World Wrestling Entertainment

[Fitzy]

RAW

LIVE! April 5, 2004

Houston, Texas

Toyota Center

A video package opens up Raw from last week. It features around Triple H, Edge, Chris Benoit, and Shawn Michaels. It shows Triple H opening up the show and getting interrupted by Chris Benoit. It then shows Triple H talking to Eric Bischoff and then making the matches for tonight. Clips of Triple H and Randy Orton versus Rob Van Dam and Booker T are shown and then clips of the non-title main event between Batista and Ric Flair vs. Chris Benoit and Shawn Michaels are shown.

The video comes to an end and we go straight to the back for live action of a long, white limousine pulling up into the arena. The driver gets out and walks around to the front of the limousine and then opens the door. The camera is showing the bottom of the door and then a foot steps out. Then the other one steps out and the camera pans up and the man standing up right is the Chairman of the Board, Mr. Vince McMahon. He looks around, fixing his suit as he walks away from the door. Off camera you hear running, and then that person gets closer and it is Johnny Spade, the associate of Eric Bischoff.

Vince McMahon: Who the hell are you?

Johnny Spade: Johnny. Johnny Spade.

He goes to shake Mr. McMahon’s hand. McMahon stands there looking at it.

McMahon: Is that supposed to impress me? Where did you come from? Who are … oh. Wait. You are that Tough Enough kid. You won Tough Enough III, right?

Spade: Why yes I did. You are looking at the star, Vince.

McMahon: Vince? Vince?! [McMahon gets a little angry.] Tell me, do you like your job?

Spade: Of course, Vinnie-Mac. Why wouldn’t I?

McMahon: Because if you do not refer to me as Mr. McMahon you will be out on your ass so fast, you got that kid?

Spade: Will do, Vi – Mr. McMahon.

McMahon: Now what the hell do you want?

Spade: EB sent me to ask what you are doing here.

McMahon: EB? Eric Bischoff? Eric wants to know what I am doing … what I am doing on my own show? You tell “EB” that it really doesn’t matter what I came to this piece of crap state for. It really doesn’t matter. I am here for what I need to say. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to go do just that.

Mr. McMahon walks past Johnny Spade. Spade stands there, looking into the camera and runs his hands through his hair. He looked like all he wanted to do was be on camera and didn’t really care about his boss even being there.

“Across The Nation” by Union Underground begins and the Raw opening video package cues up. The fireworks display goes off. We are then shown Jim Ross, who is sitting alone.

Jim Ross: In some unfortunate news, Jerry Lawler is no longer with WWE. I won’t spread the dirt over the air as I am not that kind of man. But, King will no longer be with WWE. It looks like I am going solo for the night, folks.

Some unfamiliar music begins to play, but the boos are heard as the Titantron indicates that it is the Coaches music. Jonathan Coachman makes his way out and grabs the headset and takes a seat in the former seat of Jerry Lawler.

Jonathan Coachman: It looks like Raw just got the A-Team treatment tonight, JR. How are your boys doing, JR?

Ross: Gawd. Are you going to be an ignorant ass again tonight? I don’t know why they allowed you to come out here and commentate. You make me sick, Coach.

Coachman: It’s because I am better than you, ain’t it JR? Or is it because I am …

Ross: Don’t go there, kid. Can we please just get on with the show?

A Heartbreak Homecoming of Sorts for Shawn Michaels

“Oh, Oh, Shawn!” Those familiar words are heard and the music kicks in as “Sexy Boy” begins to play and the Houston fans erupt when “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels makes his way out to the ring. He drops to his knees on the ramp and raises his arms in a “praising the Lord” type situation and then the pyro goes off. Michaels pops up and heads down to the ring and gets in. He takes the microphone from Lillian Garcia and his music fades away.

Shawn Michaels: Houston, how the hell are ya? It’s great to be back in my home town of Texas! It’s great to be in Houston!

The cheap pop is insanely loud.

Michaels: A few weeks back, Eric Bitchoff … excuse me, I got to watch my mouth, I mean Bischoff, announced to me that I was the number one contender to the World Heavyweight Championship. In just under two weeks, I will be stepping back in Canada, in the hometown of the World Heavyweight Champion himself, Chris Benoit, and I will be taking him on at Backlash for that very title.

The crowd pops.

Michaels: As you all know, I and Chris have gotten along great in these past few months. We have been a dominant tag team and just last week, we defeated the World Tag Team Champions, the legendary Ric Flair and his partner Batista. And in just two weeks, friendship will be out the door. Chris Benoit, I respect the hell out of you, my friend. I find you to be a tremendous wrestler and an even better friend. You have worn that title with respect and pride. You have carried yourself very well since winning that title. For nearly two decades that title has eluded you, but it is finally in your grasps. But don’t hesitate for a minute that come Backlash that you just very well might lose that grasp and I will regain that title. Chris, friendship will be out the window come Backlash. I respect you, Chris, but I want my belt back and at any chance I can take, I will get that belt back, no matter what.

“Whatever” by Our Lady Peace quickly hits and the World Heavyweight Champion comes out to a nice reaction from the sold out Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. Chris Benoit gets into the ring and he takes off the World Heavyweight Championship and then goes to each of the four corners and raises it in the air for all the fans to see who the champion is. His music comes to an end.

Michaels: Now I don’t want any trouble, Chris, but at Backlash, like I just told these fans, that title will be mine.

Chris Benoit: Shawn Michaels, I have all the respect in the world for you. You have had some great matches in the past and no doubt have earned this title and this title shot that you are about to receive. You have proven time and time a-gain that you are a main eventer. That you are the showstopper and that you are an icon. Shawn, I have all the respect in the world for you, but when we step in this ring together, this [holds up the World Heavyweight Championship] is all that matters. Friendship, trust, loyalty. All that means nothing to me, Shawn. It is all over with. We can remain friends after the encounter. But business is business and when you step in the ring against me at Backlash, I can guarantee you that I am all business in the ring.

The crowd begins to chant “HBK.” Soon the crowd becomes split when one half is chanting “HBK” and the other is chanting “Benoit.”

Benoit: Shawn, this is almost like a dream match. The showstopper. The main eventer. The icon. The Heartbreak Kid. Shawn Michaels versus the best damn technical wrestler in the world today. The Crippler. The Rabid Wolverine. The World Heavyweight Champion. Chris Benoit. We fought at WrestleMania XX in a three way, and now it is time to see who the better man is. Shawn, come Backlash, you will step into the ring with me, but only I will leave as the World Heavyweight Champion!

Shawn Michaels gets all up in Chris Benoit’s face. Could they start to dissolve there friendship now? “It’s time to play the game. TIME TO PLAY THE GAME!” “The Game” by Motorhead begins and Chris Benoit and Shawn Michaels quickly turn there attention to the entrance way as “The Game” Triple H makes is way out onto the stage. Triple H takes one last sip of his bottled water and then tosses it aside. Triple H, dressed in his fancy suit, stands there pointing at Benoit, saying he wants that title. His music fades out.

Triple H: Would you two cut the verbal lovefest that you two had going on in that ring? It’s embarrassing to watch. Here are these two tough guys just getting all “buddy-buddy.” It makes me sick. It also makes me sick that Eric Bischoff gave Shawn Michaels, a man who was not even involved with the finish of the match at WrestleMania the next World title shot. It makes me sick to see someone who doesn’t deserve the title get another shot. It makes me sick that Eric Bischoff would just look over the Franchise of this business and go to some washed up has been, Shawn Michaels. “The Has-been Kid” doesn’t deserve this shot.

The “you tapped out” chants begin and in the ring you see Benoit joining in, making a tapping out motion with him slapping his own hand while saying it along with the fans.

Triple H: Very funny. Who the hell cares? Yeah. I tapped out. Get over that already, will ya? God, you people hang onto the littlest things, don’tcha? It annoys the hell out of me. After Backlash, after I go on to defeat Edge, Booker T, and Rob Van Dam, I will get my title shot, you can bet your ass on that. It doesn’t matter to me who is the champion. Benoit, Michaels, the guy in the front row, or even a member of Evolution. I will get my belt back and I will be champion once again. And there ain’t a damn thing anyone can do about it.

All of a sudden “You think you know me” is heard and sure enough, it is Edge’s theme. Triple H looks behind him, but Edge doesn’t appear. Then the spot light shines through the crowd and it lands right on Edge who is walking down an aisle from the within the arena.

Edge: Triple H, you make these demands like you own the damn place. Excuse me for being out of the loop, but when in the hell did you get to make these demands? You come out here and you demand to get your title shot. But here is an idea, Triple H, how about you actually work your way back up the ladder to earn that title shot? And I got a suggestion for you, H; stop looking past Backlash and into the future. You got me, Booker T, and Rob Van Dam to worry about. If you think that is going to be easy picking, then you got your facts completely wrong my friend. I didn’t sit back for fourteen months and sit on my ass waiting to come back. Hell no. I worked my ass off and got into the best physical shape of my life. I have been waiting for the day to come back to work and work my way back up the ladder to earn that World title shot.

Edge continues to walk. He reaches the barricade separating the fans from the ring and hops into the ring. He stands side-by-side with Shawn Michaels and Chris Benoit. He looks at Triple H.

Edge: Triple H, you see these two men? These two have defeated you in the past. That is why they are fighting over the title and you are not. They have earned the right to call themselves champion and challenger. And no doubt will tear the roof off with their match at Backlash. But Triple H, my number one concern right now, like yours should be, is with the match between us at Backlash. I am not worried about that title right now. My time will come, but I am not going to obsess over it. You see, I have my eye set on taking you out first. For far too long I have sat back and watched you dominate Raw. For far too long I have waited for the opportunity to beat the living hell out of you and come Backlash, when I am fully healed to wrestle, I will do just that. You can beat your ass that I will be ready and that I will kick your ass come Backlash.

The crowd cheers.

Triple H: You listen, Edge, and you listen good …

Triple H is cut off when Edge continues to talk.

Edge: I wasn’t finished yet. Booker T, Rob Van Dam, and myself against you, Ric Flair, and Batista. This is going to be one hell of a match, but you can only expect one outcome, and that is myself, Booker, and RVD getting our hands raised in victory. It’s only thirteen days away, Triple H. Will you be ready for us?

The Titantron click on and Eric Bischoff is in his office. He is alone as Johnny Spade must not have gotten back to the office just yet.

Eric Bischoff: There seems to be a lot of tension in that ring tonight. So let’s say I make the most of this situation and book a match for tonight? How about we book a match where you Chris Benoit and you Shawn Michaels team up. But not just by yourselves. No. It will be you two teaming up with Booker T and Rob Van Dam to take on the team of Triple H, the WWE Intercontinental Champion Randy Orton, and the World Tag Team Champions Batista and Ric Flair – Evolution!

The crowd cheers for that blockbuster main event.

Bischoff: Edge, you’ll be barred from ringside. I don’t want to risk a liability with you getting injured so you are barred from ringside for this match. You will join Jim Ross and the Coach on commentary.

The Titantron clicks off and Triple H looks determined to kick the collective asses of Benoit, Michaels, Van Dam, and Booker T tonight He points to all of them in the ring as the show cuts to a commercial break.

(86)

[Commercial.]

Ross: What a blockbuster main event just made moments ago!

Coachman: The boss just dropped a bombshell of a main event tonight. Evolution vs. those other guys.

Ross: Those other guys?!

Coachman: Yeah. Those other guys. They have no chance against the greatness that is Evolution.

Ross: Give me a break. Evolution will take on Chris Benoit, Shawn Michaels, Rob Van Dam, and Booker T in tonight’s main event. It should be great!

“Stand back, there’s a hurricane coming through!” “Eye of the Hurricane” begins to play and out comes The Hurricane to a nice pop from the crowd. He makes his way down into the ring and awaits his opponent. The music of “The Redneck Messiah” Jamie “By God” Noble hits and he comes out. He is dressed in blue tights instead of his usually torn up jean shorts. Very reminiscent of Chris Benoit.

Match One – The Hurricane vs. “The Redneck Messiah” Jamie “By God” Noble

Jamie Noble circles the Hurricane. He has his hands up ready to go. The Hurricane goes for a leg sweep, but Noble backs away. Noble goes for a kick to the back of the knee to Hurricane, and connects. Hurricane backs off, slightly, but Noble goes in for another one. Noble backs Hurricane into the corner and leaps up and takes him down with a monkey flip. Noble gets up and rolls him up for a pin attempt. Brian Hebner makes the count. One … Two … kickout by Hurricane. Noble gets up and quickly starts kicking the ribs of Hurricane. He lifts up the right leg of Hurricane and begins to kick the leg. Noble stops kicking and steps over the leg and twits it for a Spinning Toe Hold. Hurricane tries to sit up and get out of the move, but Noble just twists it tighter. Noble eventually drops down, sitting on the leg. Hurricane looks in tremendous pain. He tries to sit up and punch Noble, but Noble pushes him back down. He grabs the left leg and locks it underneath the right leg, and then pushes on it with his own free leg.

Hurricane continues to fight it, but Noble pushes him back down. Hurricane tries to reach for the rope. He is near it, but Noble won’t allow it. Hurricane fights it, trying to use all of his weight and slide to the ropes, and he inches closer by each push, but Noble is still holding him back. Hurricane sits up and tries to punch Noble, but Noble still pushes him back. “C’mon, boy! Hit me! Is that all you got, boy?” yells Noble. Hurricane screams in pain, but with one thrust, he reaches the ropes and the crowd pops for the break of the hold and Brian Hebner is forced to break apart the submission. Noble breaks it, but quickly gets up and goes to work on it again. He grabs the right leg, spinning around it, and then dropping down on it between his knees. Noble gets up and leaps across his body, grabbing hold of the neck of Hurricane. He then begins to punch the face of Hurricane, trying his hardest to rip off the mask, too. Hurricane turns his body around, pushing off of Noble, and kicks himself out of the ring.

As Hurricane hits the ground, Noble rolls out. He goes to pick up Hurricane but Hurricane pulls down on the tights of Noble and Noble rams his head right into the steel steps. Brian Hebner is telling them to get back into the ring while he is counting them out. He is up to five. Hurricane grabs hold of the ring apron, pulling himself up, and rolls himself into the ring. Noble quickly gets up and gets in just at nine. Noble stands up, stomping on the injured Hurricane. Hurricane crawls to the ropes, to break the attack of Noble. Hebner backs him away. Hurricane pulls himself up. He is holding onto the top rope when Noble kicks the leg right out from under him and back down the Hurricane goes. Noble covers Hurricane. One … Two … Thr … foot on the ropes by Hurricane. Noble looks frustrated. He grabs Hurricane and picks him up, tossing him up against the corner. Noble runs for the corner, but Hurricane is able to lift up his legs and then rolls up Noble for a sunset flip rollup. One … Two … kickout by Noble. He looks embarrassed by that.

Noble grabs Hurricane, goes to whip him into the ropes, but Hurricane falls down in the process. Noble grabs the legs, sitting down on his back, and pulls the legs up for a Boston crab. Hurricane inches his way to the ropes and reaches them, to break the Boston crab up. Noble won’t break it, however, and Hebner reaches five and forces Noble to break it. Noble argues with Hebner and then goes back to attacking Hurricane, but Hurricane, again, pulls down on the tights of Noble, tossing him outside onto the mat. This gives the Hurricane some much needed breathing time.

Brian Hebner gets up to nine again just as Jamie Noble gets into the ring. Noble picks up Noble, grabbing his right leg. Hurricane is hopping around on his left leg and leaps up, hitting a nicely executed Enzugiri and both he and Noble are out. Hebner once again counts them both down. Noble gets up at seven and Hurricane gets to his knees at nine. Noble goes over to Hurricane, but Hurricane punches Noble in the midsection. It takes Noble off guard, slightly, but he comes back. Hurricane does it again, getting to his feet, but hopping around on his left foot and dropkicks Noble down. Noble gets up, to his feet, Hurricane hops on his one good foot, and looks for the Shining Wizard, but Noble gets up and hits a lariat on Hurricane, taking him down. Noble quickly picks up the Hurricane, kicks him in the midsection, hooks the arms in a double underhook, and flips him up and down onto the mat for the Tiger Driver. One … Two … Three!

Winner: Jamie Noble in 8:56

(82, 76, 88) *** ½

Johnny Nitro?

We got to the back where Eric Bischoff is standing by with Johnny Spade.

Johnny Spade: Can you believe how I was treated out there earlier today? Mr. McMahon didn’t even know who I was. I am Johnny Nitro~!

Eric Bischoff: [Confused.] Johnny Nitro? What? Since when? You are Johnny Spade.

Johnny Nitro: Correction. I was Johnny Spade, but now I am Johnny Nitro!

Bischoff: Whatever your name is, you shouldn’t have gone out there and made Mr. McMahon mad. I don’t want Mr. McMahon to be mad for whatever reason he is out here for. And why did you even go to him in the first place? I never sent you out there.

