WWE RAW
Albany, New York
April 7, 2008
results thanks to pwtorch.com
The show started with Lillian Garcia in the ring
to announce Raw G.M. William Regal. After the boos subsided, Regal introduced
the announcement of the Backlash PPV main event. He brought out WWE champion
Randy Orton first. Regal then announced the most-deserving #1 Contender,
John...Bradshaw Layfield. Oh, you thought he was saying Cena. JBL and Orton had
a stare down, then JBL extended his hand for a shake, but Orton simply stared at
him. Regal hyped the match, but Triple H's music interrupted. Hunter walked out
dressed to wrestle and he surveyed the appreciative crowd, which chanted "Triple
H".
Hunter milked the pop, then asked Regal if he's completely nuts on booking this
as the Backlash main event. He said he was a little busy last week with Flair,
but now he's focused on this situation. Hunter said Orton was lucky at Mania by
falling on top of Cena to get the win. He then asked how JBL is a contender when
he's been on Smackdown the last two years, and his only claim to fame recently
is slapping around a midget. Hunter said he found that funny, but it doesn't
make him a #1 Contender. Regal then booked a handicap match for tonight with
Hunter facing Orton and JBL. Hunter earns a slot in the Backlash title match if
he wins. JBL and Orton screamed in disgust, while Hunter was non-reactional.
[Commercial Break]
[Q2]
1 -- UMAGA vs. VAL VENIS
Umaga dominated this one rather handily. He landed the running rear end splash
in the corner, then smashed Venis with the Spike for the win.
WINNER: Umaga in 4:00. Picture every other Umaga squash extrapolated over four
minutes. Just a chance to get Umaga back on the winning track after losing to
Batista in the Mania stinker. (1/2*)
Announcers: Ross and Lawler plugged the text vote for Yes or No on whether Shawn
Michaels did the right thing at WrestleMania by retiring Flair. ... They plugged
Batista and Michaels as special guests on Jericho's highlight reel coming up
tonight.
[Commercial Break]
2 -- MELINA & JILLIAN HALL vs. ASHLEY & MICKIE JAMES
Ross: "Ashley always has (pause) interesting combat attire." Yes, that's one way
to put it. A lot of action to start with, then after the action broke down,
Mickie finished off Melina with the lift-up DDT for the pin and the win.
WINNER: Mickie in 3:00. Nice seeing Mickie back in a strong position on TV. She
should have been in the Mania picture, but that's neither here nor there. (1/2*)
Announcers: Ross and Lawler said they're going to re-live last week's Flair
Farewell up next.
[Q3]
[Commercial Break]
Ross introduced a video package on Flair's final two days, starting with the
superkick at WrestleMania and concluding with the Flair Farewell on Raw last
week. The same video that aired on ECW and Smackdown last week. The emotion is
still very raw and the moment still very poignant.
[Commercial Break]
Video package: They hyped WrestleMania 25 in Houston next year.
3 -- CADE & MURDOCH vs. KENDRICK & LONDON
Murdoch quickly dumped Kendrick to the outside, then Cade missed with an elbow
smash on London. Murdoch tripped London from behind, allowing the heels to start
working over London in their corner. Lawler questioned Murdoch's tan and
wondered if his skin color is the product of a tanning bed. Ross said he doesn't
mess with those rascals. Kendrick took the hot tag at 3:00, and the action kinda
broke down. Suddenly, Kendrick rolled up Murdoch for the pin and the win after
Kendrick played opossum on the mat. Afterward, Cade screamed and shouted at
Murdoch for screwing up again.
WINNERS: Kendrick & London in 4:00. Back to the basic WWE TV tag match with the
usual post-match argument between Cade and Murdoch. (1/2*)
[Q4]
Backstage: JBL stormed into Randy Orton's locker room for a word, but Orton cut
him off and said he's beaten Triple H before and he'll beat him again. He told
him just to stay out of his way. Orton grabbed his belt and left.
[Commercial Break]
ECW tomorrow night: Will C.M. Punk cash in the briefcase? They can keep that one
in the can for the next 25 weeks or however long until Punk cashes in.
