WWE Monday Night Raw
January 22nd, 2007
Lafayette, Louisiana (Cajundome)
* Opening video *
* Pyro *
JR and the King welcome us to Raw from ringside
JR: Ladies and gentlemen, I’m Jim Ross, alongside Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler, and King, tonight is shaping up to be one heck of an event
Lawler: That’s for sure JR, MNM vs Cryme Tyme for the tag team titles, and my personal favourite, the diva ball to determine the women’s champion
JR: And let’s not forget Triple H and Edge will be preparing for one of their biggest matches in their careers this Sunday when they compete for the vacant WWE Championship
“Teacher” interrupts the announcers and Matt Striker makes his way down to ringside with his argyle sweater, but tonight he walks with a focused look upon his face.
After a brief pause, “Space Odyssey” sounds throughout the arena and the Nature Boy, Ric Flair, makes his way to the ring dressed in one of his expensive robes, this one is black with blue lining, and Flair is imprinted in silver diamonds. Flair ushers for Jack Doane to open the ropes, and the legendary icon enters the ring, and removes his coat
Match #1
Matt Striker vs Ric Flair
Striker gets into the face of Flair, talking trash. Flair simply replies by flicking his hands through his hair, and yelling out a Woo! Striker gets agitated, and swings at Flair, connecting with a right hand. Flair stares at Striker asking if he’s serious, then responds with a right of his own. Striker swings back with another right, before his chest is lit up with a knife-edge chop from Flair, the force of which causes Striker to stagger back into the ring ropes. Flair goes on a rampage with the chops, breaking skin and causing a slight trickle of blood.
Striker cowers his way under the top rope to retreat, and Jack Doane steps in to ward Flair off, and Striker takes advantage of the distraction, and pokes Flair with a thumb to his eye. Flair staggers back towards the middle of the ring, and Striker takes him down with a back suplex
One…Two…NO!
Flair gets a shoulder up, and Striker nonchalantly repositions himself to a standing position, and awaits Flair to get to his feet. Flair gets up onto his knees, when he is struck with a kick to the middle of the back from Striker, and Flair screams in pain, Striker obviously targeting Flair’s problematic back. Striker follows it up with another kick to the back, and then applies a side headlock onto Flair.
The crowd rallies their support behind Flair, and he fights through the lack of oxygen to get to a standing position, and breaks free from the hold through driving his elbow into the mid-section of Striker. Flair takes advantage of a hazed Striker, whipping him into the ropes and catching him in a sleeper hold as he bounces back from the ropes. Striker flails his arms for a few seconds, before positioning himself to connect with another back suplex.
One…Two…T—NO!
Flair gets a shoulder up, and this time, Striker has a slight look of disappointment on his face. Rather than let it stray him from the match at hand, Striker using the frustration to his advantage, mounting Flair and thudding his head with continual left hand and right hand blows. Jack Doane warns off Striker for use of a closed fist, and this causes him to let up on the onslaught. Flair gets to his feet, and is promptly whipped to the near corner. Striker moves in and begins swinging with punches yet again, and after several seconds of body blows and head shots, takes a step back, and Flair stumbles for a bit, swinging blindly, and flops to the mat in signature style. Striker makes a cover:
One…Two…NO!
Again, Flair manages to kick out. Striker bangs the mat hard with both hands, frustration becoming evident. He takes the liberty to argue with Jack Doane about the speed of the counts, which proves to be a flaw, as Flair gets to his feet and chops away at Striker. He chops Striker back to the ring ropes, and like earlier in the match, Striker dips his head under, and Doane steps between them to separate them in the ropes, but this time Flair thumbs Striker in the eye, then delivers a kick straight to the shinbone of his right leg, causing Striker to hobble in the ring. Flair whips him to the ropes, and as he comes back, Flair hits a back body drop, and then takes it upon himself to climb the turnbuckle. He waits for Striker to get to his feet, but Striker senses the top rope move, and jumps to the ropes, shaking them, causing Flair to lose his balance and crotch himself on the top turnbuckle. Striker looks to take advantage of the situation and attempts a superplex, but Flair punches his way out of it, and knocks Striker to the mat. Flair slowly climbs off the turnbuckle to the mat, but is taken down with a schoolboy rollup from Striker, who grabs the ropes for leverage
One...Two…NO!
Jack Doane catches the illegal tactics used by Striker and breaks the count. Striker argues with the referee again, and turns right into a small package from Flair.
