleMania. He said HBK had opportunity after opportunity to kick Bladewolf's head into the upper deck. JBL said he was the most egotistical prick he had ever met. He said he was also the showstopper and that he played mind games so well, that he had men beat before they got into the ring. He said this time though, HBK looked into the mirror and knew deep down he couldn't beat the Bladewolf, just like he couldn't beat him at WrestleMania 14 nine years ago.
JBL said he never took the shot and had Everest right in front of him and he wouldn't climb it. JBL ran down him for being religious and being a 'good man'. JBL said if he wasn't in retirement right now, he'd beat his ass right now because he made him sick.
HBK grabbed the mic and said he didn't know this was going to be a verbal spat. HBK said he came here tonight to fight. He said having said that, he had thrown a lot of accusations his way so he was going to counter. He said he earned all the accolades in his career and as far as mind games were concerned, maybe no mind games is the greatest mind game of them all. He said he can and will defeat the Bladewolf at WrestleMania for the WWE title. He said they could agree on one thing that they had one thing in common. He said like JBL, no one tells him what to do and when to deliver sweet chin music, he just does it whenever he feels like it. He said one thing he could tell JBL and everyone in the building… HBK super kicked JBL's head off.
RAW went to commercial.
*After the commercial break*
Edge was in the back before Orton showed up and said he sold him out on ECW last week. Orton said he was left high and dry. Edge had a sip of coffee and Edge told him to calm down. Orton said Mr. McMahon said that Edge cost Rated RKO the opportunity to do something to Bobby Lashley. Therefore he lifted his spot in the money in the bank match and put it up for grabs in a money in the bank ladder match. Edge was beside himself.
Next up was the Maser Lock challenge. JR and King put over the Master Lock challenge and talked about how only the Bladewolf has broken out of it.
Looks like ECW Champion Bobby Lashley will be giving things a go tonight.
Masters slapped Lashley out of frustration in not being able to get around Lashley's shoulders. After a little scuffle, the two settled down and Masters put the hold on. Lashley kept on fighting, probably got a good three or four minutes. Lashley began to fade before tanking out of the hold like nothing.
Bobby Lashley is the second man to break out of the hold in the competition's history.
Lashley celebrated with the crowd while we went to commercial.
*After the commercial break*
A video put over Ashley's playboy shoot.
Lashley was in the back and came across Vince and a plethora of security guards. McMahon said Umaga would break him at Mania like Lashley broke the Maser lock. Vince said security would now escort him out of the arena and to the parking lot. Lashley looked at Vince and smiled at him. Maria was also hanging around the back and Vince commented on her earrings. Eugene showed up out of nowhere and accidentally spilled coffee on Vince. McMahon said he made a boo boo but that was okay, because he had a match later tonight. Eugene eagerly ran off to get ready. Vince told Coach to get Umaga. Ron Simmons showed up and looked at the spill on McMahon's tie and gave us the weekly 'damn'.
A video tribute to Arnold Skaaland aired.
RAW went to another commercial.
*After the commercial break*
The next match was a Last Chance Battle Royal—Final Spot in the Money in the Bank Match. It was Carlito v. Ric Flair v. Edge v. Shelton Benjamin v. Johnny Nitro v. Viscera v. Charlie Haas v. Super Crazy.
The Final two were Carlito and Flair with Edge on the outside tending to a knee injury. Carlito hit his springboard back elbow and then a knee to the face. Flair got clotheslined over the apron and was able to stay on the apron. A thumb to the eye won him the advantage. Flair whipped Carlito to the buckles and Carlito dodged the follow up and tried to eliminate Flair with a hurricanranna. Carlito charged at Flair and Flair ducked sending Carlito sailing over the top rope.
Flair thought he had won the match before Edge charged back into the ring and dumped him to the outside.
JR and King put over the new movie "The Condemned" starring Stone Cold Steve Austin and the Bladewolf, who's replacing Nathan Jones' character in the movie due to Jones refusing the role.
Mr. McMahon's music aired and they came out to the ramp with a host of security guards. They took the barber's chair and brought them to the ring. RAW then went to commercial afterwards.
*After the commercial break*
Vince McMahon boasted a bit about the Battle of the Billionaires before introducing us all to Umaga. Umaga then took on Eugene. Umaga jumped Eugene before the bell and tossed him to the outside of the ring. Umaga followed him to the outside and tossed him into the ring steps before rolling him back into the ring. Umaga stomped on Eugene's mid section a little bit before coming down hard on Eugene's chest.
