Raw is War
Atlantic City, New Jersey
August 21, 2006
DX death sentence?
By Zack Zeigler
August 28, 2006
The McMahons didn’t become a superpower in sports-entertainment by rolling over
when adversity stood in their path, and when RAW ended, Mr. McMahon showed DX
that he’d reach into his bag of “unlimited resources” to ensure their demise.
Mr. McMahon utilized three SmackDown guns for hire—Mr. Kennedy, U.S. Champion
Finlay and Sir William Regal and ECW World Champion Big Show, along with his
trusty lead pipe, to leave DX a bloody mess.
Following the massacre, the Chairman announced he and Shane would be getting
back into the ring with their arch nemesis. The McMahons will team up with the
largest athlete in the world Big Show to face DX in a Hell in a Cell Match. In
all likelihood, this match will take place at Unforgiven, but at press time,
that was not announced.
The Chairman was supposed to have the night off to relax in his posh Atlantic
City hotel suite after Shawn Michaels and Triple H nearly broke him down last
week on RAW. Shane was running the show in his father’s absence and vowed he’d
get revenge on DX for how they nearly forced his father into insanity.
Shane told Michaels and Triple H that they’d be competing on RAW, but kept their
opponents a secret until it was time for the match to begin. Then, he
reacquainted the same three SmackDown thugs that were sent to wear down DX
before the SummerSlam match with the McMahons. The tactic didn’t work at
SummerSlam, and it failed again on RAW.
In the match, the SmackDown Superstars used their three-on-two numbers advantage
–well, three and a half person advantage counting Finlay’s Little Bastard – and
took turns trying to wear their opponents down. But, after Sir Regal tried to
hit Triple H with a chair and accidentally hit Finlay, The Game took advantage
and delivered a Pedigree for the pinfall.
Before DX could celebrate, Shane came out from the locker room and sent out ECW
World Champion Big Show. HBK and Triple H used their numbers to subdue the
500-lb Extremist, but when the SmackDown gang awoke, the numbers were again used
against DX.
Finlay entered the ring with his shillelagh in hand and began using it wildly.
That set up a chokeslam on Triple H from Big Show. As they continued to beat
down HBK, the Chairman made his way to the ring.
Earlier in the night, Mr. McMahon was enjoying some wine and room service where
he heard a noise…a crowing noise. As soon as he uncovered what he thought was
his steak dinner, two roosters were caged inside of his posh hotel suite. The
sound seemed to send him into a trance—and the spell didn’t leave his face as he
strutted to the ring carrying a lead pipe in his hands.
This wasn’t the normal McMahon strut that the Chairman normally carries. It was
as if the only thing that mattered was destroying DX. It was focused, yet
aloof—like he was programmed to attack.
Inside the ring, he busted Triple H’s head open with the pipe, and then
proceeded to choke him with it until The Game fell to the mat in a pool of his
own blood.
Then it was HBK’s turn; smashing him in the head with a television camera that
caused blood to pur from Michaels’ head. The physical dissection of D-Generation
X had taken place; exactly what the Chairman has longed for since they reunited
in June.
But Mr. McMahon wasn’t finished.
“You think this is over? It’s not over until I say it’s over,” shouted the
Chairman. “This time it will be Hell in the Cell,” he screamed as he continued
to rein blows with the pipe.
The McMahons – specifically Mr. McMahon – proved again that when it comes to DX,
they won’t quit until the job is done and the duo of Shawn Michaels and Triple H
are destroyed once and for all. Has sanity finally left Mr. McMahon? Is the
figurative death of DX the only thing that keeps him going anymore?
A match that was indeed set for Unforgiven was a Tables, Ladders and Chairs
Match between WWE Champion Edge and John Cena.
After being dumped into the polluted water of the Long Island Sound by Cena last
week on RAW, the Rated R Superstar whined to the Chairman’s son about having
Cena fired.
“I want John Cena out of my life. I’m sick of him. I want him gone,” complained
the champion.
But before Edge could whine anymore, Cena came to the ring with a three-year
contract that would relocate him to SmackDown if he lost against Edge.
“I you beat me, I’ll sign on the dotted line and I am out of your life,” said
Cena.
After a few moments of deliberation, the Rated R Superstar agreed—with two
stipulations. One, he chooses the type of match; two, he chooses where the match
takes place.
Even with all of the unknowns, Cena agreed...but his night wasn’t over. For his
rudeness towards the WWE Champion, Shane McMahon told Cena he was competing
against Chris Masters, a fresh, well-rested Superstar coming off sabbatical.
Cena never backs down from a challenge, and while nobody in WWE has ever broken
the Master Lock, Cena was agile enough to avoid getting trapped in it. But Edge
made certain that the Doctor of Thuganomics would pay in the match; as Cena
locked in the STFU, and it looked like Chris Masters was going to submit, the
Rated R Superstar stormed down the ramp from the locker room area and smashed
Cena with a chair, a ladder and a launched him through a table. Cena laid buried
in rubble, dazed from being blindsided, and Edge announced his stipulation:
“I decided where the match is going to take place. It’s going to be at
Unforgiven, in my hometown of Toronto, Canada. And I’ve decided what match it’s
go into be. A match you’ve never had. A match I’ve never lost. It’s going to be
tables, ladders and chairs,” said Edge.