Nitro: But he didn’t even know who Johnny Nitro was! Come on, EB, me. Johnny Nitro! How can you not recognize this face?

He stares into the camera for all the fans to get a look at him.

Bischoff: Enough of that. I got an assignment for you for tonight.

Nitro: What type of an assignment?

Bischoff: Don't worry about it. It won’t be you getting humiliated by Mr. McMahon or anyone else again tonight.

Bischoff turns around and pulls out a referee’s t-shirt from his bag. He tosses it over to Johnny Nitro.

Bischoff: I want you to be a special quest referee for tonight.

Nitro: Sweet! What match? Wait. It doesn’t matter. For whatever match it is, Johnny Nitro will make it something special~!

Bischoff: It is going to be you refereeing the Christian versus Val Venis match for tonight. A good friend of mine informed me of something. I need someone trust worthy to be out there tonight to do a good job. Can you handle that?

Nitro: Johnny Nitro can do it all, EB. There is nothing that Johnny Nitro can’t do. I'll be the best referee you've ever seen.

Johnny Nitro puts on the referees shirt and makes quick counts on his hand, one slapping the other, like he was counting the three.

Nitro: See? How great was I there, EB?

Bischoff: Great. Wonderful. Now go out there and do your job … oh … and quit calling me EB!

Nitro: Sorry EB.

Johnny Nitro walks out of the room with Eric Bischoff shaking his head at him. The door swings open and in barge Garrison Cade and Mark Jindrak. They looked pissed.

Bischoff: What do you two want?

Garrison Cade: We are sick of being held down. We are not going to stand for that kind of treatment. We are the future of this business and we want to start getting the treatment we deserve.

Bischoff: You don’t get “the treatment you deserve” mainly because you don’t deserve it.

Cade and Jindrak looked pissed.

Bischoff: Whoa. I was going to say you don’t deserve it … just yet. You two have the potential to be big Superstars someday, but you’re not ready yet. You have shown me that you two can make it in this business, but without the experience, you two will not be able to make it just yet. In due time, you two will be huge. I can guarantee you that, especially you Garrison Cade.

Mark Jindrak: What? Why “especially him?” Do I have nothing? Am I not here? Is it only him that you like and think will make it?

Bischoff: No. Not at all. He just has shown the intensity that you lack. You need to step up and take control. You got the potential, like I said, but Cade has already proven a lot to me. You need to step it up in the ring and when you do; this team will be ready for the big time.

Cade: Hey, man, it was nothing personal. Just look at me. I am a future star. Don’t take it too personal.

Jindrak looks a little pissed, and left out, especially now with Cade gloating about being “the better of the two.”

Bischoff: Don’t go and get a big head now over this situation. You two are going to be big someday as a tag team. Work on it and maybe you will see the World Tag Team Championship in your future. But I’ll tell you what. This week on Sunday Night Heat, I want you two to prove to me that you are worthy of being on the Raw brand. On Heat, you two will take on another up and coming tag team La Resistance of Rene Dupree and Rob Conway. Good luck. And go make that impact!

Mark Jindrak and Garrison Cade walk off. The camera switches and it shows Lita stretching her leg on a cart. She then starts swinging her arms back and forth, warming up.

Ross: Lita is warming up for her match against Trish Stratus … and it is next!

Coachman: Lita is going to get that pretty little ass of hers kicked.

[Commercial.]

Match Two – Lita vs. Trish Stratus with Christian

We come back from the commercial break and Boy Hits Car’s “Lovefueypassionenery” hits and out comes Lita to a screaming pop from the crowd. Lita comes out like she is having a seizure on the stage and then runs down the ramp and slides into the ring. She is on her knees, still being her usually freakish self and then pops up and gets on the ropes, pointing to her head like a gun. She then jumps down as “Time to Rock and Roll” by Lil’ Kim begins to play and out comes Trish Stratus, looking a little slutty. She has Christian at her side and the two of them share a strange hugging session and then a long kiss as the fans boo the couple. They walk down the ring, Christian pointing to the crowd, smiling. Trish gets into the ring and the bell is signaled to begin the match.

Lita charges for Trish and takes her down with a horrible looking spear, but they go down anyway. Lita grabs the hair of Trish and begins to bang it “furiously” off of the mat. Lita stands up and picks up Trish and tosses her into the ropes. Lita runs in and hits a variation of the Stinger Splash, looking quite bad and unconvincing doing it at that, too. Lita stands on the second rope and begins to punch the head of Trish while the crowd counts along. One … Two … Three … Four … Five … Six … Seven … Eight … Nine … Ten. Lita jumps down as Trish falls to the mat. Lita drops down and makes the cover on Trish as referee Mike Sparks makes the count. One … Two … kickout by Trish.

Lita picks up Trish and whips her into the ropes. Trish ducks a lariat attempt by Lita and runs off the opposite rope, coming back, and hitting the Lou Thesz Press on Lita, punching her several times. Trish picks up Lita and whips her into the ropes and runs for the corner, putting her arms on the bottom rope and lifting her legs up for what should be the Stratusphere, but Lita pushes her over and turns around on the ropes, leading off, hitting a moonsault, nearly hitting her head on the mat in the process. Mike Sparks makes the count. One … Two … Christian rushes over and places Trish’s leg on the bottom rope, getting Sparks’ attention and he breaks up the pin. Lita jumps up and begins to argue with Christian. Trish gets up. Christian tells her to turn around, and when she does, she is met with the Chick Kick from Trish and she goes down. Trish makes the cover. One … Two … Three.

Christian climbs into the ring and Christian grabs Trish by the hair and then brings her close to him and gives her a long kiss.

Winner: Trish Stratus in 3:45

(57, 52, 63) ½*

Ross: Come on that was blatant cheating.

Coachman: What are you talking about, JR? Trish defeated Lita. How was that cheating?

Ross: Give me a break.

The Y2J Countdown quickly appears and “Break Down the Walls” begins to play. Christian and Trish look shocked as they look up the ramp and wait for Chris Jericho to appear. But he doesn’t. He is standing behind them as he came from the crowd. He pushes Trish down just as she was about to slap him. Christian goes to attack Jericho, but Jericho ducks the punch and grabs Christian. He begins to punch him and then grabs him by the legs, dropping him to the mat, and he was going to lock him in the Walls of Jericho, but Trish got up and goes behind Jericho. Jericho drops the legs of Christian, turning around and grabs Trish’s hand just as she was about to try and slap him again and he drops her to the mat and goes to lock in the Walls of Jericho on her, but Christian crawls behind him, hitting a low blow, and then gets up, turning Jericho around, and planting him with the Unprettier. He and Trish quickly get out of the ring as they walk up the ramp, looking at Jericho down and out on the mat.

The camera cuts to the back where we see Vince McMahon walking down the hallway. He isn’t in his infamous strutting ways, just yet, but he is looking like he is set to do so in a few moments.

Ross: Mr. McMahon is coming out! What is he here for? What does he have to say?

Coachman: Who cares? Whenever Mr. McMahon is here it is always a great day.

Ross: You got a little brown on your nose there.

Coachman: What the hell does that mean, JR?

Ross: Stop kissing ass. Folks, don’t go away! Mr. McMahon is out … next!

[Commercial.]

Mr. McMahon Sets the Stage for Backlash

“No Chance in Hell” begins to play and out comes Vince McMahon strutting his way down the ramp. He looks a little pissed as he struts down the ramp. He walks up the steps and gets into the ring. He grabs the microphone out of Lillian Garcia’s hand, sending her out of the ring, quickly. The music stops as Mr. McMahon is ready to talk. But before he can even talk, “Asshole” chants are already filling the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.

McMahon: Thank you. Now I know why I hate coming to this city. You god damn cowboys have no respect. You just prove your ignorance every time with that stupid chant. But, by all means, chant it all you want. It just proves that you are all about of red-neck pieces of trash.

The “asshole” chants continue.

McMahon: Now, before I was so rudely interrupted, I have come out here for some important business dealing with a certain individual. And I want this certain individual to come out here. Right here, in this very ring. Kane! Get down to this ring, now!

“Slow Chemical” by Finger Eleven begins to play and the lights turn to red as Kane makes his way out to the ring. He walks down to the ring and rolls underneath the bottom rope. Kane gets into the ring and raises his arms, but before he can finish his entrance, McMahon begins to speak.

McMahon: Cut the music. [The music cuts.] I am not here to do that right now, Kane. What I am here for is to deal with your actions as of late. Ever since The Undertaker has been drafted over here on Raw you have not been yourself. You have become afraid. Afraid of your brother. But you are afraid of the wrong man.

Kane: My brother doesn’t belong here! This is my show! HE doesn’t belong on MY show!

McMahon: This is MY show! I make the decisions! And The Undertaker is staying on Raw, whether you like it or not. I don’t give a damn! He was drafted and he is staying here. But I am very annoyed that you are afraid of your brother. But what I am more annoyed at was you didn’t get the job done at WrestleMania XX. I told you that you needed to defeat The Undertaker at WrestleMania but you failed to get the job down. You let me down, Kane. But I have gotten over it. You know why? Because I am sick and tired of seeing you afraid of The Undertaker. I am disappointed in you, Kane.

Kane stares right at McMahon, like he wants to rip off his head.

McMahon: See! See that is the kind of fire I want from you Kane. The kind of fire you once had before The Undertaker returned.

Kane: I will never be the same unless my brother is completely gone from the WWE. My brother doesn’t belong here! This is not where he belongs!

McMahon: You’re right. This is not where he belongs. But that wasn’t my fault. It was your fault. You let him defeat you. You lost to him. And if you would have defeated him, maybe, just maybe The Undertaker would have been gone. But you got afraid of your brother, and now he is still here. And now he is on Raw. But you are backing down from him. Last week, when he came out, you backed down. I was sick to my stomach when I saw that, Kane. It was sickening. It’s not like you, Kane. But that is why I am here. I have come here to say that I want to see that fire in you again. That energy. All of that. I want Kane back to his old self. And at Backlash, you will do it. And it will be in a WrestleMania rematch as you take on your brother, The Undertaker.

Kane’s eyes bulge out of his eyes. He can’t believe what he just heard.

Kane: What?! What do you think you are doing?! I don’t want to step in the ring with my brother ever again. I don’t want to even be in the same building as my brother. I can’t stand being on the same show as him. McMahon! You are not going to make this match.

McMahon: Or what, Kane? What will you do? Here is what I will do. If you back out of this match, you are gone. And if you fight this match, and if you lose, Kane … Kane, you would leave me no choice but one. That one choice would be to say those two infamous words … Kane, I’d say, YOU’RE FIRED!

Kane goes to grab Mr. McMahon by the throat, but he backs away and just then the gong is heard. The lights go out and the voice of The Undertaker is heard. His old Ministry theme, where he is talking in tongues, is heard, and soon the guitars pick up and The Undertaker’s music continues. But he doesn’t show up. The lights turn back on and Kane is in the ring, looking pissed.

McMahon: Now that is what I want to see! You show that intensity in the ring at Backlash, and you will still have a job! Good luck, Kane, you’ll need it!

“No Chance in Hell” begins to play as Mr. McMahon walks off to the back with Kane still in the ring, breathing heavy and starring up at the Titantron where The Undertaker’s video wall was playing.

(82)

The scene cuts to the back where Jazz and Theodore R. Long are walking down the hallway.

Theodore R. Long: You got this one girl. You got the Women’s Championship tonight. You can take that psycho white lady, Victoria, down tonight and take back what is rightfully yours.Ya feel me?

Jazz: I feel ya. The Bitch is ready to take down that psycho bitch tonight.

Long: Dat’s my girl. You got this one in the bag. Nottin’ is gonna hold you down tonight! Not even whitey! B’Le dat!

They continue to walk down the hall. They walk past Orlando Jordan. He is talking on his cell phone. Long does a double take and stops Jazz and turns back around, walking right up to OJ.

Long: Yo, playa’, who you talkin’ to? Best not be whitey.

Orlando Jordan: [Talking into his cell phone] Hey pop, hold on, I got someone here with me. [Talking to Theodore Long.] It’s my father. What does it matter?

Long: Yo man, don’t be haterizing me. I am not the one you should be hating. I am not holding you down, playa’. Stop drinking that Vanilla Haterade, ya dig?

Jordan: Nah. I don’t “dig.” Now if you don’t mind, I got my father on the phone here.

Long: I feel ya. Don’t worry playa. I understand. But I got a proposition to make to you.

Jordan: What is it?

Long: Hold on, playa. I am getting’ to it. [Long reaches into his pockets and pulls something out.] BAM~! Playa Card! Here you go. [Long hands OJ his own Playa’s Card.] I want you to join Thuggin’ and Buggin’. Whitey can’t hold you down no mo’. Ya feel me, playa’? Don’t let whitey dictate for you. Don’t drink the haterade anymo’.

Orlando Jordan takes the Playa’s Card and looks at it. He gives it a good long look and then looks back at Theodore Long.

Long: Yo man, keep it. It’s yours. But I need to know. Are you in or are you going to continue to listen to whitey and haterize on us?

Jordan: I can’t give you an answer.

Long: What do you mean you can’t give an answer? Dawg, don’t let whitey get in your mind. I don’t play like that. Whitey held me down too long. And Whitey held down Jazz fo’ too long. Tonight my girl gets her turn fo’ the Women’s Championship. I can make you a star. I can bring you those dolla, dolla bills, ya dig? You like all that green? You see those dolla, dolla bills in your eyes, don’tcha, OJ?

Jordan: You got an interesting offer, Teddy.

Long: Don’t call me Teddy. Whitey gave me dat name. I don’t want to be reminded of dat life anymo’, ya feel me? Playa, I will give you a few days. But you best not drink anymo’ from Whitey’s haterade, ya dig? I can make you into a star, OJ. B’Le dat! Let’s go, girl. You got that Women’s Championship to bring back home! Holla!

Long and Jazz walk off as Orlando Jordan looks at the Playa’s Card and continues to talk with his father.

[Commercial.]

Match Three – WWE Women’s Championship – WWE Women’s Champion Victoria vs. Jazz with Theodore R. Long

The jazz-like music plays and out comes Theodore R. Long leading Jazz to the ring. She poses, flexing her arms at the stage entrance while Long points to her. They get to the ring and when they enter the ring, Long begins to dance to the beat while Jazz continues posing.

“You Think You Know Me?” is heard and the music kicks in as Edge comes out from behind the smoke. Jazz and Long look pissed and Long wants to know what Edge is doing. But Edge wants nothing to do with the ring and goes over to the left of the screen and walks down the steps, standing on the stage where the Coach and JR are sitting.

Coachman: What the hell do you want?

Ross: I think he wants your seat, Coach.

Coachman: Well, he ain’t getting my seat. This is my spot, JR. I make this team the new A-Team, and you know it!

Edge grabs the headset from the Coaches head and tosses them down on the table. He grabs Coach by the collar, pulling him up out of the seat and tosses him up the steps and onto the stage. Edge grabs the headset, putting them on, adjusting them, and then sitting down with Jim Ross.

Ross: Welcome, Edge, to the announcing booth. It’s nice to have someone who is not annoying to call the matches with.

Edge: It’s great to be here, JR. Listening to the Coach was brutal!

The Coach yells at Edge while he storms off to people laughing at him “I’ve Lost My Mind” is heard and soon “All the Things She Said” by TATU begins to play and out comes Victoria to a rather uninspiring reaction from the crowd. For whatever reason, this crowd could have cared less about this match. She walks down to the ring and takes off the title, showing it off above her head to the crowd. The bell sounds and Billy Silverman is the referee for this match.

Victoria and Jazz lock up. Jazz grabs Victoria in a side headlock, but Victoria pushes Jazz off into the ropes. Jazz runs off the ropes, and Victoria drops to the mat. Jazz leaps over Victoria, bouncing off the other ropes. Victoria gets up and leap frogs over Jazz, and Jazz returns off the other ropes, and is met with a boot to the face by Victoria. Victoria then drops a leg across the throat of Jazz and goes for the quick cover. Billy Silverman counts. One … Two … kickout by Jazz.

Victoria picks up Jazz and whips him into the corner. Victoria begins to lay in some chops and then grabs her and hip tosses her out of the corner. Victoria drops an elbow on the chest of Jazz and then picks up Jazz. She whips her into the ropes and Victoria hits a back body drop on her. Victoria goes for another leg drop. She connects and makes the cover. This time, with her elbow, she begins to rub it in the face of Jazz, much like William Regal would, and she calls it the Regal Pin. Silverman counts. One … Two … kickout. Victoria gets up and quickly stomps on Jazz. Jazz forces the boot away, but Victoria comes back with some more boots to the chest of Jazz. Jazz grabs the boot, twisting it around, dropping the Women’s Champion down to the mat. This gave Jazz the perfect opportunity to log in the STF. She grabs the leg, locking it between her own, and sitting across the back of Victoria, pulling back on the neck of her in the process. Silverman checks for an illegal choke, and when he notices it is not one, he begins to heck if Victoria wants to give up. She doesn’t. She crawls her way to the ropes, and eventually reaches them, forcing Jazz to break the hold.