Umaga sat out on Eugene's chest some more before mauling him in the corner. Umaga hit his running back side to the face, leaving Eugene awash in the middle of the ring. Umaga gathered Eugene and nailed him with the Samoan Spike for the win.
After the match, Umaga dragged Eugene to the outside of the ramp and hit him with a spike. They sat Eugene in the barber's chair and whipped out the clippers. Umaga choked Eugene out and McMahon shaved his head. McMahon ran his mouth some more and gave Eugene a billionaire bitch slap before Umaga launched Eugene in the barber's chair across the arena floor.
*After the commercial break*
Candice came out to the ring and said she had been reading Melina's blogs on and said she had something to say about Playboy cover girls not being able to compete with her. Candice called out Melina and here we go.
Melina came out to the ramp and Melina said the only reason Candice still has a job at WWE is because she can take off her clothes. She said the Playboy girls didn't have any talent at all. She said she could prove it right now. She said Playboy had begged her month after month to do the magazine and Melina said she's been turning them down.
Candice said she didn't think Melina turned much of anything down and that Melina spent a lot of time beneath a lot of the men. Candice told her to forget about the title, they were on for a bra and panties match right now!
*After the commercial break*
We came back from commercial with the match in progress. Melina hit a whip and Candice blocked the follow up attempt. Candice did her upside down hang thing and yanked off Melina's pants. Melina regained her bearings and drop kicked Candice to the outside before putting the boots to her and tossing her back into the ring. Melina got the top off before getting caught in a leg scissors and nearly getting her own top yanked off. Melina hit a DDT enabling her to take off Candice's bottoms.
Ashley's music hit and she came down to the ring. After a little trash talking, Ashley yanked off Melina's shirt causing Melina to fly the coop in embarrassment. Ashley celebrated in the ring before the Great Khali's music hit. Melina jumped Ashley from behind leaving her as easy prey for Khali.
Khali grabbed her by the throat but King came running from the announce table to save the day. Khali picked him up like a baby and choke slammed him to the mat. King looked like someone shot him in the head.
Jeff Hardy v. Randy Orton is next!
*After the commercial break*
The two locked horns and Orton quickly backed Hardy into the corner. Orton missed a punch and Hardy arm dragged him to the mat and slapped on an arm bar. Orton tossed him off with a whip but Hardy countered back with two more arm drags and then right back to the arm bar.
Orton pushed Hardy back into the ropes and hit some punches and his inverted back breaker to gain the advantage. Orton whipped through the Garvin stomp and went for a cover but only got a two count. Orton rolled Hardy over into a Boston Crab and sat down to put on some pressure. Hardy reached the ropes and Orton milked the five count.
Hardy fought back with some punches before Orton hit a kick to the gut and came looking for a clothesline but Hardy sidestepped and hit a clothesline. Hardy followed up with two more clotheslines and a cork screw mule kick before going for a cover. Hardy came off the ropes with whisper in the wind.
Edge came running down to ringside and distracted the proceedings. He threw a ladder into the ring that Orton used quickly to get himself disqualified.
After the match Orton goaded Edge to come in the ring. Hardy snuck up on him with the ladder and cracked him in the ribs with it. Hardy climbed the ladder and came flying off with a flying leg drop. Edge watched with approval from the ramp.
*After the commercial break*
The preview for WWE Films newest movie "The Condemned" aired for the first time.
JR and Todd Grisham ran down the Wrestlemania 23 crowd. Vince was on the phone with someone and said that next week, Bobby Lashley would be taking on Vince next week. Coach said he couldn't condone Vince stepping into the ring with him. Vince said not only would he win, he guaranteed a win.
The DX music hit and HBK came down the ramp. Looks like he'll be watching the Bladewolf-Benoit match.
Chris Benoit's music hit and out comes the WWE United States Champion who makes his way down the ramp for this Champion vs Champion match. Benoit enters the ring and raises his United States Championship.
OOOOOOWHOOOOOO!