One…Two…Three!!!
Winner – Ric Flair
Flair celebrates his hard-fought victory, but has once again outsmarted the educated Raw superstar. Replay of the closing reveals Flair had his feet in the ropes, and this sends Striker into a fit, arguing with Jack Doane still inside the ring.
[Commercial]
>> Back from commercial, and heavy breathing is heard as a bodyshot is shown of a tanned superstar. The camera pans out to show the Intercontinental Champion, Umaga, alongside his handler, Armando Estrada
Armando: In case you have not heard, my name is Armando…Estrrrrrrada! And next to me is the Samoan Bulldozer, the Intercontinental Champion…UMAGA!
Heat from the crowd
Armando: Three weeks ago, nobody gave my bulldozer a chance in the battle royal. But he proved you all wrong, and more importantly, he proved Bobby Lashley wrong, haha
More heat
Armando: And so we come to this Sunday, the Royal Rumble. Umaga must face this dummy Lashley again. And once again, Umaga will leave as champion, since he is unstoppable, haha
Chants of you suck begin to reign out
Armando: Fittingly, that same night is the biggest match in the WWE, the Royal Rumble, where one man will realise his dream, and win the right to mainevent Wrestlemania 23 for a World Championship. I will do you fans a favour, and save all the anticipation, for the Royal Rumble winner, and one-half of the Wrestlemania mainevent, will be Umaga. <<
Match #2
Kenny Dykstra vs CM Punk
Dykstra starts off aggressively, looking for a win over Punk, but Punk steps aside and Dykstra spears the steel ringpost. He clutches his shoulder and staggers back toward Punk, who lifts him onto his shoulders and drops him with the Go To Sleep, and hooks the leg
One…Two…Three!!!
Winner – CM Punk
Punk looks pleased with such a simple victory, as Dykstra clutches his right shoulder in a lot of pain inside the ring
>> Divas are shown walking down the corridor for the upcoming match <<
[Commercial]
Eric Bischoff is seated at ringside with the Women’s Championship held in a display case near the bell table. An explanation of the structure is shown on the titantron, as the divas make their entrances
Match #3 – Diva Ball
WWE Women’s Championship
Fall 1: Candice / Trish / Mickie / Maria vs Jillian / Lita / Melina / Victoria
Victoria starts the match against Trish. Trish takes control of the match for her team, working on Victoria’s neck and back. Victoria tags in Lita, who flies off the top-rope looking for a Lita-canrana, but Trish dives out of the way in the nick of time, and Lita eats canvas. All eight divas get into the ring and brawl, with bodies falling everywhere, and in the mix of all the commotion, Trish delivers Stratusfaction to Jillian, and hooks the leg
One…Two…Three!!!
Winner – Candice / Trish / Mickie / Maria
Lita, Melina and Victoria all look disappointed that their team didn’t win, as the remaining four divas prepare for the next stage of the match
[Commercial]
Fall 2: Candice / Trish vs Mickie / Maria
Candice and Maria start for their respective teams, with the crowd split evenly. A few awkward Irish whips and clotheslines are shared between the less experience divas. Candice hits a hard clothesline that knocks Maria to the mat, and Mickie enters to save the match. Candice and Mickie, being illegal entrants, are being cautioned out of the ring while Trish hits Stratusfaction on Maria. Suddenly Victoria gets back into the ring, and delivers a punishing Widow’s Peak to Trish, and lays Maria’s arm over her fallen body, then exiting the ring. The ref turns and counts Trish’s shoulders down:
One…Two…Three!!!
Winners – Mickie / Maria
Victoria seems pleased with her work as Trish clutches the back of her head and looks up at Victoria who cost her the title.
Fall 3: Mickie vs Maria
Maria is still down from the Stratusfaction, and Mickie hesitates on a cover. She bends her legs and waits to hit the move that could win her glory. Maria slowly gets to her feet, still shaken by the previous effects, and Mickie strikes with a picture perfect Mick Kick, and makes the cover:
One…Two…Three!!!
Winner – Mickie James
NEW Women’s Champion
Mickie is then presented with the title by Eric Bischoff, and then clutches her newly won championship and bounces around the ring full of excitement, celebrating her victory.