Jazz gets up and pulls Victoria away from the ropes and into the center of the ring. She begins to stomp away at the down and out Victoria, and then quickly drops and elbow to the chest of the Champion. Jazz gets back up, stomps some more, and drops another elbow. She continues to do this for a good minute or so, and then makes a cover. Silverman counts. One … Two … kickout by the Champ. Jazz picks up Victoria, whipping him into the corner. Jazz runs in, hitting a lariat to the corner, and then brings her out with a bulldog. Or at least tried. Victoria managed to hold her up instead of letting herself fall to the mat. Victoria dropped Jazz to the mat, and both she and Jazz were down. Billy Silverman began to count them down. One … Two … Three … Four … Five … Six … Victoria begins to move, Seven … Eight … Victoria is up, and Jazz is on her knees, Nine … both get up just before he was about to say ten. Victoria and Jazz slug it out in the ring, and Victoria whips Jazz to the ropes. She takes her down with a sloppy looking sidewalk slam, and then makes the cover. One … Two … Thr … kickout by Jazz. Theodore R. Long is cheering on his client, Jazz, as she continues to keep herself alive in the match. Victoria picks up Jazz and places her on her shoulders and then drops her out of it for her swinging sidewalk slam type move. She made the cover again. One … Two … Thre … oh so close, but Jazz kicked out again. Victoria began to put her hands to her hair like she wanted to pull out her hair, getting a demented look on her face.

Victoria picked up Jazz and kicked her in the midsection. She placed Jazz between her legs, lifting her up, but Jazz slipped out and then kicked Victoria in the back, grabbing her in a double underhook from behind, and went to lift her up for he Jazz Stinger, but Victoria managed to fight out of it and slapped Jazz across the face, hard. She then kicked her in the midsection again, setting her up between her legs. She lifted her up over her head, hooking the chin, and dropping down on her ass, and Jazz onto her knees, for the Widow’s Peak. She made the cover on Jazz. Billy Silverman made the count. One … Two … Three!

Winner and Still WWE Women’s Champion: Victoria in 6:42

Theodore R. Long pulled Jazz out of the ring and helped her to the back. Silverman went to hand Victoria her Women’s Championship, but Molly Holly, still wearing a wig, this time a short black haired straight looking wig, and she slide into the ring, grabbing the Women’s title from Silverman. She then smashed it right across the face of Victoria. Molly sat across the chest of Victoria, shoving the title in the face of Victoria. “This is my title, Victoria! I will get it back at Backlash!” said Molly as she was slapping Victoria across the face. Molly got up, raising the Women’s Championship above her face, mouthing “this is my title!” to the crowd. Molly tossed the title across the waist of Victoria and then gave her one last slap before she left.

(79, 87, 63) ¾*

We cut to the back where the Coach is storming down a hallway. He barges into the room of Eric Bischoff.

Coachman: Boss! Boss! Did you just see what Edge did to me out there?! He humiliated me in front of my fans! My fans, boss, I was humiliated in front of my fans! Do you know how embarrassing that is?!

Bischoff: Calm down, Coach. Easy. I told Edge to be on commentary.

Coachman: You what?! Why?! Why would you want that grubby looking man on commentary when you can have me there calling the action like it is, making it the A-Team?

Bischoff: I told him to join you and JR, not throw you out. But while you are here, I got something for you.

Nitro: Yeah! EB has something for you! Don’t screw it up.

Bischoff: Please, Johnny, let me handle this.

Nitro: Sorry, EB. Carry on.

Bischoff: As I was saying, Coach, I need you to do me a favor. I need you to talk Mr. McMahon for coming onto Raw. Tell him I thank him for fixing this Kane situation.

Coachman: That’s it?

Bischoff: Yup. That’s it.

Coachman: I can get that done, right away, boss!

The Coach leaves as Johnny Nitro and Eric Bischoff continues to talk.

[Commercial.]

What Just Happened?

When the show comes back on the air the cameras are in the backstage area and following Mr. McMahon, as he makes his way toward his limousine. The driver was standing beside the passenger door in the back and then opened up the door for Vince. However, before he could climb inside Jonathan Coachman pops out of nowhere with a smile on his face and Vince looks upset, staring at Coach.

McMahon: What the hell do you want? Can’t you see I’m trying to get out of here? I’m a busy man.

Coachman: I know, Mr. McMahon, and I’m sorry but I was sent here with a message from Eric Bischoff. Mr. Bischoff would just like to thank you again for coming on the show tonight and helping him with this whole Kane, Undertaker situation. And he wants you to know that whenever you need to come back on Raw, there’s always a slot open!

Coach smiled with a nod before extending his hand out for a handshake. But Vince sneered at his handshake offer, staring a hole through Coach.

McMahon: … I KNOW there’s always a slot open, you idiot! I am the Chairman of the Board and I’ll do what I damn well please on ANY World Wrestling Entertainment show! You understand me? – SHUT UP!! I don’t want to hear another word … just nod your head if you understand.

Coach looked scared now, as he nodded his head in fear. Vince sneered once again and continued to stare at Coach before pointing off into the other direction. Coach then lowered his head, walking away. This brought a half smile to Vince’s face, as he adjusted his suit. Turning around to climb back into his limousine but instead came face-to-face with “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. Mr. McMahon’s face soon turned into that of a frightened look, since the last time they ran into one another “Stone Cold” tried to run him down in his ATV. Meanwhile, Austin was just standing there with that stone cold look on his face.

McMahon: Can I … [McMahon gulps.] Can I help you?

Steve Austin: … What? [The crowd chants “What?”] What did you say? [“What?”] Are you talkin’ to “Stone Cold?” [“What?”] I said are you flapping your gums? [“What?”] Were you just talking? [“What?”] Are you speaking to me? [“What?”] Did you just ask me if you could help Stone Cold? [“What?”]

Austin continued to stare at Mr. McMahon, while Vince gulped in his throat before taking a step back and readjusted his suit.

McMahon: What do you want, Austin? I have other business to take care of …

Austin: Oh really?[“What?”] I said, oh really!? [“What?”] Well, Stone Cold says you’re gonna have to wait! [“What?”] You’re gonna have to wait, because Stone Cold has some business with you. [“What?”]

Vince tried to speak but Austin raised his hand, cutting him off.

Austin: You think you can just come on Stone Cold’s show and disobey the law? [“What?”] As you can clearly see by this badge on my shirt, I’m The Sheriff. [“What?”] And if you disobey the law, you disrespect The Sheriff! [“What?”] Now, whattya’ think Stone Cold should do? [“What?”] What do you people think I should do about that? [“What?”] If you think Stone Cold should open up a can of whoop ass on Vince McMahon for breaking the law, GIMME A HELL YEAH! [“Wh-- HELL YEAH!!”]

Austin was looking straight at the camera during that question before turning his attention back to McMahon and shrugged his shoulders a bit. Vince seemed to have enough go Austin’s crap, as he sneered and started to raise his voice and really get into character.

McMahon: Now, you listen to me Austin!! I’ve had just about enough of your crap! I’'M VINCE MCMAHON, DAMNIT!! I’m the Chairman of the Board!! You can’t talk to me like that!

Vince then slowly began to calm down, as he stared at Austin, who looked like he was about three seconds from beating the hell out of him.

McMahon: Ya’ know somethin’, Austin. I just thought of something … you seem to be throwing your weight around here and, quite frankly, I don’t think Raw needs that kind of thing anymore! Bischoff has proven to me over the past few weeks that he is capable of running Raw by himself! So I don’t think you’re of any use around here anymore! And seeing as how I am the Chairman of the Board, I have the power to remove you from Raw and World Wrestling Entertainment altogether!

The fans began to boo Vince very loudly and then an “asshole” chant started up. Austin never changed his emotionless stare at Vince, except to smirk and laugh off his comment about firing him. Seemingly hearing it in the backstage area, Vince sneered.

McMahon: But I think I have a better idea. I think I have an idea that can work out for the fans … for you … and for Raw!! .. Let’s talk this over.

That evil grin crossed over McMahon’s face, as he raised his hands up and then pointed Austin toward his open limousine. Stone Cold turned toward the limousine, keeping one eye on Vince before looking back at him with a half smile/half smirk. We leave to go to a commercial with Austin and Vince staring at one another.

(87)

[Commercial.]

Edge: What just happened, JR?

Ross: I … I don’t know. What could Mr. McMahon have in store for Steve Austin? What are these two talking over? I have no clue what is going on here.

Edge: Mr. McMahon comes onto Raw and makes Kane versus The Undertaker for Backlash where Kane could very well be fired if he loses and then has something in store for Austin that could shake the very ground of Raw?! What a night, JR!

Ross: Things are getting interesting … that’s for sure.

America’s Most Wanted

We get the same video package that was shown last week. Thunder and Lightening is heard and on the screen the flashing images of lightening and thunder lighting up the dark sky. The sky goes black due to no lightening striking, but when it hits a shadowy image of a man with long hair is shown, facing at the camera. The screen goes black again. Lightening strikes the sky once more and another man’s face, with shorter hair, but still long, shows up on the right side.

The lightening stops and the screen goes to a white backwards. The sounds of footsteps are heard. They are at a distance. Lightening strikes again and the white screen appears once more. The footsteps are closer. More lightening and they get closer. Two guys dressed in black jeans and black t-shirts appear. Both noticeable big. The one on the right standing at 6’1” and the one on the left standing at 6’3.” The screen quickly cuts out the man on the right and the video editing fades him away. The one on the left also gets faded away. The lightening strikes.

A “Wanted” poster is shown. Underneath the “Wanted” logo is “America’s Most Wanted.” The two men appear on the screen. “Wildcat” appears under the man on the left and “Cowboy” appears under the man on the right. The screen fades to black. Gun shots are heard with bullets piercing through the image, each bullet spelling out the word “Coming Soon.”

(70)

Edge: Who are those guys, JR?

Ross: I am not sure, Edge, but we could find out very soon.

Edge: It looks very interesting from that, doesn’t it?

Ross: Yes, it does. And speaking of interesting, Backlash comes to you live in just thirteen days live on Pay-Per-View from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Edge: Chris Benoit will return home as he defends the World Heavyweight Championship against the number one contender, Shawn Michaels. This is going to be a classic in the making, JR!

Ross: It sure will be! As we just heard from our boss, Mr. McMahon, early tonight, it will be Kane taking on The Undertaker in a WrestleMania XX rematch. And if Kane loses again to The Undertaker, Mr. McMahon said Kane will be fired!

Edge: Also on the card will be a Women’s Championship match. Moments ago Molly Holly attacked Victoria, leaving her unconscious in the ring. At Backlash in two weeks, Victoria will get to extract revenge as she defends against Molly Holly!

Ross: Mick Foley will step into the ring with the WWE Intercontinental Champion Randy Orton in a hardcore match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship! What that means is that it will be a no disqualification, no count outs, falls count anywhere in the building match for Orton’s IC title! Evolution is also banned from ringside! This is going to be a slobberknocker!

Edge: My boy, Chris Jericho, will be able to get some revenge on Christian in just two weeks as he steps into the ring with Christian in another rematch from WrestleMania XX. Earlier tonight Christian was able to take down Y2J with the Unprettier. Will he do it again at Backlash, or will Jericho defeat Christian this time around?

Ross: And of course my broadcast partner will make his in-ring return as he teams with Rob Van Dam and Booker T as they take on Triple H and the World Tag Team Champions Batista and “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair!

Edge: When I step into that ring, JR, Triple H is going to wish that I was not fully heeled as when I am in that ring, all bets are off, and Triple H’s ass belongs to me! He keeps looking past me and having his mind on the World Heavyweight Championship. Well, he is making a big mistake, as myself, along with RVD and Booker won’t take this lying down, and it won’t be an easy road for Evolution to get past! That I can promise, JR.

Randy Orton – The New Hardcore Legend Come Backlash?

We cut to the back where the camera is focused on the television set. Mick Foley is on it, which is footage of his promo he cut on Randy Orton last week. He is listening to the rant that Foley went on about how Orton is a disrespectful punk kid who is only where he is because of his body. We pan back and it shows Randy Orton watching it. He is in a suit, holding the WWE Intercontinental Championship over his left shoulder. He looks very uneasy watching that promo. He is sweating. Not a whole lot of sweat, but you can see he is nervous. We then pan back a little further as we see Ric Flair and Batista, the World Tag Team Champions, standing behind him. Ric Flair pats Orton on his right shoulder.

Ric Flair: It’s going to be alright man. Look at you. You got the looks. You got the body. You got the Intercontinental Championship. WOOOOOO! And you have a win over Mick Foley. You got this in the bag, kid. Nothing can stop you. Not even that crazy Foley can stop you.

Randy Orton: You’re right, Natch. I accepted this hardcore challenge, and I am going to take it and destroy the legend of the Hardcore Legend. In fact, I am going to go out there right now and call out Mick Foley.

Randy Orton leaves the locker room and they show him walking down the hallway. “Evolution” by Motorhead begins to play and out comes Randy Orton to loud boos from the crowd. The Intercontinental Champion gets into the ring and is handed the microphone from Lillian Garcia.

Orton: Last week, Mick Foley came out here and accepted my challenge for a match at Backlash. He upped the ante a little bit, though, adding the hardcore element. I accepted, and even put my Intercontinental Championship up for grabs, too. I ain’t afraid of Mick Foley. Sure, he is some kind of legend. But at WrestleMania XX I pinned your so called Hardcore Legend one … two … three. I pinned him and I will do the same at Backlash.

“Orton is gay” chants ring out throughout the crowd.

Orton: You see, Mick, I don’t give a rats ass what you want to call yourself. But come Backlash, all you will be able to do is move your arms to wheel yourself around in a wheelchair. You put yourself in harms way, Mick, at Backlash, in that hardcore match. I will take you apart, limb from limb, and leave you a broken mess, Mick. You see, I don’t care that you have kids to play with. You will be watching them grow up from that wheelchair of yours, Mick. So in the next thirteen days, you better take a real long hard look at those kids of yours and do whatever it is that you like to do with them, as it is going to be your final chance, Mick. Your final chance to see and play with your daughter. To play a game of catch with your son. They no longer grow up with a father to play with. You, Mick, will be without a job, crippled for life.

“Foley” chants now begin.

Orton: Chant his name all you want. But the fact is, he isn’t here tonight. That fat piece of shit won’t show his face for some reason tonight. But I don’t blame him. He wants to spend these remaining days with his children, ‘cause come Backlash, his life is ruined. His career will be gone. And his legend will be flushed down the toilet for ever!

“Evolution” by Motorhead begins to play again as the WWE Intercontinental Champion Randy Orton walks to the back.

(86)

[Commercial.]

[Fitzy]

Match Four – Val Venis vs. Christian with Trish Stratus – With Special Guest Referee Johnny Nitro

The old WCW Monday Night Nitro theme begins to play and out comes Johnny Nitro. Lillian Garcia, however, incorrectly said his name, saying his name was Johnny Spade. She was corrected by Nitro when he got into the ring and she re did his introduction. “Hello, Ladies” is heard and Val Venis’ porn-like theme music cues up and out comes Val Venis, wearing his white towel to the ring. Christian’s theme starts up as Val gets into the ring (no mic work from Val this night). Christian comes out with Trish and they head to the ring together. Christian has Trish stand in the corner while he enters underneath the bottom rope, rolling into the ring and then standing up. Johnny Nitro has the bell rung and the match was underway.

Christian and Val Venis lock up and they jockey for position. Christian pushes Val away from him, backing off slightly. Val comes back at Christian, grabbing in him in another collar and elbow tie up, and then grabs him and puts him in a side headlock. Christian pushes off of Val, sending Val into the ropes. He runs back and collides with Christian. Christian slaps his chest, telling Val to do it again. Val does it, and when he runs back for Christian, Christian grabs him by the head and tosses him right over the top rope. Johnny Nitro then stood in front of Christian, and told him to stay away, even though Christian wasn’t even about to do something, so obviously, was helping Christian out. This led to Trish Stratus grabbing Val’s head and slapping him across the face. She then began to boot Val in the ribs a few times and then backed off. Nitro turned around and began to count, rather fast. Christian, however, broke the count as he went outside and tossed Val back into the ring.

Christian picked up Val, whipping him into the ropes. Christian then grabbed him in a Sleeper on the return, but then dropped down for the Flash Back. Christian made the cover on Val Venis. Johnny Nitro made the count, and a quick one at that. One, Two, Thre … kickout by Val Venis. Christian picked up Val Venis and executed a Vertical Suplex and then lifted him up again and hit another Vertical Suplex. Christian then lifted him up once more, placing Val on his shoulders this time. Christian then swung him around, off of his shoulders, and Val landed face first onto Christian’s left knee. Christian got up, pounding his chest with his left first and then placed his right foot on the chest of Val Venis and then yelled “C’mon, Baby!” similarly to what Chris Jericho use to do years ago. But even with a quick count from Johnny Nitro, Val Venis was still able to break the arrogant pin by Christian by just swatting the foot off of his chest.