The Devil's Wolf plays to a loud pop and the lights dim to a blood red, casting a sinister glow as the Bladewolf walks out with his WWE Championship around his waist, his World Tag Team Championships on his left shoulder. Bladewolf makes his way down the ramp and steps onto the ring apron then steps foot over the top rope and enters the ring. He pulls his hood down then removes his metallic mask and tosses it aside along with his coat, then hands his titles to the referee who hands them to someone at ringside.
Bladewolf's theme dies down as the WWE Champion stares down Benoit who stared back.
'Ding! Ding! Ding!'
The two men circle each other before they lock up in a test of strength, Bladewolf beginning to overpower Benoit when Benoit is somehow able to deck Bladewolf and almost lock in a Submission hold which Bladewolf quickly got out of and backed off, keeping his eyes on Benoit who smirked at him. Bladewolf rolled his shoulders before he suddenly charged at Benoit and hits a takedown to a surprised Benoit.
Bladewolf unloads on Benoit with hammering right hands until Benoit rolls them over and dishes out the same punishment, hammering away on the WWE Champion with lefts and rights. Bladewolf rolls them over and drives his knees into Benoit's ribs a few times before backing off and watches Benoit getting to his feet only to take the man down with a clothesline.
Bladewolf rebounds off the ropes and hits a leg drop across Benoit's throat, hooking the leg but Benoit kicks out at two. Bladewolf grabs Benoit and pulls him to his feet when Benoit tackles him into the corner and unloads with lefts and rights then headbutts Bladewolf before pulling him forward...AND HITS A DDT! BENOIT HOOKS THE LEGS! ONE! TWO! THR-! Bladewolf kicks out.
Benoit hammers away at Bladewolf's forehead a few times before he drops a knee onto Bladewolf's right leg, focusing more on it as he knows that by taking out the legs takes out the power fr some of Bladewolf's finishers and moves. Benoit stomps away on the right leg Benoit drops his knee down onto Bladewolf's chest then locks in a headlock, trying to wear the Demon Wolf out but Bladewolf fights back with elbows into the ribs as best as he can, eventually making Benoit release him.
Benoit rolls out the ring and Bladewolf follows, grabbing Bladewolf before tossing him right into the barricade hard. Bladewolf runs a hand through his short hair and rolls his shoulders. Bladewolf walks over and grabs Benoit before tossing him over the announce table.
Bladewolf bounces Benoit's skull off the announce table before placing him on top of it then rolls back into the ring and begins climbing to the top rope.
Bladewolf head to the top rope before he jumps off...AND HITS AN ELBOW DROP ON BENOIT THROUGH THE ANNOUNCE TABLE!
'Holy Shit! Holy Shit! Holy Shit!' The crowd chanted.
Bladewolf gets to his feet, groaning in pain before he grabs Benoit and tosses him back into the ring. Bladewolf rolls into the ring and crawls over to Benoit...WHO SUDDENLY GRABS HIM AND LOCKS IN THE CROSSFACE! WILL BLADEWOLF TAP OUT?!
Bladewolf raises his free arm, looking ready to tap but clenches his fist as Benoit yells for him to tap. Bladewolf struggles and fights, trying to find the ropes but Benoit was not making him go anywhere, making sure he remained in the middle of the ring.
Bladewolf then grabs Benoit's hand on his mouth and tries pulling it off only for Benoit to shrug him off. Bladewolf looks ready to pass out when suddenly he rolls around which causes Benoit to move as Bladewolf reverses their positions and hammers away on Benoit with lefts and rights.
Bladewolf gets to his feet, grabs Benoit's right ankle...AND LOCKS IN THE GRAPEVINE ANKLE LOCK! WILL BENOIT TAP OUT?! Benoit yells as he tries to reach the ropes but can't as the pain builds more and more...AND BENOIT TAPS OUT! BLADEWOLF WINS!
'Ding! Ding! Ding!'
HBK jumped into the ring right off the bat and went for Sweet Chin Music. Bladewolf turned around just in time to see HBK looking for the kick. HBK smiled and pointed to his eyes, telling him he had his eyes on Bladewolf. The two talked a bit before HBK offered his hand. Bladewolf scooped Michaels up into a Fireman's Carry...but he drops him.
Bladewolf and pointed to his eyes, letting him know he had his eyes on him as well.
JBL came out to the ramp and interrupted the proceedings. He said Bladewolf and HBK better figure out a way to get along one more week, because they'd be facing The Undertaker & Batista next week in a tag team match.
WrestleMania 23 is but two chapters away.