Raw is War
London, England
April 24, 2006
Brilliance before Backlash
April 24, 2006
Just six days before having to face each other in a Triple Threat Match at
Backlash for the WWE Championship, John Cena, Triple H and Edge were forced to
team up in a Handicap Match as they faced all five members of the Spirit Squad.
In the last few weeks, all three participants in the Triple Threat Match have
been facing each other in a series of Handicap Matches. In the first match,
Triple H allowed Edge to do the bulk of the work against Cena, but swooped in
late and hit The Champ with the Pedigree to earn the victory and hog the glory
for himself. In the second match, Cena hit his teammate Triple H with an FU
before making Edge tap out to the STFU. And in the third match, Cena was left
laying after a shot to the head with a sledgehammer.
So it was no surprise that the three Superstars were unable to fully gel as a
team and work together. Cena looked on from the apron in the early-goings of the
match, but he couldn’t wait around any longer and tagged himself in. Cena held
his own, but after a while, Triple H wanted a piece of the action and tagged
himself in. The Game came in like a house of fire, but eventually, the Spirit
Squad’s numbers advantage got to him. Cena came in to make the save, while Edge
just stood on the apron and looked on.
In fact, the Rated R Superstar and Lita walked away and let Triple H and Cena
fend for themselves. The two were able to control things as they hit the
Pedigree and FU in stereo, sending the Spirit Squad into a retreat. The match
was ruled a no-contest, but the action didn’t stop there. After both Superstars
hit their respective finishing maneuvers, they stared down, and then they came
to blows, whipping the London, England crowd into a frenzy. They were rolling
around on the mat, taking turns beating each other’s brains in. In the meantime,
Edge and Lita just looked on laughing, knowing that the Rated R Superstar would
be nice and fresh for the Triple Threat Match at Backlash.
Earlier in the evening, Mr. McMahon’s son Shane went one-on-one against Shawn
Michaels. Both will be involved in a tag team match at Backlash when Shane will
team up with Mr. McMahon to take on the Showstopper and “God”. Shane went for a
high-risk maneuver early on and came up empty on his moonsault attempt. HBK
followed it up soon after with his patented flying elbow. He then turned his
attention to Mr. McMahon and set him up on the announce table, and then went to
the top rope. Shane cut him off with a low blow, though, and Mr. McMahon leveled
the Showstopper with the ring bell. Mr. McMahon then laid HBK on the announce
table and Shane soared through the air, sending Michaels through the table with
a jaw-dropping elbow drop from the top rope. Mr. McMahon and Shane emerged from
the wreckage, and the Chairman proclaimed that “God” has abandoned Michaels, and
that “God” will be a chicken and not be by his side at Backlash. Mr. McMahon
said that HBK and “God” have no chance in hell of defeating the McMahons at
Backlash.
Plus, Kane and Big Show had another run-in with each other, this time in the
backstage area. Big Show told Kane that they had been through a lot as friends
and as partners, and they have a lot to work out. Kane said that it was all
because Big Show had mentioned “that date.” Big Show then spoke of May 19 once
again, sending Kane into a psychotic rage. Kane snapped and threw Big Show into
a garage door and then attacked his former partner’s eye. Officials and several
Superstars separated the two, but the damage had been done. Big Show was
screaming in pain and his eye was a bloody mess.
There was also a six-man tag team match that had Backlash implications. Rob Van
Dam will be putting his Money in the Bank opportunity on the line against
Shelton Benjamin who will also be defending his Intercontinental Championship.
Carlito will be facing former partner Chris Masters at Backlash as well. RVD and
Carlito, along with Charlie Haas, teamed up to take on Master, Benjamin and Matt
Striker. When the smoke finally cleared, RVD was able to hit the Five Star Frog
Splash on Benjamin for the 1-2-3.
Women’s Champion Mickie James addressed the crowd sporting her original look
rather than her Trish-like blonde hair. She said that in the past she tried to
be Trish Stratus, but now she knows who she is – the new Women’s Champion Mickie
James. She said that she is better than Trish. With that, Trish came to the
ring, dressed like Mickie, and hit her nemesis with the Mick Kick.
The savage newcomer Umaga was also in action as he made short work of England’s
own Steve Lewington. Following the match, Ric Flair came out and blindsided
Umaga, attacking his nether regions. The Dirtiest Player in the Game caused the
violent Superstar to retreat and it was announced they would go one on one at
Backlash.
And Candice defeated Torrie Wilson, Victoria and Maria in a Bikini Contest.
Following the win The Coach said that Candice should give him a kiss, and with
that Viscera hit the ring. The World’s Largest Love Machine gave Coach a curious
proposition and then laid him out. Then it was Viscera who delivered a big kiss
to Candice.
Matches
Rob Van Dam, Carlito & Charlie Haas def. Intercontinental Champion Shelton Benjamin, Chris Masters & Matt Striker
Candice def. Maria, Victoria and Torrie Wilson (Bikini Contest)
Shane McMahon vs. Shawn Michaels (no-contest)
Umaga def. Steve Lewington
WWE Champion John Cena, Triple H & Edge vs. The Spirit Squad (Handicap Match - no-contest)