Christian grabbed Val Venis, and sent him into the corner. Christian ran in, but Val Venis lifted his legs up and rolled Christian up. Johnny Nitro got down, made the count. One …………. Two ……………….. Christian kicked out. Val Venis got up and grabbed the shift of Johnny Nitro. Johnny told him that he was the referee and to get his hands off of him. As he did, Christian got up, and went to punch Val, but Val moved, and Christian accidentally hit Johnny Nitro. Nitro went down, rubbing his check. Val began punching Christian and sent him into the ropes. Val ran for him, hitting a diving lariat, and then sat on his chest, pounding away at the face of Christian. Val Venis got up, picking up Christian and sent him into the ropes. Val took him back down with a drop toe hold and then tied him up for the Venis Fly Trap. Christian was tapping like crazy, but Johnny Nitro was still “out.” He was obviously fine now, as you could see, but with Christian tapping, he didn’t want to give the win to Val Venis. However, Christian reached the ropes and then Nitro sprung up like nothing happened, and forced Val to break the hold. Val grabbed Christian and took him down with a body slam. He went to the top and shook his hips. Val then jumped off, right on top of Christian, for a picture perfect Money Shot. Johnny Nitro made the count. One …………………….. Two ……………………… kickout by Christian. Much slower than the previous count, was giving Christian a lot more time to kick out.

Trish Stratus got up on the apron, looking to bare her breasts for Johnny Nitro to see. Val Venis was just getting him and picking up Christian when people in the crowd looked to the right side of the screen. Something was going on. And sure enough, that person emerged from the crowd, hopping the guardrail, and rolling into the ring. It was shown to be Lance Storm, and he was waiting. Val Venis dropped Christian, turning around, to see what all the noise was about, and was met with a swift Superkick from Lance Storm right into the chin, sending him down to the mat. Lance Storm dragged Christian right on top of Val Venis, rolling out of the ring. Trish got down and Johnny Nitro turned around. He got down on the mat, making the count. One .. Two .. Three.

Winner: Christian in 10:12.

(82, 76, 89) *** ½

Christian rolled out of the ring and he and Trish Stratus hugged, kissing for a brief time. Lance Storm was still there and Christian and Storm shook hands as the two of them raised each others hand, with Christian still holding Trish very close to his chest, strangely. The place went nuts when Chris Jericho emerged from the back, running down the ramp. Christian, Trish, and Lance all took off through the crowd with Chris Jericho going after them. However, they got away as Johnny Nitro rolled out of the ring and stood in front of Jericho. He told him not to go after them. Jericho laughed at Nitro, and then delivered a quick right hand to the jaw of Nitro, sending him down. Jericho rolled him into the ring, grabbing him by the legs, and then locking him in the Walls of Jericho. He broke the hold and then helped up Val Venis. The two shook hands and then Jericho jumped out of the ring, running to the back, hoping to be able to find Christian.

Mick Foley Arrives to Raw.

The scene cuts to the back where a white car pulls up and inside it is Mick Foley. Foley opens the door and slams it shut after exiting the car. The arena cheers as Mick Foley has arrived to the arena. He has a pissed off look on his face and the red and black flannel wearing Hardcore Legend walks off camera. Where is he heading?

Ross: Mick Foley is here on Raw! And he probably wants Randy Orton! We will be right back!

(84)

[Commercial.]

Match Five – Main Event – Eight Man Tag Team Match – World Heavyweight Champion “The Crippler” Chris Benoit, “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels, Booker T, and Rob Van Dam vs. “The Game” Triple H”, WWE Intercontinental Champion “The Legend Killer” Randy Orton, and World Tag Team Champions “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair and Batista

“Evolution” by Motorhead once again begins to play and this time everyone comes out as a group. “The Game” Triple H leads out “The Legend Killer” Randy Orton, “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair and Batista. They all stand on the entrance way with Orton and Triple H in the center and Ric Flair standing next to Triple H and Batista next to Randy Orton. They all raise each others hands. Triple H points at Edge and then make there way down to the ring. Flair, Batista, and Orton all enter the ring while Triple H goes around to the side of the ring, facing the hard camera, takes one last sip of his bottled water, and then tosses it aside. He climbs up to the ring apron, standing in the center of it, and then spits out the water as he raises his arms in the arm. He gets into the ring.

Ross: Hold on now, Edge. Don’t lose your cool. You don’t want to get suspended now, do you?

Edge: JR, I want ruin my chances of finally getting my hands around that piece of shit Triple H at Backlash. Come Backlash, I will be 100% and I will enter that ring looking to tear “The Game” apart. Tonight, I will sit here and call this match. I am not going to risk my career by attacking him tonight.

“One of a kind!” is heard and “One of a Kind” by Breaking Point hits and out comes Rob Van Dam to a loud ovation from the crowd. He is introduced and he does his thumb pointing along with the words spoken by Lillian Garcia “Rob … Van … Dam!” The crowd also joined in on that. “Can you dig it, sucka?!” is heard and Booker T’s theme music cues up. The place goes insane as the Houston native, Booker T, makes his entrance. He comes out, standing on the stage next to Rob Van Dam. He jumps into the air, “raising the roof” as his fire-like pyrotechnics display goes off on the top of the stage. “Oh, Oh, Shawn!” is heard and “Sexy Boy” begins to play as “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels makes his grand entrance from the stage to a standing ovation from the crowd. He gets down on his knees, “praising the Lord”, as his pyrotechnics display goes off on the stage. And finally, “Whatever” by Our Lady Peace begins to play and “The Crippler” Chris Benoit, the World Heavyweight Champion, makes his entrance to a standing ovation from the crowd. The four faces walk down to the ring together and enter the ring as all four go on each of the four ring posts, as Evolution escape the ring. Referee Earl Hebner forces all members of Evolution out of the ring except for Ric Flair, who starts off the match for his team. He forces everyone but the Champion, Chris Benoit, out for his team. He calls for the bell, and the match is on.

Chris Benoit and Ric Flair start it off. They circle each other and then lock up. While locked up, they force themselves into a circle, trying to gain the upper hand, but it is Chris Benoit who forces Ric Flair into the neutral corner. He breaks the collar and elbow tie up and then begins to chop “The Nature Boy” while he is in the corner. He delivers those knife edge chops right to the chest of Ric Flair and Ric Flair winces in pain. But Ric Flair grabs Benoit by the next and reverses him into the corner. Ric Flair stood back a little, and then laid in several knife edge chops of his own to “The Rabid Wolverine.” Ric Flair grabs Benoit by the wrist, whipping him into the opposite corner. Benoit runs in, sternum first, like Bret Hart, and then falls backwards, down onto the mat. Ric Flair begins to strut towards Benoit and then drops a knee right across the forehead of the World Heavyweight Champion. Flair grabs Benoit by the wrist again, dragging him towards the corner of Evolution. All members of Evolution wanted in, reaching for the tag, but Flair tagged in Triple H.

Triple H comes in as Hebner singled for a legal tag. Ric Flair gave one last kick to Benoit before leaving. Triple H picked up Benoit, propping him up against the corner. He grabbed Earl Hebner and began to argue with his opponents. They all wanted to come in and get a piece of Triple H, but Hebner held them all back. This gave some illegal punches and choking being done in the corner. Randy Orton had the tag rope wrapped around the throat of Benoit while Flair and Batista tossed in some clobbering forearms. Triple He turned around and Orton broke the illegal choke. He held the tag rope up so Earl could see he was holding it. Hebner warmed them all. Triple H grabbed Benoit out of the corner, hip tossing him down to the mat. Triple H then held Benoit down for an arm submission, holding his arm behind him, in a hammerlock type position. Triple H would dig his knee right into the spine of Benoit, too. Triple H broke the hold, slapping Benoit down onto the mat. He got up, bounced off the ropes, and dropped a knee across the forehead of Benoit, much like Flair did earlier. Triple H went for the first pin attempt of the match. Hebner got down and counted. Triple H had an arrogant-like cover on Benoit. One … Two … kickout by Benoit.

Triple H picked up Chris Benoit and whipped him into the ropes. Triple H hit a back body drop on the Champion and then grabbed the right leg of Benoit, dropping down to the mat, and locking a leg submission on Benoit. He had his own legs grapevining the leg. Benoit tried to sit up, and chop Triple H, but all Benoit could do was get pushed right back down. Triple H, however, quickly broke that submission and then stood up. He held onto the right leg, still, and then twisted around it, lying down, and bring across the left leg, too. Know he had the Figure Four Leg Lock on Benoit. Benoit tried to fight it, reaching for the ropes, but Triple H, using his upper body strength, pulled backwards, getting closer to his corner. This allowed him to reach back, grabbing hands with Ric Flair. Flair pulled back hard, applying added pressure to the legs of Benoit. Hebner checked this out, and Flair and Triple H quickly unlocked hands. They went back to doing this when Hebner was checking on Benoit. They broke it once again, but went right back to pulling on the hands. This time Earl Hebner saw them reach for each others hands, and kicked the hands apart. But this didn’t give Benoit any time to get away. Triple H held Benoit down and tagged in the monster, Batista.

Batista came in and stomped away at the helpless “Crippler” as he lay on the mat, in some obvious pain. Batista grabbed Benoit by the throat, lifting him up. Batista then tossed him, back first, into the corner. Batista charged for the corner, hitting and football-like shoulder block into the corner, hurting the ribs of Benoit. Batista grabbed Benoit from away from the corner and lifted him up in a bear hug position. He was thrashing him around like a rag doll in the process. Benoit tried to reach for the ropes, but he was more than two-thirds away from his corner. Batista dropped down onto one knee, still holding Benoit in the bear hug. But now Batista dropped Benoit into a backbreaker. He grabbed Benoit by the throat, pushing down on it, and on the legs of Benoit, basically bending him in half, in a way the body shouldn’t be bent. Evolution all wanted to get into the ring and Batista tagged in Randy Orton.

Randy Orton came in, slapping Benoit around in the face, while he was still in the backbreaker position. Earl Hebner forced Batista to break the hold and he was forced out of the ring. Orton grabbed Benoit, and went to whip him into the ropes, but Benoit fell halfway across the ring when he was sent. Orton laughed his ass off as Benoit dropped like a sack of potatoes in the ring. Orton sat on the back of Benoit, pulling on his chin, for a modified Camel Clutch. But Benoit was not going to tap to this. He fought, and fought, and fought it, but he just couldn’t reach the ropes. Shawn Michaels tried to rush the ring to break the move, but Earl Hebner cut him off. Orton broke the hold, dragging Benoit into their corner. He then went over to taunt Shawn Michaels and the rest of the team while Ric Flair entered the ring, and applied the Figure Four Leg Lock on the World Heavyweight Champion. He used Triple H to pull back on, all while Orton continued to keep Hebner distracted with HBK. Flair broke the hold, rolling out of the ring, and Orton went back over to Benoit. Hebner finally forced Michaels out of the ring. Orton tagged in Ric Flair.

Ric Flair returned to the ring, picking up Benoit, and whipping him into the corner. Benoit ran into the corner, sternum first, and fell to the mat. Flair, however, picked him back up and propped him up against the corner. He then laid in some brutal chops to the chest of the tired, and beaten, Benoit. Ric Flair hip tossed him out of the corner and then made the cover on Benoit. Hebner made the count. One … Two … Thr … kickout by Benoit! The place went nuts when Benoit still showed life in his body with that kickout. Ric Flair began stomping on Benoit, and then picked him up. He began to chop him. He laid in those brutal knife edge chops of his, and Benoit took them! Benoit’s eyes bulged out of his head and started to chop Flair himself! He got his second wind now and laid in this brutal knife edge chops of his own. Benoit whipped Flair off the ropes, and then took him down with that lariat of his and then he too fell down. Both Flair and Benoit were out. Hebner looked around and began to count. One … Two … Three … Evolution and Benoit’s team wanted in, Four … Five … Six …. Ric Flair made the first move, moving slowly to his corner, all of Evolution were reaching for the tag, Seven … Benoit began to move, inching his way closer to the corner, Eight … Ric Flair tagged in Batista, Nine … Benoit dove and tagged in Booker T for a huge pop from the crowd.

Booker T rushed in and Batista began to punch him, but Booker T fired back with chops and punches and kicks of his own. He laid them all in on the monster Batista, and Batista took them. He stumbled backwards, but he wouldn’t go down. Booker pushed him off the ropes and then sends him sailing to the opposite ropes and hit a nice leaping side kick to Batista, taking him down. Book made the cover. Hebner made the count. One … Two … kickout by Batista. Booker got up and made the quick tag out to his tag team partner, Rob Van Dam.

RVD climbed the ropes. He was perched, waiting for Batista to get up. Booker exited the ring and soon Batista got up. RVD leaped off, hitting a stiff kick to the face from the top rope and then made the quick cover. One … Two … kickout by Batista. RVD picked up Batista and whipped him into the ropes, but Batista reversed it, sending RVD into the ropes. Batista ducked, looking to send RVD over for a back body drop, but RVD back flipped over him and landed on his feet behind one-half of the World Tag Team Champions. Batista turned around, and Van Dam punched him in the face. Batista stumbled backwards, but didn’t go down. Van Dam went to kick Batista, but Batista grabbed hold of the leg. Van Dam stepped over his own leg, and hit a spinning back heel kick to the face of Batista, this time sending him down. Van Dam went for the cover. Hebner counted. One … Two … kickout by Batista. Batista tossed Van Dam off of him and got right up. He went to his corner and tagged in Randy Orton.

Randy Orton came in and he and Rob Van Dam locked up. Van Dam punched Orton, breaking the collar and elbow tie up, and then grabbed him by the wrist, whipping him into the ropes. Orton returned, ducking a kick by Van Dam by sliding through his legs and kipped up fast. He hit a Dropkick to the back of the head of Van Dam, sending him over the top rope, and onto the floor. Randy Orton climbed to the top rope and leaped off, right onto Rob Van Dam.

[Commercial.]

We are back from that final commercial break and in the ring are Van Dam and Triple H. Orton seems to have tagged in Triple H during the commercial break and “The Game” has taken control of the match. He has Van Dam up and in an abdominal stretch. He reaches to the ropes and uses the hand of Randy Orton to get extra pressure. Orton pulls back tight, applying that pressure to the abdomen of RVD. Hebner checks what is going on, warning Triple H as he breaks it. He goes right back to doing it again. And all of a sudden a car crash is heard and the place goes nuts. Mick Foley has entered the arena and is running down the ramp. Randy Orton looks shocked, breaking the hold for Triple H, which leaves Triple H in shock, and Van Dam is able to hip toss Triple H to break the hold. He and RVD are both down. Orton, however, has jumped off of the ring apron, hoping the barricade, and has run through the crowd with Mick Foley chasing after him. The crowd is chanting RVD, clapping along, wanting him to get up. He inches his way to the corner and dives, tagging in Shawn Michaels to a huge pop from the crowd.

Shawn Michaels enters the match for the first time, grabbing Triple H. The two slug it out in the middle of the ring and Michaels gains the upper hand. He whips Triple H into the corner, and “The Game” does the Ric Flair head flip over the ropes. But he falls back into the ring, stumbling across the ropes and into the wrong corner where RVD, Chris Benoit, and Booker T all give him some cheap shots, before sending him back towards Shawn Michaels, who grabs him and twists him around for a backbreaker. Shawn Michaels covers Triple H as Earl Hebner makes the count. One … Two … Thr … kickout by Triple H.

Ric Flair and Batista rush into the ring, taking down Shawn Michaels in the process but they are quickly out numbered when Benoit goes after Flair, laying in some stiff chops to him and Booker T and Rob Van Dam go after Batista. We see a box show up in the corner with Mick Foley chasing after Randy Orton. Orton seems to be stumbling along, falling down quite often, but Foley still can’t catch him. The box disappears and back to the action at hand. Booker T kicks Batista, and then bounces off the ropes. Ax Kick by Booker T! He is down! Spin-a-roonie to a huge pop from the crowd! RVD looks at the crowd and points to the ropes. He leaps up to the ropes, Five Star Frog Splash onto Batista! Benoit has Ric Flair down and in the Cripple Crossface! The legendary “Nature Boy” Ric Flair is tapping like crazy to the World Heavyweight Champion!

Shawn Michaels gets up, and sees all of the carnage in the ring. He sees Ric Flair tapping to the Crippler Crossface, and sees Booker T and RVD standing to the side behind a fallen Batista. He backs off into the corner, tuning up the band. Triple H begins to move. Shawn Michaels goes for the Sweet Chin Music, but Triple H ducks! Kick to the midsection on Shawn Michaels! Booker T runs for “The Game” and delivers a swift Ax Kick to him, sending Triple H stumbling backwards. Chris Benoit breaks the hold on Ric Flair, and quickly grabs Triple H, dragging him down to the mat, locking him in the Crippler Crossface! He is tapping, but Earl Hebner tells Benoit he is not the legal man! RVD, again, looks around and leaps to the top rope. He is perched on the top rope, looking around at the crowd. He does his thumb point along with the crowd chanting “Rob … Van … Dam” and he leaps off, hitting the Five Star Frog Splash to the back of Triple H while he was in the Crippler Crossface!