4 -- WWE champion RANDY ORTON & JBL vs. TRIPLE H
Stips: Hunter qualifies for Backlash main event title match if he wins this
match. Orton and Hunter started things off, with Orton taking early control. JBL
then tagged in and he took Hunter to the corner. The ref called for a break, and
JBL slowly backed away from Hunter with neither man taking his eyes off the
other man. Nicely done. Orton and JBL then double-teamed Hunter in their corner
to set up Orton's methodical attack on Hunter. Hunter tried to make his comeback
at 6:00, but Orton caught him off the ropes with a nice spinebuster for a
nearfall. At 8:00, JBL had Hunter lined up for the Clothesline from Hell, but
Orton blind-tagged himself into the ring. JBL was indignant, but Orton said he
had it. Orton then went for the RKO, but Hunter shoved Orton into JBL. Orton
then rebounded into the Pedigree from Hunter for the pin and the win.
WINNER: Hunter in 8:00. Decent handicap match with the heels stumbling and
bumbling into a loss. (*1/2)
[Q5 -- second-hour]
After the match, Regal booked a triple threat match for the WWE Title at
Backlash. But, someone's been left out of the picture. John Cena's music hit and
Cena walked out on stage and congratulated Triple H. He said comes with songs of
praise and a proposition. Cena said that since Hunter wants to play the excuses
game, Cena said he beat Hunter the Rumble, beat Hunter at WM 22, beat JBL at WM
21, and beat Orton at last year's Backlash. Cena bombed with some poorly-written
jokes about Orton beating people off. He then asked Regal to be included in the
WWE Title match with a fatal four-way. Regal paused to let the audience react,
then Regal said Cena has given him a fantastic idea. He said the Backlash main
event should be the greatest it can possibly be, so he'll offer Cena the same
deal he gave Hunter. It will be Cena vs. JBL and Hunter tonight, with Cena into
the main event if he wins.
[Commercial Break]
5 -- World tag champs HARDCORE HOLLY & CODY RHODES vs. SANTINO MARELLA & CARLITO
-- non-title match
The match started with Ross talking about Carlito being the son of Carlos Colon.
Lawler asked who Santino's father is. After a pause, Ross said he's the son of
Mr. Marella. A minute into the match, Holly had Santino set up for the Alabama
Slam, but Carlito broke it up. They had some confusion over who was the legal
man, then the heels worked over Holly. Rhodes took the hot tag at 4:00 and
crotched Santino. Santino knocked Cody to the mat, though, and nailed his
"patriotic salute" diving elbow from the top rope for the pin and the win.
WINNERS: Carlito & Santino in 5:00. Another basic WWE TV tag match. Santino's
salute elbow smash is stellar, but I'd rather hear him on the mic than see him
in the ring. (*)
[Q6]
[Commercial Break]
Backstage: They showed Cryme Tyme standing backstage. They're having a
WrestleMania clearance sale with deep-discount prices. Shad pulled out a Rocky
Johnson Soulshaker and poured some on J.T.G. to get a dance in his step. Shad
then pulled out Maria's Playboy autograph signed by Maria and they checked out
the photos. For the next item, JTG pulled out Kim Kardashian's thong from the
Hall of Fame. Shad said she wasn't at the Hall. JTG tried to play it off like
she was, but Shad said that's not Kim's, but Mae Young's. JTG stopped and tossed
the thong away, then CT did their catchphrase to close the segment.
Video package: Ross and Lawler narrated clips from the recent confrontations
between Big Show and Khali.
Backstage: Triple H was taping up his wrists in the locker room area when JBL
walked in and cut a promo about not liking this anymore than he does. JBL said
he needs to listen to him. Hunter then pulled out his headphones and asked JBL
if he was saying something. JBL huffed and asked why no one listens to him. He
stormed off, then Hunter shouted after him, "Pretty much because you're an ass."
[Commercial Break]
[Q7]
6 -- Women's champ BETH PHOENIX vs. MARIA -- non-title match
Maria charged Beth to start things off, and she fired up with some slaps to the
face. She tried that handstand spot, but Beth was like, "no way" and shoved her
to the mat. Beth then applied a sort of Texas Cloverleaf/Liontamer into a
back-bending backbreaker. Goodness, that was awesome. Suddenly, Maria went for a
roll-up, but Beth kicked out just before two. Maria made her comeback, and
landed a reverse DDT after blocking a fireman's carry move. Beth hung out Maria
across the top rope, then landed the fisherman buster suplex for the pin and the
win.
WINNER: Beth in 4:00. That was a decent TV match. Maria showed good fire and
Beth pulled out the victory with power offense. (*)
Backstage: They showed Shawn Michaels and Batista walking to the ring on a split
screen. Highlight Reel is next.
[Commercial Break]
ECW tomorrow night: Kane and Chavo in a contract-signing for their ECW Title
match at Backlash.
