Raw is War

University Park, Pennsylvania
February 21, 2005

BATISTA UNLEASHED
Feb. 21, 2005

Triple H created an animal. But that animal now wants his World Heavyweight Championship.

After learning that The Cerebral Assassin was behind the SmackDown! videos and JBL’s limousine close-call, Batista chose to make it an all-Evolution RAW main event at WrestleMania 21.

And he did it with authority.

Batista tossed his mentor Ric Flair from the ring, then sent Triple H crashing through the ceremonial table with a Batista Bomb. With The Game enveloped by collapsed and splintered wood, Batista simply said, “Hunter, I’m staying right here on RAW. And at WrestleMania, I’m taking the World Heavyweight Championship … from you!”

With Batista’s decision etched on General Manager Eric Bischoff’s contract, we now know both brands’ main events for WrestleMania. Triple H will face the man Evolution made a threat, while WWE Champion JBL now knows he’ll go one-on-one with John Cena.

Another RAW Superstar was also making noise concerning the big pay-per-view on April 3. Saying he needed to take his own advice and seize the WrestleMania spotlight, HBK called out Kurt Angle through SmackDown! General Manager Theodore Long. Will Angle accept Michaels’ pay-per-view challenge, setting up their first-ever match?

Later in tag-team action, Michaels seemed to send a message to Angle by hitting his own version of the Olympic Slam en route to a Sweet Chin Music victory.

Edge and Christian were reunited in a match against Michaels and Randy Orton. After their recent arena-wide brawl, Edge and HBK had a score to settle. Christian was looking for payback after suffering a loss at the hands of Orton last week.

Harkening back to their seven World Tag Team Championship reigns together, the E & C connection went for a “Conchairto” on Michaels, who was able to duck out of the way of the two steel chairs. Orton then cleared himself and Edge from the ring with the momentum of his clothesline. Christian tried to take advantage but swung and missed with his one-man chair shot, opening the door for HBK to hit the Superkick and get the pin. After the match, a frustrated Edge once again attacked Michaels backstage, setting up a Street Fight Match next week on RAW.

In other action, Intercontinental Champion Shelton Benjamin wasn’t about to be a victim against the maniacal Gene Snitsky. Taking matters into his own hands — literally — Benjamin smashed Snitsky across the face with a steel chair, busting him open. Despite losing by disqualification, Benjamin stood over Snitsky’s body and raised the chair triumphantly. Perhaps Snitsky will think twice about Benjamin now that he knows that Shelton isn’t afraid to mix it up.

The crowd at State College in Pennsylvania was forced to listen to Muhammad Hassan’s latest vitriolic speech. Mercifully, Chris Benoit cut him short, demanding a match. Instead, the confrontation broke down into a two-on-one brawl that left Benoit writhing in the ring after suffering a modified STO and camel clutch. But Benoit will get his match against Hassan next week on RAW.

In a Triple-Threat Match for the Women’s Championship, Trish Stratus fought off two former champions. After Victoria hit the Widow’s Peak on Molly Holly, Trish snuck in and stole the pin and victory for herself.

We also witnessed the unveiling of “The Masterpiece” Chris Masters, who made quick work of Steven Richards. First, Masters bloodied Richards, then he forced a submission with a swinging full nelson. With a chiseled 6-foot-4, 275 pound frame, only time will tell how far this physical specimen can go in WWE.



MATCH RESULTS

Women’s Champion Trish Stratus def. Victoria and Molly Holly (Triple-Threat Match)

Chris Jericho def. Simon Dean

Kane def. Tyson Tomko

Shawn Michaels & Randy Orton def. Edge & Christian

Chris Masters def. Steven Richards

Gene Snitsky def. Intercontinental Champion Shelton Benjamin (DQ)