Chris Benoit breaks the hold. Earl Hebner finally restores order in the ring, forcing Batista and Ric Flair to the outside, as they just fall to the mat. Chris Benoit, Booker T, and Rob Van Dam all leave. Shawn Michaels once again tunes up the band and Triple H slowly stumbles to his feet. He turns around, looking like he wants a tag, but he is in the corner of Benoit, RVD, and Booker T, and when he turns around he is met with a swift Sweet Chin Music to the chin, knocking him down and out. Shawn Michaels falls on top of Triple H and Earl Hebner makes the count. One … Two … Three!

Winners: Chris Benoit, Shawn Michaels, Rob Van Dam, and Booker T in 22:34

(84, 87, 80) ***

The Houston crowd goes insane as “Sexy Boy” begins to play. Shawn Michaels, Chris Benoit, Booker T, and Rob Van Dam all celebrate in the ring while Batista and Ric Flair slowly get to their feet, helping Triple H out of the ring and to the back.

Ross: What a tremendous match we just witnessed! My gawd Chris Benoit, Shawn Michaels, Booker T, and Rob Van Dam are victories! What a night!

Edge: When it looked like Benoit was in trouble in the beginning, JR, they came back and defeated Evolution!

Ross: Maybe a big thanks could go out to Mick Foley when it shocked Evolution when he came out, chasing away Randy Orton. Speaking of which, we got some footage of them still in the back! Lets take a look!

As the four faces continue to celebrate with the fans, the camera cuts to the back where Foley is chasing after Orton. They look like they have made it to the concession stands now and Orton runs into a room. It turns out to be the men’s restroom. Foley enters and he sees Orton. Orton tosses a fan into Foley, making a quick escape out of the room. Foley runs out of the room, chasing after Orton. He is screaming at Orton as he chasing him towards the backstage area now. Orton, however, is seen running as fast as he can towards that black limo out there. The door seems to be open and it is Ric Flair and Batista, screaming at Randy Orton to hurry up. They already have Triple H in there and they want to get the hell out of there. Orton dives into the limo, as Ric Flair shuts the door tight and the limo pulls off. Foley couldn’t make it in time. He runs towards his own white car, packed right there, and hops in. He chases after the Evolution limousine as the shows fades away to the WWE logo.

---------------------------

Overall Rating: 79

TV Rating: 4.2

[DMN in the House]

ANGLE WANTS REVENGE

April 8th, 2004

Last week, WWE Champion Eddie Guerrero arrived at the end of the show on crutches. It appeared as though Eddie had suffered a fractured foot and GM Paul Heyman said, that since Eddie would be unable to compete, he was stripped of the WWE Title! The fans were shocked to hear this and even more shocked that Eddie actually handed his belt over to the new champion, Kurt Angle! However, Angle didn't even have a chance to celebrate because Eddie cracked him over the head with a crutch and then revealed that he was perfectly healthy! It was all an April Fool's Joke!! On this week's edition, Kurt Angle will be in the building and you have to think, he will be on the prowl for Eddie after what went down! What will happen!? Tune in to find out!

Things heated up last week between the WWE United States Champion John Cena and one of SmackDown!'s newest members, Test. It was supposed to be a tag team match between Bradshaw/Cena and Big Show/Test but it turned into a brawl before they even got to the ring. It ended with Bradshaw & Show battling to the back and Cena laid out from a chairshot from Test. This week, the tag match WILL take place! And Cena has a score to settle.

Ultimo Dragon defeated Billy Kidman, Paul London & Tajiri last week to become the #1 Contender for the Cruiserweight Title! However, Dragon will not recieve his title shot this week because he will go one-on-one with the Cruiserweight Champion's father, Chavo Guerrero Sr!

Rikishi & Scotty 2 Hotty managed to retain the WWE Tag Team Titles last week over the World's Greatest Tag Team, when Benjamin delivered the Dragon Whip to Haas by mistake. However, the champions will not have any rest between matches because they will take on Kyo Dai in a non-title match this week! Can Kyo Dai score another big upset or will Rikishi & Scotty prove why they're the champs?

All of this and much more, be sure to tune in Thursday night at 8/7 CT on UPN, to SMACK your TV!

Edited May 10, 2004 by sycodmn

[DMN in the House]

WWE SmackDown!

SMACK your TV!

Taped from San Antonio, TX!

Cue the highlights from last weeks SmackDown, as WWE Champion Eddie Guerrero fools both GM Paul Heyman, and Kurt Angle with his fake injury, and blasting Angle in the head with a crutch, before the audio clip of Eddie saying April Fools Holmes and standing over Angle with the WWE Title around his waist. Cut to the SmackDown entrance video, set to Drowning Pool's Step Up.

Coming out of the video, we see Paul Heyman's happy smiling face, or not. The camera pans, and we see an annoyed Eddie Guerrero standing next to him, the WWE Title over his shoulder. Heyman is holding his cell phone, a hand over the reciever.

Paul Heyman: ' You have to understand Eddie, this is for your own good. If I put you in the ring with Kurt Angle tonight, there's not telling what could happen.'

Eddie sighs, and looks even more annoyed.

Eddie Guerrero: ' Holmes. Instead of putting me in the ring with Kurt, your going to put me in the ring with someone he chose? Whats up with that, essa?'

Heyman: ' Eddie, we both know that I don't like you, and you don't like me, but above all, I'm a business man, and here on Paul Heyman's SmackDown, we do things that are good for SmackDown. If I put you in the ring with Kurt Angle tonight, it wouldn't be good for business. trust me, Kurt wants you as bad as you want him.'

Eddie: ' So, who is it then essa? The Big Show? Rey Mysterio?'

Heyman: ' I'm afraid I can't tell you that yet Eddie.'

Eddie's face turns red with anger, but he takes a series of deep breaths, and then leaves, slamming the door. Heyman brings the phone up.

Heyman: ' I don't care what you want, your still not getting him. Pick someone.'

Heyman listens for a second, then gets an expression on his face thats a cross between a smile, and confusion.

Heyman: ' Perfect, but I thought you three weren't talking.'[Listens]' Its done. Don't worry about it, oh, and you have the night off, enjoy it.'

Fade out.

(97)

[Commercial Break]

Introducing first, from Nagoya, Japan, weighing in at 180 pounds, this is, ULTIMO DRAAAAGOOOOOON!

Cue more pyros then I've ever seen for someone not main eventing a WrestleMania, as the number one contender to the WWE Cruiserweight Title, currently held by Chavo Guerrero, the masked Ultimo Dragon, makes his entrance, in a light blue and silver mask, cape and tights set.

Ultimo climbs into the ring, and poses on the turnbuckle, raising both hands, before stepping down, and removing his cape.

And his opponent, hailing from El Paso, Texas, accompanied by his son, Chavo Guerrero Jr, CHAVO GUERRERO CLASSSSSSSSIIIC!

The senior Guerrero brother makes his way out to his son's music, accompanied by the Cruiserweight Champion. His announcement as Chavo Guerrero 'Classic' of course sends Tazz into hysterics, including saying that Cole should call himself 'Classic Coleslaw'. Good one Tazz.

Chavo Guerrero Sr is dressed similarly to his son, in reddish orange tights, a black Chavo Guerrero Jr t-shirt, and the same style bandanna. They taunt the crowd, and do what I like to call the 'Chavo Flap' on the way to the ring, where they both get in. They taunt Ultimo, but Chavo Jr. is much dismayed when referee Jimmy Cordaris forces him to ringside, at penalty of being sent to the back.

Ultimo Dragon vs. Chavo Guerrero 'Classic' w/ Chavo Guerrero Jr.

The bell rings, and the two lock up. Cole talks about Chavo 'Classic's experience advantage, but Tazz makes a smart comment, saying that against someone like Ultimo Dragon, who has nearly as much experience, its pretty much a wash. Ultimo hits a go behind, and goes to lift Chavo Sr. up, but its blocked, and the elder Guerrero uses a modified toe hold to take down the puro star. This gets Chavo Jr. going on the outside, clapping for his dad, and playing to the crowd, tapping his head, and talking about how smart the Guerrero's are.

Chavo Sr.'s advantage dosen't last long however, as he locks on a headlock, but Ultimo switches out, and lifts Classic off the mat, then brings him back down, hooking in the leg, and rolling over him for a nearfall. Chavo Sr. kicks out, but is obviously in over his head, and rolls to the outside, consulting with his son. Chavito tries to calm his dad down, and the two have a meeting, before Chavo Sr. nods his head and rolls back into the ring.

He's met by Ultimo, who hits a running crossbody, and then goes to run the ropes, only to get tripped up, and dragged outside by Chavo. Chavo Jr. and Ultimo start fighting on the outside, where Chavo Classic joins them, and we have a two on one situation. Cole does his normal 'This is nothing more then a handicap match' spiel, while Tazz points out how smart it is of the Guerreros. Finally, Jimmy Cordaris has had enough, and tells Chavito to go to the back, or he'll call the match right now. Los Chavos start to argue with Cordaris, while Ultimo scrambles back into the ring.

Both Chavos are still on the outside, arguing with Cordaris, when suddenly Ultimo planchas over the top rope, taking both of them out! That finally gets the crowd going, and Ultimo gets up first, standing tall among the carnage. He slides back into the ring, as Cordaris finally gets rid of the Cruiserweight champion. Chavo Sr. is still on the outside, and looks dazed, so Ultimo slides out, and drags him back in. Once inside, Ultimo locks on a modified crossface style lock, but he's too close to the ropes, and the crafty veteran Chavo Classic grabs them, breaking the hold.

Ultimo gets to his feet, and goes to pick up Chavo, but gets a thumb to the eye, and a sneaky lowblow, which Cordaris dosen't see. Chavo Sr. goes for the roll up, and puts his feet on the ropes, but Cordaris sees that, and breaks up the pin. Chavo Sr. is incredulous, and argues with Cordaris, which leads to Ultimo spinning him around, and sending him into the ropes, catching him with a spinning heel kick to the gut doubling Chavo Classic over. He goes for the Asai DDT, but gets caught, and atomic dropped for his trouble, leading to a Chavo Sr. nearfall.

Chavo goes to pick Ultimo up, but makes the cardinal mistake of playing to the crowd. This leads to Ultimo taking him down by taking out both his legs, then floating over to lock on the Dragon Sleeper. Chavo Classic fights it, trying to get to the ropes, but he can't, and despite that fact that Chavo Jr. is running down from the back, and slides in to attempt to break it up, Chavo Sr. taps, awarding the match to Ultimo Dragon.

Winner: Ultimo Dragon

(63,54,73)

* 1/2

Chavo Sr. rolls out of the ring, selling the Dragon Clutch, while Chavo Jr. finishes sliding into the ring, oblivious to the fact that his father tapped out. He does notice however, when he comes face to mask with Ultimo Dragon, and a startled Chavo takes a step back, before we have a staredown. This lasts until Cole informs us of something in the back, and we cut to the backstage of the arena.

The backdoor of the SBC Arena busts open, as Kurt Angle comes bursting into the arena, looking like he's already pissed off, and with good reason, after being tricked by Eddie Guerrero last week. Angle sees SmackDown backstage reporter, and Velocity commentator, Josh Matthews, and grabs his shoulder, spinning him around, and grabbing his shirt.

Kurt Angle: ' Where's Eddie Guerrero?'

Matthews looks for a way out, but dosen't see any, and then looks at Angle, who gives him a look that could kill.

Josh Matthews: ' I do...don...don't know Ku...Ku...Kurt...'

Angle tosses Matthews down.

Angle: ' If you see him, make sure I'm the first one you tell!'

Kurt then leaves, as the scene fades out.

(85)

[Commercial Break]

The following match is a NON TITLE MATCH! Coming to the ring first, hailing from Japan, they are members of Kyo Dai, and are accompanied by The Japanese Buzzsaw, Tajiri, AKIO AND SAKODAAAAA!

The three members of Kyo Dai made their entrance to Tajiri's entrance theme. Tajiri was in street clothes, and all three members slid into the ring, Akio and Sakoda taking up positions on the turnbuckles, while Tajiri stood in the middle of the ring, smiling. Akio was making belt motions around his waist, while Sakoda pounded his chest and then pointed at the crowd.

And their opponents, they are the reigning WWE WORLD...TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS, at a combined weight of 559 pounds, they are RIKISHI and SCOTTY TOO HOTTY!

TURN IT UP!

The tag team champions made thier way to the ring, Rikishi slow and easy, while Scotty bounded from one side of the ramp to the other, slapping hands, and stopping to dance. Rikishi carried his belt over his shoulder, while Scotty wore his around his waist. The champions entered the ring, and as they did so, Kyo Dai exit the ring, and in between taunting the champions, huddle and scheme.

Akio and Sakoda w/ Tajiri vs. Rikishi and Scotty 2

Non-Title

Match starts off with Scotty and Yang, I mean, Akio. Scotty gets the lock up, but Akio kicks him in the gut, and whips Scotty to the ropes. Scotty gets caught with a dropkick on the way back, and things are already looking up for Kyo Dai, as Akio sends Scotty to the wrong part of town, and tags in Sakoda.

Sakoda goes to work on Scotty's arm, hitting an arm stunner, then putting it in a hammerlock, pushing it up Scotty's back. Sakoda then lifts him up, holding the hammer lock, and drops Scotty's bent arm on the rope, before attempting a quick cover, which Scotty kicks out of. Scotty tries to make it across the ring and make a tag, but Sakoda stops him, picking him up, and nailing a wheelbarrow facebuster. He then slings Scotty back to the corner, and makes a tag, at which point Kyo Dai double team Scotty, utilizing a backbreaker/leg drop combo.

Akio goes to work on Scotty with a headlock, putting his own head under Scotty's arm to tighten it even more. Scotty fights to a base, and sends Akio to the ropes, and then hits the mat as Akio comes back over him. Scotty's finally able to score with a dropkick to the running Akio the second time through, putting both men on the mat, and forcing referee Jack Doan to start a ten count.

Scotty's the first to stir, crawling his way to make the hot tag, as Akio finally rouses, and goes to make the tag in his corner. Both make the tag at approximately the same time, and Rikishi comes in a house of fire, bowling over Sakoda, and knocking Akio off the apron with a shoulder. He then turns back around, and clotheslines Sakoda, before dropping the bomb, and sitting on his chest, leading to a pin count, which is broken up by a Akio dropkick to the back of 'Kish's head. Scotty comes back in, and chases Akio out, before going back to his corner.

Rikishi regains his senses, and sends Sakoda into the corner with the no look whip, which, predictably, leads to the 'Thump' and Rikishi's eyes get all wide as Sakoda is set up for the Stink Face. 'Kish slaps his ass, and is getting ready to back it up, when Tajiri pulls Sakoda from the ring, taunting Rikishi. 'Kish just shrugs, and tags out to Scotty, just as Sakoda rolls back in the ring, and tags Akio.

Scotty and Akio meet in the middle of the ring, and break down into a flurry of punches, Akio getting the upperhand. He sends Scotty into the ropes, but gets caught with a facebuster on the comeback, setting up the... yes... THE WORM!. W-O-R... Tajiri? Yes, the leader of Kyo Dai has inserted himself into the match, as Doan argues with Rikishi, who's trying to help Scotty. Tajiri nails Scotty with a kick to the gut, dropping him to his knees, and then hits the Kick of Death, before sliding out of the ring as Doan turns around. Rikishi rushes to make the save, but gets caught by Sakoda, as the two go to the outside brawling, and Akio heads up top...Twisting Moonsault! One...two...three... and we are going home as Akio and Sakoda, with a little help from Tajiri, have beaten the tag team champions!

Winner(s): Akio and Sakoda

(67,61,73)

* 3/4

Quick cut backstage, where the self proclaimed World's Greatest Tag Team have watched the match on a monitor. Charlie Haas turns to Shelton Benjamin.

Charlie Haas: ' That should be us... if you hadn't screwed up last week!'

Shelton Benjamin: ' Look, I told you it was an accident, it could happen to anybody. Besides, Kyo Dai winning dosen't make them the number one contenders, they still have to get through us, remember what Mr. Heyman said?'

Haas: ' Until I tell you otherwise, your the number one contenders... yeah, but they just beat the tag team champions, who knows what Mr. Heyman is going to think!'

Shelton: ' Calm down, calm down. After I go out there tonight and do Mr. Heyman that favor, he'll give us anything we want. Just chill, and it'll all work out.'

Haas: ' It better Shelton, it better.'