Highlight Reel: IC champ Chris Jericho came out first for the big segment.
Jericho brought out Batista first. He then talked about Shawn Michaels having
the new name of the man who ended Ric Flair's career, and he brought him out.
Michaels walked out looking very stern while Batista shook his head. The text
messaging poll has Michaels at 65 percent for doing the right at WrestleMania.
Jericho said the three of them shed tears with Flair last week, but those tears
didn't have to be shed... Michaels cut him off and said Flair challenged him to
the match and asked for him to be Mr. WrestleMania. Jericho then went to the
Jeritron to show Michaels nearly busting his ribs with the moonsault spot onto
the announce table.
Jericho said his sources have it on good authority that Michaels has broken
ribs, and he was willing to do anything to end Flair's career. Jericho repeated
Michaels's line: "I'm sorry, I love you" and asked Michaels if he was ever truly
sorry. Michaels said he is sorry. Batista cut him off and said Michaels is only
sorry about people calling him out on his crap. He cut a promo on Michaels, and
Jericho cut him off and asked Batista if he would have done the same thing.
Batista said he wouldn't have. Michaels cut him off and said Batista must be
some high and mighty guy now. He asked Batista where his friendship was weeks
prior to the WrestleMania match. Michaels asked where was Batista's friendship
when he could have talked Flair into not having the match before the match.
[Q8]
Michaels cut right to the chase and said Flair didn't ask Batista to be his
opponent at Mania because there was only one man he could trust to carry the
burden the rest of his life. "And you are looking at him," Michaels firmly told
Batista. He told Batista to look at his hands because there is so much blood on
his hands - some of it good and some of it bad. Michaels said WrestleMania was
the hardest night of his career. Batista said that because of all that blood on
his hands, he trusted Michaels to do the right thing. Michaels said he did do
the right thing. Michaels said he's sick and tired of going back and forth with
him, so do something about it. Michaels dropped the mic and Batista dropped his
shades. Batista smirked, then said, "I already have." Batista slowly turned and
walked away from Michaels while giving him a smile. The fans booed Batista as he
walked out of the ring, leaving Michaels in the ring by himself with a sad look
on his face. In-ter-esting.
Backstage: They showed Cena walking backstage for the main event.
[Commercial Break]
Backstage: Regal got off the phone with Vickie Guerrero when Randy Orton walked
in to interrupt. He said it's Michaels vs. Batista at Backlash. Orton didn't
care, as he was concerned about Regal over-stepping his bounds with the title
situation. Regal said as champion, he used to take on all-comers. In fact, with
Raw from London, England next week, Orton's opponent next week will be...me!
Orton stared at his opponent next week, then walked away.
7 -- JOHN CENA vs. TRIPLE H & JBL
Stips: Cena qualifies for Backlash main event title match if he wins this match.
The bell sounded and Randy Orton walked to ringside for a closer look at the
action. Orton also served as a distraction against Cena, allowing JBL to tee off
on Cena. And JBL kept nailing Cena while teasing Hunter with a tag. Cena fought
back and the males booed his comeback. JBL then walked over to his corner for a
tag, but he just teased Hunter again. JBL knocked Cena to the floor at 4:00 and
smashed him into the guardrail before taking Cena back into the ring for a
nearfall.
[Q9 -- over-run]
Cena made his full comeback at 7:00 and JBL tried to stumble over to his corner
to make a tag, but Hunter pulled his hand away to give JBL a taste of his own
medicine. Cena then dropped JBL with the Five Knuckle Shuffle as the males booed
like mad. JBL tried made another tag, but Hunter pulled away again. Cena then
went for the FU, but JBL escaped and nailed a big boot to the face. JBL came up
to one knee and stared a hole in Hunter, who told him to get back on the
offensive. Suddenly, JBL and Hunter broke out into a brawl, which spilled to the
outside. JBL accidentally nailed Orton, then Orton jumped into the ring and gave
JBL an RKO out of frustration. Cena dumped Orton to the outside, then he pinned
JBL in center ring while Hunter watched from the apron.
Post-match: Hunter and Cena stared at each other while standing over JBL's
fallen body. Orton hobbled on one good leg on the floor before holding up his
WWE Title belt to close the show.
WINNER: Cena in 9:00. Eventful match to set up the dynamic for the four-way
match at Backlash. Right now, it doesn't make much sense for Hunter to allow
Cena into the match to reduce his own odds of winning the WWE Title, but I'm
sure we'll get an explanation. Well, maybe. (*1/2)