[Commercial]
>> JR and King rundown the Rumble card, focusing on the battle of the beasts for the Intercontinental title, the crowning of a new WWE Champion, and of course Raw’s 15 entrants in the quest to guarantee a mainevent match at Wrestlemania<<
Match #4
Charlie Haas vs Rey Mysterio
Mysterio is dominating from the start, using his high flying wizardry to prevent Haas grasping a hold on him. Rey hits several splashes off the ropes, then dropkicks Haas into the ropes, hits a 619, and drops da’ dime, and covers
One…Two…Three
Winner – Rey Mysterio
>> Cutting backstage to Todd Grisham, who is standing by with Triple H
Grisham: Triple H, in just six short days, you will contest the final match in the tournament to crown a new WWE Champion
HHH: I will contest it, and win it. Todd, I am the Game. People look up to me as a leader. Inspiration. An icon. Edge has none of those qualities. In six days, I’ll become an 11-time World champion
Clapping is heard of camera, and Todd looks to his right side
Edge: Well, well, well, if it isn’t old Hunter boasting about everything. You want to talk about an icon? I’m the inspiration for a whole nation of people who have nothing else in their lives than hockey to follow. Trips, what makes you think you can beat me?
HHH: Think? Edge, I know I can beat you, and in six days, I will!
Edge: Well, let’s see you make it their first
Triple H takes that as a threat and balls his fist, when from behind he is taken down with a forearm from Randy Orton. Both members of Rated RKO lay into Triple H with several kicks to the mid-section, then whip him into the interview set. Orton picks HHH and holds him steady, then Edge spears him into the remains of the crumbled set
Edge: Sunday. Rumble. I’m going to be the champion! <<
[Commercial]
Nitro and Mercury make their way to the ring, decked out in fur coats and shades and living their gimmick. Gun fire goes off, signalling the arrival of Cryme Tyme
Match #5
World Tag Team Championship
MNM (c) vs Cryme Tyme
Nitro and Shad begin the match. Shad takes control, using his height and strength to his advantage, hitting several clotheslines and slams. He tags in JTG, who uses his speed to keep the momentum on their side. Nitro gets a tag to Mercury, who takes JTG down with a clothesline of his own. Melina climbs onto the ring apron, distracting the ref, and MNM go to cheat once more, but Shad enters the ring and lawn darts Nitro into Melina, knocking her off the apron and Nitro to the outside, then Shad lifts Mercury onto his shoulders, and JTG bounces off the ropes and jumps up, hitting a swinging neckbreaker as Shad falls with a Samoan Drop, hitting the G-9, and JTG covers
One…Two…Three!!!
Winners – Cryme Tyme
NEW World Tag Team Champions
JTG and Shad celebrate the win with high fiving fans at ringside, and strapping the bling around their waists, a month’s voyage of vengeance being achieved.
[Commercial – Royal Rumble Promotion]
Match #6
Shelton Benjamin vs Shawn Michaels
The match begins with technical, chain wrestling, a lot of holds and takedowns being exchanged, before Shelton takes the advantage with several suplexes. His cockiness leads to his downfall though, as HBK mounts a comeback, and hits the inverted atomic drop, scoop slam, diving elbow drop, with Sweet Chin Music on top, and makes the cover:
One…Two…Three!!!
Winner – Shawn Michaels
After the matchup, Johnny Nitro runs in and starts punching HBK. Suddenly the Raw entrants in the rumble flood the ring and begin brawling with one another, when Umaga makes his way to the ring, led by Armando. Umaga gets into the ring and clears house, dishing out spikes left, right and centre, leaving him as the last man left standing inside the ring, and he does his tribal screams as Armando looks pleased at the carnage from the outside and reiterates his statement from earlier in the night that Umaga is unstoppable.
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WWE Royal Rumble
Date: January 28th, 2007
Location: San Antonio, Texas
30 Man Royal Rumble Match
Ric Flair; Rey Mysterio; Shawn Michaels; CM Punk; Carlito; Randy Orton; John Cena; Santino Marella; Umaga; Lashley; Kenny Dykstra; Elijah Burke; Matt Striker; Johnny Nitro; The Great Khali; Kevin Thorn; Montel V. Porter; J.B.Layfield; Batista; Undertaker; Finlay; Matt Hardy; Jeff Hardy; Big Show; Booker T; Marcus Cor Von; Mark Henry; Sandman.
World Heavyweight Championship
Rob Van Dam (c) vs Ken Kennedy
WWE Championship
Edge vs Triple H
WWE United States Championship
Finlay (c) vs Big Show
WWE Intercontinental Championship
Umaga (c) vs Bobby Lashley