(71)

We cut from backstage, to the same video that was seen last week on SmackDown! that seems to be a prelude to a new wrestler coming to the brand. A graphic on the screen of outer space with millions of stars lighting the sky. Then we see one of the stars blinking brightly, flickering every few seconds before the camera seems to pan forward and the light is getting brighter. Getting even closer, we see the bright light nearly blinding for a second and then the graphic goes completely black. Stars then come swirling around on the bottom of the screen and form the words "Next Week" and then it fades to a commercial.

(71)

[Commercial Break]

So, You Think Your Untouchable?

The next match, by order of SmackDown! General Manager, Paul Heyman, is now a NO DISQUALIFICATION MATCH!

Introducing first, from Newberry, Mass, weighing in at 240 pounds, he is the WWE UNITED STATES CHAMPION, JOHN CEEEEEENNNAAAA!

Cena comes out rocking the George Gervin throw back, with a mic in his hand.

John Cena: ' Yo dawg, cut my music...

SAN ANTONIO, Can you feel me?

I've gotta past the Test, gotta know my A, B, C

I bring my A game like the Spurs in the finals

I'll drop the Big Show like a record still on vinyl

Bradshaw brings the beer, I bring the game

Test wants to step up, you'll see his (shit) is lame

So come on out and an y'all can see

That some sucka's gonna choke on *DEEZ*'

Cena tosses a bag of nuts from his pocket into the crowd, then takes off the Gervin retro. He tosses it, his full hand ring, and his chain to a ringside attendant, and makes the 'Word Life' sign to the crowd, as Tony Chimel announces his partner.

And his partner, from Abilene, Texas, weighing in at 290 pounds, a former member of the APA, THIS IS BRADSHAW!

The APA's old theme pounds out, as Bradshaw makes his way to the ring, throwing up the 'Hook 'Em Horns' sign to the crowd. He slides into the ring, and there's a tense moment between him and Cena, before Cena puts out his hand for a 'pound'. Bradshaw looks perplexed for a moment, then responds, giving Cena his 'daps'.

And their opponents, first, hailing from Tampa, Florida, he is the 7'2", 500 pound... BIG SHOW!'

WEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLL ITS THE BIIIIIIG SHOOOOOOOOOWWWWWW

The Big Show's theme music hits as the largest man in sports entertainment makes his way out onto the ramp. Big Show looks mean, he looks angry, and he looks all business tonight, as he cracks his knuckles, and points to his opponents in the ring. As he makes his way down the ramp, Tony Chimel begins to announce his partner.

And his partner, from Toronto, Ontar...

Chimel is cut off, as Test has come through the crowd, and attacked Cena and Bradshaw from behind, using the element of suprise to get his advantage in this No DQ match. Chimel bails from the ring, as Big Show lumbers towards the ring, and the bell sounds.

John Cena and Bradshaw vs. The Big Show and Test

No Disqualification Match

There's a wild four man brawl to start us off, with Test and Big Show getting the advantage due to the surprise factor from Test's attack, and Big Show's sheer size and strength advantage. Test and Cena end up brawling out of the ring, and 'Lil' Naitch' Charles Robinson does his best to break them up, and get the match underway properly.

Bradshaw and Big Show are going toe to toe in the ring, with Big Show looking dominant, but Bradshaw's not backing down. They brawl for awhile, and then Bradshaw sends Big Show over the ropes with a clothesline, allowing him to tag out to Cena. Cena waits for Show to get on the apron, and then rushes him, attempting to shoulder block him off the apron, but Show hangs on, and the second time Cena comes in, he clubs him with a right forearm that drops Cena to the ground.

Big Show climbs back over the ropes, stepping on Cena's chest, and then puts his foot on Cena's chest, crosses his arms, and laughs as he forces Robinson to make a count. Cena gets his foot on the rope, but Show just laughs as Robinson tries to get him to break it, reminding 'Lil Naitch' that his only job in this match is to count the pinfall.

Show throws Cena to the corner, and nails him with a right hand as big as Cena's face, before tagging in Test, who looks ready to inflict some pain on Cena. Test lifts Cena up, and puts him in the tree of woe on the turnbuckle, before sliding outside, and digging under the ring as Cena struggles to free himself. He does, but as he turns around he meets head first with a steel chair swung by Test, who had gotten back into the ring. As Cena rolls on the ground, we can see that he's been busted open.

Test continues to work over Cena with the chair, nailing him in the back everytime Cena tries to get up. Finally, it seems like Cena's going to stay down, and Test opens up the chair, and goes to 'Pillmanize' Cena's ankle. Cena takes the opportunity to roll Test up, getting a two count, and then struggles to his feet.

Test and Cena have a short brawl, and Cena hits a DDT out of nowhere, and both men are back down. Test is up first, but Cena's not far behind, and we get a hot tag, with Cena beating Test to the punch, and Bradshaw getting in before Test can make a tag. Bradshaw is met with a weak punch attempt by Test, which he blocks, and then nails him with rights, knocking Test back, unfortunately, into Big Show, who makes the blind tag.

Big Show lumbers over the ropes, and gets met with fists from Bradshaw, who attempts to take down the big man. He gets whipped of the ropes, and Big Show hits a modified spinebuster, and goes for the cover, but Bradshaw kicks out. Show once again sends Bradshaw off the ropes, but Bradshaw ducks a clothesline attempt, and takes out Big Show's knee, taking Show to his knees. Test attempts to attack Bradshaw, but is cut off by Cena, who had made a blind tag after Bradshaw came off the ropes. Bradshaw dosen't see Cena, and NEARLY DECAPITATES HIM WITH A CLOTHESLINE FROM HELL!!! Cena is out, and Test and Bradshaw end up going to the outside, as Show covers Cena, for the pinfall victory.

Winner(s): Test and The Big Show

(74,75,74)

**

Cut to backstage, where Kurt Angle is still walking around. He asks a nearby staff member where Eddie Guerrero's lockeroom is, and is directed towards it. Upon reaching it, he enters, but not before being seen by Eddie Guerrero, who was walking back towards his lockeroom, along with Rey Mysterio. Eddie motions towards the room, as if he's going to go confront Angle, but Rey shakes his head, and holds Eddie back, calming him down, and the two leave the scene.

A few moments later, Angle comes out of Eddie's lockeroom, seemingly mad and frustrated because he can't find him. He slams the door, and then kicks it, causing the 'Eddie Guerrero' door sign to fall off, then stomps off, in the oppisite direction from which Rey and Eddie went.

(92)

[Commercial Break]

On his way to the ring at this time, accompanied by the other members of the Full Blooded Italians, from San Diego... Italy?, weighing in tonight at 255 pounds, this is CHUCK PALUMBO!

Palumbo, along with Johnny 'The Bull' Stamboli, and the newly named, by Tazz of course, 'Da Godfather' Nunzio, make their way to the ring. Palumbo is dressed for his match, while Stamboli is in his street wear of slacks and a black wifebeater, with that kickass hat of his, and Nunzio is in an all white track suit, sporting the Al Davis look.

The trio get into the ring, and hold a conference, after which they all turn to the crowd, and hold up their arms. Upon recieveing a not so welcome reaction, they do the 'F-U' fingers to chin taunt to the crowd.

And his opponent, being accompanied by his brothers Bubba Ray, and Spike, from the South Side of Dudleyville, and weighing in at 240 pounds, this is D-VON... DUDLEY!

Apparently the Dudleys have moved back to Dudleyville as Drop The Bombshell by Powerman 5000 hits, and the trio of Dudley brothers come out, D-Von on one side, Spike in the middle, and Bubba on the far side. They all three hold up double '3-D' signs, and then run to the ring, sending the FBI scattering. Bubba Ray and D-Von challenge Palumbo and Stamboli, while Spike calls out Nunzio, but the FBI aren't having it, and referee Chad Patton gets everyone but D-Von and Palumbo out of the ring.

D-Von Dudley w/ Bubba Ray and Spike Dudley vs. Chuck Palumbo w/ Nunzio and Johnny Stamboli

D-Von and Chuck start off with a lock up, and Palumbo tries to out muscle D-Von, and fails. He then decides to kick D-Von in the gut, but his foot gets caught, and D-Von busts out a dragon screw, something I haven't seen him do before. He holds on to it, and links it into a leg lock, forcing Palumbo to fight to the ropes, which he does.

D-Von breaks the hold at three, and pulls Palumbo up, attempting to hook him for a slam, but Palumbo rains clubbing forearms onto D-Von's back, breaking it up, before DDTing him, and covering for one. Palumbo stomps away at D-Von, until his foot gets caught by the Dudley, and he's tripped up. D-Von scrambles on top of Palumbo, and lays in with right hands, until Palumbo shakes him off, and gets to his feet, then dives out of the ring, to escape the wrath of the angry D-Von.

Palumbo consults with his FBI stablemates, then nods his head, and rolls back into the ring just in time to escape Bubba Ray and Spike coming over to have a 'chat' with the other FBI members. Patton breaks that up, as Palumbo uses a low blow to get control of the match. He follows it up with a suplex, and then nails a knee drop for good measure, but still can't put D-Von away.

Palumbo pulls D-Von off the mat, but it turns out to be a mistake, as D-Von sends Palumbo for the ride, and catches him with a back body drop. He then throws him to the corner, and sets up his patented Super Neckbreaker, and hits it, and it looks as sick as ever. Cover gets two, and D-Von is flabbergasted.

The match starts winding down, and Nunzio jumps up on the apron, yelling at Chad Patton about something or the other. Johnny The Bull takes the advantage, as everyone else is distracted by Nunzio, and nails D-Von with a Fuggedaboudit! D-Von is down and out, but he is near the ropes. Nunzio hops off the apron, and Palumbo covers as Patton turns around. One...two...thre... NO! D-Von gets his foot on the ropes! Palumbo can't believe it, and turns to argue with Patton, but gets rolled up by D-Von. One...two...THREE! D-Von has put away Palumbo, and gotten a measure of revenge for the Dudleys!

Winner: D-Von Dudley

(69,67,72)

* 3/4

After the match, Bubba Ray and Spike slide into the ring, and celebrate with their brother, as Stamboli and Nunzio drag Chucky P out of the ring. The Dudleys challenge the FBI to nut up and take them on right then, but the FBI aren't having none of it. As this is going on, we cut backstage.

Backstage, a group of people are huddled around two figures on the ground. As the camera zooms in, we can see that its the WWE Tag Team Champions, Rikishi and Scotty 2 Hotty. Paul Heyman's voice can be heard in the background.

Paul Heyman: ' Just what the hell is going on around here? Why are you all just standing around? This is Paul Heyman's SmackDown people, not that sorr...'

Heyman breaks through the ring of people, and sees what their looking at. An expression of shock comes over his face, and he starts stumbling over his words.

Heyman: ' Wh...who... who the hell did this?'

Heyman looks around the circle, but no one has an answer. He looks straight at Shannon Moore whos standing around, but gets a shrug. Steven Richards, another shrug. Finally, his gaze falls upon Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin.

Heyman: ' You! You did this. Look at me when I'm speaking to you. You did this. Tell me... TELL ME!'

Haas and Benjamin look at him like they don't know whats going on. They then look at each other, and then back to Heyman.

Charlie Haas: ' We just got here Mr. Heyman.'

Shelton Benjamin: ' Yes sir, Me and Charlie were just on the way to go out for my match with Eddie Guerrero when we saw it. I think we may have seen something though.'

Heyman: ' What? What did you see?!?!?'

Haas: ' Well...'

WGTT look at each other, then nod.

Benjamin: ' Well, Mr. Heyman, if I may. We saw Kyo Dai come by as we were on our way here.'

Heyman: ' Your not trying to screw with me, are you?'

Both Haas and Benjamin shake their head 'no'. Heyman nods.

Heyman: ' I trust you boys. You better hurry up Shelton, its not every night you get a match with the champion.'

Benjamin: ' No sir, thank you sir'

Heyman walks off, and after watching him go, Haas and Benjamin look at each other, and bust up laughing as we fade to commercial with Cole and Tazz arguing over wether it was a set up or not, and Cole telling us that 'Benjamin, Guerrero, non title, is NEXT!'

(63)

[Commercial Break]

Back from break, and the self proclaimed World's Greatest Tag Team's music is playing.

The following match is a NON TITLE Bout!

Introducing first, from Orangeburg, South Carolina, weighing in at 245 pounds, and accompanied by his tag team partner Charlie Haas, this is... SHELTON BEEENJAMIIINNNN!

Benjamin and Haas come through the curtain, and stop at the top of the ramp. Haas is in a warm up suit, while Benjamin is in a blue and gold singlet. Benjamin hops up and down a few times, then slaps his head, and walks to the ring, sliding in. He tests the ropes, and then climbs up on the turnbuckle, to taunt the crowd.

And his opponent, he is the WWE WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION! From El Paso Texas, this is... EDDIE GUERRRRRRRRRRRRERRRRRRRRROOOOO!

*EDDIE EDDIE EDDIE EDDIE EDDIE*

We Lie, We Cheat, We Steal!

The side door on the SmackDown facade opens and Eddie comes out driving a swank '57 Chevy lowrider. He hits the hydros, and makes it bounce, only sending the fans chants louder. He gets out, and holds up the WWE Title, before slapping a few hands, and sliding into the ring.

Benjamin dosen't give him time to do anything else though, as he's on Eddie in a flash, as Haas goes to the outside.

Shelton Benjamin w/ Charlie Haas vs. Eddie Guerrero

Non-Title

Shelton stays on Eddie, but gets rolled into the ropes, allowing Eddie to get up. Both men are on their feet, and circle, neither wanting to let the other get an advantage. Benjamin shoots for Guerrero's leg, and Eddie drops, locking in a front facelock. He wrenches it, but Benjamin uses an amatuer style switch, and gets a waistlock, bringing Eddie to his feet, raising him up, then sweeps his leg out from under him, taking him to the ground, before floating over, and getting a headlock.

Benjamin utilizes a Russian roll, an amateur move, to disorient Eddie, then lifts him up, whips him off the ropes, and goes for a back body drop, ducking to early, and getting caught. Eddie whips Benjamin''s head off the mat, then picks him up, and sends him to the corner.

Eddie smashes Benjamin's head into the turnbuckle, then spins him around, and heads up for a ten count, only to get cut off with a lowish blow at 6, and powerbombed off. Benjamin is unable to make a cover though, and instead rolls to the outside.

Eddie follows, which turns out to be a mistake, as Benjamin takes advantage of Haas being on the outside. As Eddie follows Benjamin, Haas follows him, and when Benjamin rolls in to argue with referee Nick Patrick, Haas takes advantage of the distraction, attacking Eddie from behind, and whipping him into the steel post. He lays in a few right hands, then rolls Eddie into Benjamin, who covers him quickly, but only gets two.

Benjamin argues with Patton, allowing Eddie to roll to the outside, where he goes after Haas, who wants none of the angry Latino Heat. Haas runs at Eddie, who tries to clothesline him, but Haas ducks under, and goes to the other side of the ring, as Benjamin slides out of the ring to confront Eddie.

Benjamin and Eddie start throwing punches on the outside, and Eddie eventually whips Shelton into the post, before rolling in and out to break up the ten count. He grabs Shelton, and sends him into the ring, following, and catching Benjamin with a dropkick as he is gettting up, and we cut to commercial.

[Commercial Break]

Tazz and Cole welcome us back with clips of what happened during the break, as Haas is no longer at ringside and Benjamin is in control.

Guerrero is in complete control' date=' and goes to run the ropes, but his leg is grabbed by Haas. Patrick sees this, and goes to send Haas to the back, but Benjamin pulls him around and argues with him. Patrick threatens Benjamin with a disqualification, while Haas enters the ring and takes out Eddie with the title belt. Haas then throws the belt to the side, and rolls back out of the ring, as Benjamin stops arguing with Patrick, and Patrick sends Haas to the back. Benjamin makes the cover, but Patrick is slow to make the count, as he is making sure Haas goes to the back. He finally turns around, and Shelton gets a two count.[/quote']

When we return to the actual action, Shelton has sent Guerrero to the corner, and runs in to score with the SHELTON SPLASH~! Eddie looks like he's going to fall, but dosen't, and Shelton runs back, attempting to score with a second SHELTON SPLASH~! This time however, Eddie finally falls before Shelton can hit, and Shelton bounces his head off the ring post, and both men are down.

Eddie stirs first, and gets up, slapping his chest, and yelling out to the crowd, who respond with *EDDIE EDDIE* chants. He heads up top, and looks to be feeling froggy, but is suprised as Benjamin is finally up, and catches him, sending him off the turnbuckle. Benjamin then heads to the second rope, and scores with a leg drop that gets a nearfall.

Benjamin starts to argue with the ref, but decides to pick Eddie up, hooking him up for a suplex. This fails miserably, as Eddie reverses it, and sets up the Three Amigos, nailing all three suplexes, which leads to Tazz singing Three is a Magic Number in a funny moment. Eddie covers after the trifecta, but only gets two.

