WWE Raw is War

Allstate Arena
Chicago, Illinois
October 23, 2006

On the same page?
By Zack Zeigler
October 23, 2006


A sellout crowd of 15,101 showed up to Chicago’s Allstate Arena for RAW’s historic 700th episode. This was the first time RAW rolled into Chicago since the night after WrestleMania 22, and WWE didn’t disappoint as the milestone edition of RAW was nothing short of spectacular.

World Heavyweight Champion King Booker showed ECW Champion Big Show and WWE Champion John Cena there are no teams when it comes to Cyber Sunday’s Champion of Champions Match; K-Fed vowed “payback” on Cena for embarrassing him and slamming him with an FU last week, and the team of Edge & Randy Orton proved that they won’t back down from DX and will use any means necessary to win at Cyber Sunday.

It appeared that King Booker, Big Show and Hollywood bad boy Kevin Federline formed an alliance against Cena, but their association ended up resulting in a free for all that saw all three champions vying to show who was the most dominant.

K-Fed’s confrontation extended further than Cena. As he walked to the ring, the Chicago crowd nearly booed the celeb out of the building. The WWE fans seemed even less enthused to hear K-Fed and Nitro talking about Federline’s new album “Playing with Fire” that comes out on Oct. 31.

During Cena’s match with Nitro, K-Fed made his presence known. He gave Cena a slap to the face, but his interference didn’t help much. The Champ recovered, smashed Nitro with an FU and got the pinfall. As Cena turned his attention to K-Fed, who at this time was scurrying to the locker room area, the WWE Champion was ambushed by King Booker and Big Show. They seemed to be working in harmony in beating on Cena until the King turned on the Extreme Giant and dropped him with a Bookend.


The display showed that it will be every man for himself at Cyber Sunday in the Champion of Champions Match – no matter whose title the fans choose to be on the line. One has to wonder how King Booker and Big Show will coexist on SmackDown this Friday night when they team up to take on Cena and Batista?

The team of Randy Orton & Edge proved they won’t coexist with DX anymore and got one step closer to making their pledge to destroy DX come true in Orton’s match with Triple H. In the end, HBK gave Coachman Sweet Chin Music when he tried to make a three count after Edge interfered. Orton then got a steel chair from Bischoff and cracked Triple H in the head to get the pinfall.

Other Cyber Sunday matches were also revealed. After Jeff Hardy teamed with Carlito in a losing effort against Shelton Benjamin and Chris Masters, WWE fans were informed that they would vote for who Hardy would take on at Cyber Sunday. Will it be Johnny Nitro, Carlito or Benjamin?

That wasn’t the only Cyber Sunday-related news.

Last week, Cryme Tyme stole more than their first victory as a RAW tag team… apparently they also lifted King Booker’s royal wallet from his imperial duds. In their second match, Shad and JTG used their devastating G9 to get their second win against World Tag Team Champions Nicky and Mikey in a non-title match.

After yet another loss, Kenny erupted on the other four Spirit Squad members. To prove he is the “most talented” of the five, Kenny set up a match with Ric Flair. In the match, Kenny lived up to his promise and ousted the "Nature Boy” by grabbing Flair’s tights during a roll-up. Afterwards, the Squad tried to gang up on the “Nature Boy” but Flair’s WWE Legend friends had his back. Rowdy Roddy Piper, Dusty Rhodes and Sgt. Slaughter fought off the ambush and sent the Squad packing.

Also, Armando Alejandro Estrada announced that he’d received three responses to the open challenge he set forth for the undefeated Samoan Bulldozer Umaga. ECW Original Sandman and SmackDown Superstars Kane and Chris Benoit have all thrown their names into the hat as possible opponents.

To send a message to whomever the WWE fans choose to face the Samoan Bulldozer, Umaga decimated Eugene, who was simply having fun shooting free T-shirts into the sold out crowd.

Afterwards, Eugene’s friend “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan tried to give some friendly advice, but something inside of Eugene snapped and he went on the offensive and attacked Duggan.

Plus, the first match of the semi-finals in the Women’s Championship tournament saw Mickie James defeat Melina. The finals will be held at Cyber Sunday where Mickie will face either Lita or Maria.

Matches

Mickie James def. Melina
Chris Masters & Shelton Benjamin def. Carlito & Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy
Cryme Tyme def. World Tag Team Champions Mikey & Nicky (Non-Title Match)
Kenny def. Ric Flair
Randy Orton def. Triple H
WWE Champion John Cena def. Johnny Nitro (Non-Title Match)