Cena may have gotten the win over Masters by disqualification, but he didn’t
look like he won anything by the condition he was left in. With his back against
the wall, the challenger will scratch and claw to remain on RAW and reclaim the
WWE Championship. But one has to wonder, has Cena bitten off more than he can
chew by giving the champion the power to make a match in Edge’s hometown—and a
match that Cena has never competed in?
There were no other Unforgiven matches set on RAW, but there was the news that
after Unforgiven Trish Stratus would be leaving WWE. It was shocking to WWE fans
and Superstars — especially Carlito. After receiving a Mobile Alert that Lita
posted a story on WWE.com disclosing that Trish was leaving the company after
the pay-per-view event that takes place in her hometown, the quintessential Diva
was visibly flustered and stammering for a way to explain it to Carlito.
“That is something that Lita would do. She’d take my personal business and…” but
before she could finish her sentence Carlito told her that he only wanted to
give her a proper goodbye. When he leaned in to show his affection, Randy Orton
broke up their romantic moment by slamming them both into the wall.
Last week on RAW, Carlito interrupted Orton during his match with Ric Flair, and
Orton got payback by ruining what will be one of their last few times together.
But it would be Carlito that would get the last laugh of the night.
Perhaps if the Legend Killer were more focused on his No. 1 Contender’s Match
against Jeff Hardy, he would be gearing up for the opportunity to become a
two-time Intercontinental Champion. Fortunately for Jeff Hardy, who is riding
the momentum of a successful return to WWE, he was able to stay ahead of Orton
and gain a pinfall via the Twist of Fate and a Swanton Bomb after Carlito came
to the ring, spit apple in Orton’s face and indirectly cost the Legend Killer
the match.
The Women’s Champion Lita wasn’t just ruining Trish’s night. She was also
shattering former Women’s Champion Mickie James’ dreams of reclaiming the
championship. Mickie gave everything she had and was relentless in her
attack…but it wasn’t enough. In the end, Lita used the ropes to hold Mickie down
to retain the Women’s Championship.
The team of “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan and Eugene nearly defeated Mikey and Kenny of
the World Tag Team Champion Spirit Squad in their championship match. With
Robbie and Rory McAlister of the Highlanders doing commentary at ringside, the
Squad members who weren’t competing couldn’t stop themselves from getting
tangled with the Highlanders. That got Robbie, Rory and two of the five members
of the Squad ejected from ringside. The one Spirit Squad member that remained,
Mitch, was the deciding factor in the match, and Mikey and Kenny scored the
victory to remain the World Tag Team Champions.
After the Squad took care of Duggan and Eugene, the undefeated Umaga came out
and finished them off as a message to Kane. Armando Alejandro Estrada warned the
“Big Red Dummy” that “The only monster in WWE…is the undefeated Samoan
Bulldozer, Umaga.” Kane was injured at the hands of Umaga last week on RAW, and
suffered internal bleeding from their match together. Has Umaga done what no
other Superstar was able to do to Kane since he joined WWE? Has the Samoan
Bulldozer destroyed the Big Red Monster?
RAW Divas Candice Michelle and Torrie Wilson were in action in a first ever Back
to Schoolgirl Paddle on a Pole Match. Torrie was in the traditional plaid skirt
and matching top, while Candice was in less traditional — yet visibly pleasing —
schoolgirl attire. After tumbling around the ring, Torrie gained control of the
match, but when she delivered her signature Facial, Candice countered by biting
Torrie’s voluptuous posterior. After winning the match, Candice was a good sport
and when she revealed her panties that read “Spank Me,” she handed Torrie the
paddle and the two Divas took turns spanking each other.
Intercontinental Champion Johnny Nitro didn’t take the night off. Last week,
after Melina double crossed Mick Foley and delivered the news that he was fired
– with the WWE Chairman and Shane McMahon smirking close by – they used RAW as
their podium to insult Foley even more. The dashing Hollywood couple tore into
the Hardcore Legend,
“He’s such a disgusting creep,” Melina said. “I would never leave Johnny Nitro
for a one-eared, smelly Muppet like Mick Foley.”
Although Foley was fired from WWE, will he just sit back and take the abuse from
two people he considered his friends?
Matches
D-Generation X def. U.S. Champion Finlay, Sir William Regal & Mr. Kennedy (Handicap Match)
John Cena def. Chris Masters (DQ)
Candice Michelle def. Torrie Wilson (Back to Schoolgirl Paddle on a Pole Match)
Jeff Hardy def. Randy Orton (IC Championship No. 1 Contender Match)
World Tag Team Champions Spirit Squad def. Hacksaw Jim Duggan & Eugene
Women's Champion Lita def. Mickie James