Eddie can't believe it, and gets up to talk to Patrick, only to get rolled up by Benjamin! Eddie is able to escape, but it seems he will have to take Benjamin a lot more seriously then he has. Eddie kicks Benjamin in the gut, and tries to slip him into the Gory Special, but its countered into a pinning combination. Eddie reverses, but Benjamin reverses back. Eddie counters this, and Benjamin slips out, and then tries to Oklahoma roll Eddie, but Eddie gets out of that. Nearfall after nearfall, the two go at it, before instead of countering into a nearfall, Benjamin counters into an armbar, forcing Eddie to grab the ropes.

Benjamin is feeling it, and hops up and down, waiting for Eddie to get up. He goes to kick Eddie in the gut, but Eddie grabs his foot, and spins Benjamin around. Big mistake, as Benjamin goes for a Dragon Whip, but Eddie has it scouted, and steps back, as Benjamin spins around, his back to Eddie. RELEASE GERMAN SUPLEX! Eddie is the one feeling it now, and with Benjamin down, he heads up top, FROG SPLASH!!! A hardfought match, but Eddie puts it away.

Winner: Eddie Guerrero

(81,82,81)

***

Eddie celebrates after the match, holding up the belt, and raising it to the crowd, when he turns around and sees Benjamin rising to his feet. Eddie gets defensive, but then extends his hand to Shelton who accepts!. Benjamin pulls Eddie in to pat his back, but as he does he's looking over Eddie's shoulder, which Eddie dosen't notice!

There's a commotion in the crowd, and Shelton is still holding Eddie, distracting him, when KURT ANGLE comes through the crowd! Kurt slides into the ring, and Shelton lets go of Eddie, pushing him into Kurt! OLYMPIC SLAM!!! KURT HAS TAKEN OUT EDDIE GUERRERO, WITH THE HELP OF THE WORLD'S GREATEST TAG TEAM! Kurt locks on the Angle Lock, as Charlie Haas comes running down the ramp. He slides in, and looks at Shelton and Kurt, like he didn't know what was happening. Then he stops, and smiles, as Kurt lets go of Eddie's ankle. The trio stand over Eddie, raising each other's hands in victory. Is Team Angle back together?

SmackDown! ends with this image.

Overall: 74

Television Rating: 3.9

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[note: (shit) means it was censored, and *DEEZ* was said by the crowd. From this point forward, I'll be doing promos like that]

[DMN in the House]

WWE Velocity

CUE THE KICKASS SIDEWAYS PYROS! It's late night Saturday, and you aren't out!

Josh Matthews and Rue welcome us to a new installment of Velocity, and then launch into a run down of the card, and set up the first clip, which is of the WWE Cruiserweight Title scene.

[clip]

Chavo goes to pick Ultimo up, but makes the cardinal mistake of playing to the crowd. This leads to Ultimo taking him down by taking out both his legs, then floating over to lock on the Dragon Sleeper. Chavo Classic fights it, trying to get to the ropes, but he can't, and despite that fact that Chavo Jr. is running down from the back, and slides in to attempt to break it up, Chavo Sr. taps, awarding the match to Ultimo Dragon.

Winner: Ultimo Dragon

Chavo Sr. rolls out of the ring, selling the Dragon Clutch, while Chavo Jr. finishes sliding into the ring, oblivious to the fact that his father tapped out. He does notice however, when he comes face to mask with Ultimo Dragon, and a startled Chavo takes a step back, before we have a staredown. This lasts until Cole informs us of something in the back, and we cut to the backstage of the arena.

[end clip]

(56)

Matthews and Rue talk about how Ultimo Dragon will be getting his shot this week on SmackDown!, before cutting to the ring for the first match.

Shannon Moore's theme hits, and the former MFer hits the ramp, with a new hair cut, as its now shorter, and he looks a bit like a cross between Billy Gunn and Billy Kidman. Maybe he should change his name to Billy Moore. Or not.

Moore slides into the ring, and hops up on the turnbuckle, raising the 'V-ONE-UH!' sign, I guess they have nothing better for him right now, and he hops down as French sounding music hits.

Sylvan Grenier comes out, accompanied by the beautiful Miss Jackie. Grenier bows, as he lets Jackie take the lead, and they walk to the ring, a look of disgust to the fans on Grenier's face. He helps Jackie up the stairs and into the ring, then climbs in himself.

Shannon Moore vs. Sylvan Grenier w/ Miss Jackie

Moore launched himself at Grenier to start the match, but the Frenchman dodged, and Moore ended up tangled in the ropes, where Sylvan took liberties on his dome with punches. Grenier then untangled Moore, and dropped him with a sloppy Oklahoma slam, then put the boots to the cruiserweight.

Grenier finally has enough of the dancing on Moore's head, and lifts him up, then breaks him in half with an over the knee backbreaker. Moore holds his back, until Grenier drops a knee on it, injuring it more. Sylvan then picks up Moore and tries to snake eye him on the turnbuckle, but Shannon slips out the back, and drop kicks the Frenchmen into the turnbuckle, and tries to build some momentum.

Moore heads up top as Grenier stumbles backwards out of the corner. Moore goes to leap off, but Jackie jumps up, and pushes him off! Grenier stumbles back, and trips on Moore, and falls out of the ring! Moore gets up, and rubbing his head, notices Grenier on the outside... CANNONBALL PLANCHA~! Moore and Grenier both slam into the ramp, and Moore looks like he hurt himself as much as he hurt Grenier on that one.

Suprisingly, Grenier is the first to rise, but he looks like he's still on dream street. He rises from the ramp, holding his head, and tries to shake it off, as the ref is counting. He grabs Moore, and throws him into the ring nonchalantly, then rolls in himself.

Moore rises to his feet just in time to dodge a charge by Grenier, and nails him with a flying clothesline, dropping both men. Moore is to his feet, and runs the ropes, but Jackie GRABS HIS LEG! Moore smashes face first into the mat, as Grenier gets up, checking his face. He lifts Moore up, and hits the spinning urange, The Snap Shot. The cover, and count, are academic.

Winner: Sylvan Grenier

(71,69,73)

*3/4

Before we go to commercial the same video that was seen last week on SmackDown! that seems to be a prelude to a new wrestler coming to the brand. A graphic on the screen of outer space with millions of stars lighting the sky. Then we see one of the stars blinking brightly, flickering every few seconds before the camera seems to pan forward and the light is getting brighter. Getting even closer, we see the bright light nearly blinding for a second and then the graphic goes completely black. Stars then come swirling around on the bottom of the screen and form the words 'Thursday' and then it fades to a commercial.

(69)

[Commercial Break]

Funaki's already in the ring, his music playing when we come back from break, not a good sign. He's standing on the ropes, and we can hear a small 'FU-NA-KI' chant. Funaki really has a cult following. He hops down, just as the music changes.

I'll Show You, YOU'LL SEE!

Steven Richards hits the ramp, and raises his right hand, in his Stevie-T set up taunt, before marching purposefully down the aisle. He slides in the ring, and before anyone has a chance to get ready, goes straight for Funaki.

Funaki vs. Steven Richards

Stevie blitzes Funaki, and forces him into the corner, nailing him with body shots to keep him there. He heads to the other side of the ring, and charges, but gets boots for his trouble. Steven falls backwards, and Funaki slumps to the mat, before pulling himself up by the ropes.

Funaki takes advantage, and rolls Richards up, but a quick kick out nullifies the Japanese superstar's advantage, and Richards strikes back with a suplex, going on the offensive. Richards picks Funaki up, and drops him over his knee, before sending him to the ropes, and catching him with a drop toe hold. He floats over, and puts on a hammerlock, but Funaki fights to his feet, and tosses Richards over, countering the hold.

Funaki nails Richards with a dropkick, sending him reeling back, into the ropes, where he gets entangled. Funaki climbs to the top rope, and in a big move, MISSLE DROPKICKS HIM THROUGH THE ROPES! Richards is down and out on the outside, and Funaki's back on the turnbuckle, playing to the crowd, and getting ready to jump off. He does, but Richards see's him coming, and catches him! Richards tosses Funaki back first into the apron, then picks him up and rolls him into the ring.

Richards stays on Funaki, picking him up for another suplex, but Funaki counters, keeping Richards from lifting him up. Richards fights it, but gets rolled up! Somehow, Stevie uses the momentum of the move to roll all the way through, but Funaki breaks the hold! Both men are on their feet, and Richards kicks Funaki in the gut... STEVIE-T! Funaki is out, one...two...three! Funaki kicks out, juuuuust after the pinfall. Richards picks up a hard earned win, in a match that was better then it looked.

Winner: Steven Richards

(73,67,79)

**1/2

Richards starts to celebrate, but stops, and regains his fierce, steadfast demeanor. He looks at Funaki, who's starting to stir, then walks off meaningfully, almost marching to the back.

As Funaki goes to the back, Matthews and Rue go over more SmackDown! footage, this time centered around the self proclaimed, World's Greatest Tag Team, Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin. The clip opens up with the end of the Kyo Dai/ Scotty 2 Hotty and Rikishi match from Thursday.

[clip]

Scotty and Akio meet in the middle of the ring, and break down into a flurry of punches, Akio getting the upperhand. He sends Scotty into the ropes, but gets caught with a facebuster on the comeback, setting up the... yes... THE WORM!. W-O-R... Tajiri? Yes, the leader of Kyo Dai has inserted himself into the match, as Doan argues with Rikishi, who's trying to help Scotty. Tajiri nails Scotty with a kick to the gut, dropping him to his knees, and then hits the Kick of Death, before sliding out of the ring as Doan turns around. Rikishi rushes to make the save, but gets caught by Sakoda, as the two go to the outside brawling, and Akio heads up top...Twisting Moonsault! One...two...three... and we are going home as Akio and Sakoda, with a little help from Tajiri, have beaten the tag team champions!

Winner(s): Akio and Sakoda

Quick cut backstage, where the self proclaimed World's Greatest Tag Team have watched the match on a monitor. Charlie Haas turns to Shelton Benjamin.

Charlie Haas: ' That should be us... if you hadn't screwed up last week!'

Shelton Benjamin: ' Look, I told you it was an accident, it could happen to anybody. Besides, Kyo Dai winning dosen't make them the number one contenders, they still have to get through us, remember what Mr. Heyman said?'

Haas: ' Until I tell you otherwise, your the number one contenders... yeah, but they just beat the tag team champions, who knows what Mr. Heyman is going to think!'

Shelton: ' Calm down, calm down. After I go out there tonight and do Mr. Heyman that favor, he'll give us anything we want. Just chill, and it'll all work out.'

Haas: ' It better Shelton, it better.'

[end clip]

Matthews and Rue put over that clip, and Kyo Dai, then Matthews segues into what happened later with Haas and Benjamin.

[clip]

Backstage, a group of people are huddled around two figures on the ground. As the camera zooms in, we can see that its the WWE Tag Team Champions, Rikishi and Scotty 2 Hotty. Paul Heyman's voice can be heard in the background.

Paul Heyman: ' Just what the hell is going on around here? Why are you all just standing around? This is Paul Heyman's SmackDown people, not that sorr...'

Heyman breaks through the ring of people, and sees what their looking at. An expression of shock comes over his face, and he starts stumbling over his words.

Heyman: ' Wh...who... who the hell did this?'

Heyman looks around the circle, but no one has an answer. He looks straight at Shannon Moore whos standing around, but gets a shrug. Steven Richards, another shrug. Finally, his gaze falls upon Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin.

Heyman: ' You! You did this. Look at me when I'm speaking to you. You did this. Tell me... TELL ME!'

Haas and Benjamin look at him like they don't know whats going on. They then look at each other, and then back to Heyman.

Charlie Haas: ' We just got here Mr. Heyman.'

Shelton Benjamin: ' Yes sir, Me and Charlie were just on the way to go out for my match with Eddie Guerrero when we saw it. I think we may have seen something though.'

Heyman: ' What? What did you see?!?!?'

Haas: ' Well...'

WGTT look at each other, then nod.

Benjamin: ' Well, Mr. Heyman, if I may. We saw Kyo Dai come by as we were on our way here.'

Heyman: ' Your not trying to screw with me, are you?'

Both Haas and Benjamin shake their head 'no'. Heyman nods.

Heyman: ' I trust you boys. You better hurry up Shelton, its not every night you get a match with the champion.'

Benjamin: ' No sir, thank you sir'

Heyman walks off, and after watching him go, Haas and Benjamin look at each other, and bust up laughing as we fade to commercial with Cole and Tazz arguing over wether it was a set up or not, and Cole telling us that 'Benjamin, Guerrero, non title, is NEXT!'

[end clip]

Matthews and Rue talk about how it was obviously WGTT that did it, and then clips of the Eddie Guerrero/Shelton Benjamin main event from SmackDown! are shown.

[clip]

Shelton stays on Eddie, but gets rolled into the ropes, allowing Eddie to get up. Both men are on their feet, and circle, neither wanting to let the other get an advantage. Benjamin shoots for Guerrero's leg, and Eddie drops, locking in a front facelock. He wrenches it, but Benjamin uses an amatuer style switch, and gets a waistlock, bringing Eddie to his feet, raising him up, then sweeps his leg out from under him, taking him to the ground, before floating over, and getting a headlock.

[cut]

Eddie follows, which turns out to be a mistake, as Benjamin takes advantage of Haas being on the outside. As Eddie follows Benjamin, Haas follows him, and when Benjamin rolls in to argue with referee Nick Patrick, Haas takes advantage of the distraction, attacking Eddie from behind, and whipping him into the steel post. He lays in a few right hands, then rolls Eddie into Benjamin, who covers him quickly, but only gets two.

[cut]

Guerrero is in complete control, and goes to run the ropes, but his leg is grabbed by Haas. Patrick sees this, and goes to send Haas to the back, but Benjamin pulls him around and argues with him. Patrick threatens Benjamin with a disqualification, while Haas enters the ring and takes out Eddie with the title belt. Haas then throws the belt to the side, and rolls back out of the ring, as Benjamin stops arguing with Patrick, and Patrick sends Haas to the back. Benjamin makes the cover, but Patrick is slow to make the count, as he is making sure Haas goes to the back. He finally turns around, and Shelton gets a two count.

When we return to the actual action, Shelton has sent Guerrero to the corner, and runs in to score with the SHELTON SPLASH~! Eddie looks like he's going to fall, but dosen't, and Shelton runs back, attempting to score with a second SHELTON SPLASH~! This time however, Eddie finally falls before Shelton can hit, and Shelton bounces his head off the ring post, and both men are down.

[cut]

Eddie can't believe it, and gets up to talk to Patrick, only to get rolled up by Benjamin! Eddie is able to escape, but it seems he will have to take Benjamin a lot more seriously then he has. Eddie kicks Benjamin in the gut, and tries to slip him into the Gory Special, but its countered into a pinning combination. Eddie reverses, but Benjamin reverses back. Eddie counters this, and Benjamin slips out, and then tries to Oklahoma roll Eddie, but Eddie gets out of that. Nearfall after nearfall, the two go at it, before instead of countering into a nearfall, Benjamin counters into an armbar, forcing Eddie to grab the ropes.

Benjamin is feeling it, and hops up and down, waiting for Eddie to get up. He goes to kick Eddie in the gut, but Eddie grabs his foot, and spins Benjamin around. Big mistake, as Benjamin goes for a Dragon Whip, but Eddie has it scouted, and steps back, as Benjamin spins around, his back to Eddie. RELEASE GERMAN SUPLEX! Eddie is the one feeling it now, and with Benjamin down, he heads up top, FROG SPLASH!!! A hardfought match, but Eddie puts it away.

Winner: Eddie Guerrero

[end clip]

(76)

Matthews sends us to commercial, but promises clips of what happened after the match after the Rhyno/Billy Gunn matchup.

[Commercial Break]

Back from break, and both workers are in the ring, with Billy Gunn's music still playing. Rhyno is pacing on the far side of the ring, and looks to be out for blood. The bell rings, and we are on!

Rhyno vs. Billy Gunn

Both men charge the center, and Gunn gets the better of a lockup, sending Rhyno to the ropes, but telegraphs the back drop, and gets slammed head first into the mat. From that point on, its all Rhyno, as he picks Gunn up, and suplexes him INTO THE TURNBUCKLE! That had to hurt. Rhyno picks Gunn up, and buries his shoulder in Billy's gut a few times, before trying to whip Gunn to the far corner, only to have it reversed. Rhyno stops his momentum by grabbing the ropes before he smashes into the turnbuckle, and spins, as Gunn rises off the mat after falling during the harsh whip... Gore...Gore...GORE!!! Gunn is out, and this one is over, and quick!

Winner: Rhyno

(84,77,91)

***3/4

Don't ask me how a squash got nearly ****. I set it for 'Put Rhyno Over' and this is what you got. It was written as a squash because thats what it is supposed to be, not because I'm lazy

Matthews and Rue put over the dominant showing by Rhyno, then segue to the footage from after the main event from SmackDown!.

[clip]

Eddie celebrates after the match, holding up the belt, and raising it to the crowd, when he turns around and sees Benjamin rising to his feet. Eddie gets defensive, but then extends his hand to Shelton who accepts!. Benjamin pulls Eddie in to pat his back, but as he does he's looking over Eddie's shoulder, which Eddie dosen't notice!

There's a commotion in the crowd, and Shelton is still holding Eddie, distracting him, when KURT ANGLE comes through the crowd! Kurt slides into the ring, and Shelton lets go of Eddie, pushing him into Kurt! OLYMPIC SLAM!!! KURT HAS TAKEN OUT EDDIE GUERRERO, WITH THE HELP OF THE WORLD'S GREATEST TAG TEAM! Kurt locks on the Angle Lock, as Charlie Haas comes running down the ramp. He slides in, and looks at Shelton and Kurt, like he didn't know what was happening. Then he stops, and smiles, as Kurt lets go of Eddie's ankle. The trio stand over Eddie, raising each other's hands in victory. Is Team Angle back together?

[end clip]

(89)

Matthews tells us that Kurt Angle has asked for some time to explain himself next week, and that SmackDown! will be coming to you from Indianapolis, Indiana!

We take the final commercial break of the night, and the last match is NEXT!

[Commercial Break]

Back from break, and Charlie Haas is already in the ring. He's alone, and his music is just finishing up. Haas hops up and down, warming up amatuer style, and prepares for his opponent. Matthews notes that even though Charlie's alone now, Shelton Benjamin and possibly even Kurt Angle could be out here at any time to help him.

WHO'S THE JUMPING OUT THE SKY?

6-1-9, Rey Mysterio's music hits, and he pops out of the ramp, sporting a silver and light blue mask/tights set. He comes down the ramp, slapping hands, and slides into the ring. Suprisingly, Haas dosen't attack him, and Rey climbs up on the turnbuckle, raising a fist in the air. He hops down, and the bell rings. Matthews informs us that this match is scheduled for the TV time remaining, and the action starts!

Rey Mysterio vs. Charlie Haas

Haas and Rey circle, and Haas goes for a lockup, but Rey goes under him, popping up and dropkicking him from behind. It dosen't knock Haas down, but it lets him know that Rey means business, and that he'll have to be on top of his game.

Haas tries to lock up again, and this time gets it, hitting a duck under, and going for a German suplex, but Rey backflips out, and lands on his feet, hitting another dropkick, this time sending Haas sprawling. The former All American can't believe it, and looks at Rey in shock. He goes for another lockup, and this time Mysterio armdrags out of it, and Haas is bubbling over with frustration.

Haas calls for another lockup, but instead of actually doing it, he kicks Rey in the gut, and takes him over with a snap suplex, before trying to lock on a leg lock, but Rey scrambles out of it, and hits Haas in the face. Haas' frustration gets the better of him, and he slams the mat, before getting up and charging Rey, only to get himself set up for the drop toe hold, and caught on the rope. The crowd pops for the possible 6-1-9, but Haas gets himself out of the predicament before Rey can hit it, rolling out of the ring, and shaking his head.

Rey's had enough playing around, and springboards off the ropes onto Haas, and they both sprawl in the aisle. Rey's up first, and heads back to the ring, followed by Haas. Inside, Rey runs the ropes, and baseball slide dropkicks Haas who was trying to climb in, then runs them again, slides under Haas, and pulls him off the apron, slamming his head into the apron.

Matthews informs us that we have about five minutes of TV time left, as Rey and Haas fight on the outside. Rey runs the guardrail, ala Jeff Hardy, and HURRCANARANAS HAAS! That was nice. Haas is down and out, and Rey gets him back into the ring, and leaps up, trying to 'Drop the Dime', but Haas moves. Rey lands hard, and Haas struggles to his feet, as Rey does the same. Haas moves quickly, and waistlocks Rey, who dives under, and gets Haas in a pinning predicament.

Just over a minute left, and Haas counters out, dropping Rey with a backbreaker. He locks on the Haas of Pain! Rey fights, and refuses to tap. Matthews counts down the last ten seconds, and Rey STILL WON'T TAP! The bell rings, and Haas jumps up, hopping up and down because he thinks he won. Ref Jimmy Cordaris has to pull him around, and explain that Rey didn't tap. As this happens, Matthews and Rue tell us to watch SmackDown!

Winner: Draw

(76,77,75)

**1/4

Overall: 66

Rating: 0.9

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For some reason the

tags weren't working, anyone know why?

Edited May 12, 2004 by sycodmn

[Fitzy]

Sunday Night Heat Preview

April 11, 2004

We are just one week away from Backlash live on Pay-Per-View. But this week we are sure to give you some great action as only Sunday Night Heat and the Raw Brand can deliver.

This past Monday we saw Garrison Cade and Mark Jindrak storm into the General Manager of Raw’s office and stated to Mr. Bischoff that they deserve a chance. That they need to be respect more. They are sick of being held down. And Bischoff thought otherwise. He told them that they are not quite ready for the big time. On Sunday Night Heat Garrison Cade and Mark Jindrak take on La Resistance of Rene Dupree and Rob Conway. Will Cade and Jindrak be able to prove Bischoff wrong and show to him and to the world that they are ready for the big time and for Raw? Or will La Resistance get one over on them and take there place in line for that next step towards superstardom?

Also on Sunday Night Heat this week will be Matt Hardy. Who is his opponent? And will the Sensei of Mattitude be able to continue his winning streak right here on Sunday Night Heat? We will find out this Sunday Night!

Rico Constantino, the former flamboyant Rico, now a Role Model to the fans worldwide, has been at odds with Tommy Dreamer for a few weeks now. Two weeks back Dreamer was grossed out by Rico chasing him around the ring trying to get a feel of him and kiss him at every chance. But in the end, Rico fell victim to the Dreamer DDT to give “The Innovator of Violence” the win. Last week we saw a rematch, where Rico showed that he was no longer the flamboyant Rico anymore, but more of a Role Model to fans worldwide. But he once again lost to Dreamer. This week we will see Tommy Dreamer team up with Orlando Jordan to take on Rico. Rico promises a victory this week and he says he will have his insurance policy and bodyguard in Houston. Who will this man be? Will he help Rico take down Dreamer? And speaking of Orlando Jordan, will he accept Theodore Long’s invitation to join Thuggin’ and Buggin’? He accepted the Playa’s Card but never gave an answer about joining the group.

We will find out all of these answers and outcomes on this Sunday on Heat at 7/6 CT on Spike TV!

[Fitzy]

Sunday Night Heat

Taped on Monday, April 5, 2004

Aired on Sunday, April 11, 2004

Houston, Texas

Toyota Center

The Sunday Night Heat video package begins to play and then the fireworks display in the ring goes off. The camera pans the crowd for various signs. And this signaled the start of Sunday Night Heat.

Jonathan Coachman: Hello everyone and welcome to Sunday Night Heat! I am the Coach and as always joined by the Snowman.

Al Snow: How does it feel to lose your commentating spot on Raw this past Monday night, Coach?

Coachman: Real funny, Al. Anyways, lets not waste anymore time and get straight to the ring for the opening match.

Match One – Garrison Cade and Mark Jindrak vs. La Resistance: “The French Phenom” Rene Dupree and Rob Conway with Fifi

La Resistance’s music begins to play and out comes Rene Dupree, holding the French flag in one hand and walking Fifi the dog on a leash with his other. Beside him is the French sympathizer Rob Conway, also carrying his own French flag. The two of them get into the ring when the generic rock music of Garrison Cade and Mark Jindrak begins to play.

Coachman: These two fine young athletes have been held down too long, and tonight they will do as the Boss told them to do last week, and that is get the job done and gain that valuable experience to be the top tag team they truly will be one day.

Snow: Right you are, Coach. Kindrak and Jade have the potential to be top players in the tag team ranks here in the WWE. They just need to realize that potential and utilize it to there best of their ability.

Cade and Jindrak get into the ring, going on the middle ropes, posing for the crowd when from behind them Rob Conway and Rene Dupree attack them with their French flags. Referee Mike Chioda quickly breaks up this and tosses the flags aside, and forces Rene Dupree and Mark Jindrak out of the ring, and calls for the bell to signal the start of the match.

Rob Conway and Garrison Cade circle each other and lock up. Cade grabs Conway in a side headlock, and backs him up against the ropes, but Conway uses this to his advantage as he pushes Cade off of him. Cade runs to the ropes and comes back, hitting Conway hard, sending him down to the mat. Conway quickly gets up, and Cade grabs him by the neck, locking up with him again. Cade hooks him for a Vertical Suplex and drops him to the mat, and goes for a quick cover, too. Billy Silverman makes the count. One … Two … kickout by Rob Conway. Cade drags Conway to his corner, tagging in his tag team partner Mark Jindrak.

Mark Jindrak comes in, leaping over the top rope, and then dropping a leg drop on the neck of Rob Conway. Jindrak tries for a cover of his own, but he only gets a one count, as Conway quickly kicked out. Jindrak grabs Conway, lifting him up by the neck and tosses him up against the ring post. He gets up on the middle rope and begins to punch the forehead of Rob Conway. One … Two … Three … Four …. Five … Conway grabs hold of Jindrak’s legs, and then walking out of the corner, dropping down to the mat, and Jindrak’s head comes crashing down on the top turnbuckle pad. Both Conway and Jindrak were down and out. Billy Silverman begins to count them out. One … Two … Three … Four … Rob Conway shows signs of movement, crawling towards his corner, Five … Six … He is very close to his corner, Mark Jindrak reaches up and tags in Garrison Cade, Seven … Cade runs for Conway, but Conway dives, making the tag, just as Silverman says Eight. The crowd was less than into that tag. Usually the “hot tag” is supposed to pop a crowd, but it’s Rene Dupree for god sakes.

Rene Dupree comes in. Garrison Cade punches Dupree, and goes for another, but Dupree blocks it, and delivers a right hand of his own. Dupree whips Cade into the ropes. Dupree ducks a Barry Windham-like lariat attempt by Cade, running off the other ropes, and comes back with a flying cross body. But Cade catches him and tosses him over his head for a fall away slam. Cade covers Dupree. One … Two … kickout by Rene Dupree. Garrison Cade picks up Rene Dupree and whips him into the ropes and hits a back body drop on him. Cade goes outside onto the ring apron and begins climbing to the top. But a shake of the ropes from Rob Conway causes Cade to crotch himself onto the top rope, and fall down, landing on the mat, sitting in the corner. Rene Dupree gets up, shaking away the cobwebs and begins stomping away at Cade as he is propped up against the corner. Dupree picks up Cade and slaps him across the face. Dupree grabs Cade by the head and drops him down for a body slam and then goes to the corner and helps himself up to the middle rope. He sits on it, and then leaps off; going for what looks to be a knee drop, but Cade gets the boot him in time, causing Dupree to come in contact with it.

Garrison Cade gets up. He looks ready as he waits for Rene Dupree to get up. As Dupree stumbles to his feet, Cade runs off the ropes, and just as Dupree turns around he is met with a stiff Windham-like lariat from Garrison Cade, knocking the wind right out of him, sending him down to the mat. Cade covers Dupree as Silverman makes the count. One … Two … Thr … no! The pin attempt was broke up by Rob Conway who dove into the ring just in time to break the hold. Mark Jindrak runs in and runs right for Conway, delivering a excellent looking Dropkick that sends Conway flying over the top rope. Garrison Cade gets up and goes to the corner. He gets on the apron and climbs the cage again. He leaps off, hitting a beautiful Elbow Drop and makes the cover. One … Two … Three!

Winners: Garrison Cade and Mark Jindrak in 6:54

(69, 62, 75) * ¾

Coachman: That’s what I’m talking about! [Coachman stands up, clapping.] Way to go fella’s! Way to go!

The Coach points to Cade and Jindrak in the ring as he still claps.

Snow: Will you sit down?

Coachman: What? Why? I was just showing appreciating to the future of this business, Al.

Mark Jindrak and Garrison Cade walk up the aisle and across the stage to the left of the screen and down the steps. The Coach stands up again and the Coach shakes hands with both Cade and Jindrak. They leave as the Coach sits back down.

Coachman: They are my boys, Al! I got to show them some love and support! You have done that plenty of times with your boy Maven and Tommy Dreamer.

Snow: We’ll be right back!

Snow just shakes his head at Coach as the show cuts to a commercial break.

[Commercial.]

Backlash – One Week Away!

Coachman: Welcome back. Al, in just seven days we will be live from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada for the Backlash Pay-Per-View! And what a card we have in store for you!

Snow: Right you are, Coach! This is a loaded card that could even top WrestleMania XX! And you are listening to “Eyes Wired Shut” by Edgewater, off of The Punisher Soundtrack, the official theme of Backlash!

Coachman: Just look at the main event! We have Chris Benoit stepping back into his hometown to defend the World Heavyweight Championship against the number one contender Shawn Michaels!

Snow: This will mark Benoit’s first title defense, and what a special one it should be, as he gets to do it in front of his fans, friends, and family in his hometown of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada! This is going to be something special, Coach!

Coachman: We also have “The Game” Triple H and the World Tag Team Champions of the legendary “Nature Boy” Ric Flair and Batista taking on the returning Edge, who will make his in-ring return at this event, and the former World Tag Team Champions Rob Van Dam and Booker T.

Snow: The Undertaker will make his Raw in-ring debut as he takes on Kane! And as ordered by Mr. McMahon, the loser will be fired, Coach! [snow looks around all shifty-eyed] Can we add you to that match?

Coachman: Funny, Al. Real funny. Also on the card is the WWE Women’s Championship as the WWE Women’s Champion, Victoria defends against Molly Holly.

Snow: Last month Molly got her head shaven by Victoria. Next week she tries for revenge when she takes back what she believes is rightfully hers, the Women’s Title.

Coachman: We will also see the WWE Intercontinental Championship be defeated as Randy Orton defends his title against Mick Foley.

Snow: Evolution will be banned from ringside and this will be fought under hardcore rules, Coach. That means no disqualification, no countouts, and falls count anywhere! Mick Foley could revert this his old ways of mutilating other people’s bodies, including his own, too, to get that title from Randy Orton. He wants to beat some respect into this young kid, and at Backlash, he will get his chance.

Coachman: Foley doesn’t stand a chance! Randy pinned him one, two, three at WrestleMania XX and come Backlash next week, he’ll do the same! Just watch, Al!

Snow: Whatever you say, Coach.

Coachman: Also on the card will be another WrestleMania rematch as Chris Jericho and Christian will do battle.

Snow: These two have been at each others throats, dating back to before WrestleMania. We say Chris Jericho and Christian make a bet, for $1 Canadian that who ever could sleep with there girlfriend first would win. Trish heard over this. She freaked out about this with Trish, and Christian was right there to comfort her. Jericho tried to do everything to fix it, and finally realized that Christian was coming onto his girl when Christian attacked Jericho from behind. But this was all a plan, leading up to WrestleMania where Christian tossed down Trish, only for her to get up and slap Jericho, allowing Christian to get the win and the two were together.

Coachman: And then of course, Chris Jericho brought back that annoying catchphrase of calling Trish a “dirty, disgusting, brutal, bottom-feeding trash-bag ho” in front of millions. Chris Jericho tried at every chance he could get to get his hands on Christian, and Trish, but they always got away.

Snow: But, Coach, Jericho finally did get his hands on Christian. He was able to punch Christian down last week during a match between Lita and Trish. Trish got behind Jericho, but Jericho turned to face Trish, grabbing her by the hair. Christian was able to get up and low blow Jericho. Also later that night during the Val Venis vs. Christian match, Jericho tried to get his hands on Trish and Christian again, but Johnny Nitro, who Bischoff appointed referee for that match, got in Jericho’s way. But he got the Walls of Jericho for his troubles.

Coachman: That’s what I am talking about, Al. Lets take you all back to last week to watch all of what the Snowman just said for you can see for your very eyes that Chris Jericho is a mad man and should be locked up! You don’t put your hands on a WWE official! Johnny Nitro was the referee, making him an official, so it was illegal for Jericho to do that and should face the repercussions.

(78)

Jericho Almost Gets Revenge

This took place just as Trish got the win over Lita following blatant interference from Christian.

Lita picks up Trish and whips her into the ropes. Trish ducks a lariat attempt by Lita and runs off the opposite rope, coming back, and hitting the Lou Thesz Press on Lita, punching her several times. Trish picks up Lita and whips her into the ropes and runs for the corner, putting her arms on the bottom rope and lifting her legs up for what should be the Stratusphere, but Lita pushes her over and turns around on the ropes, leading off, hitting a moonsault, nearly hitting her head on the mat in the process. Mike Sparks makes the count. One … Two … Christian rushes over and places Trish’s leg on the bottom rope, getting Sparks’ attention and he breaks up the pin. Lita jumps up and begins to argue with Christian. Trish gets up. Christian tells her to turn around, and when she does, she is met with the Chick Kick from Trish and she goes down. Trish makes the cover. One … Two … Three.

Christian climbs into the ring and Christian grabs Trish by the hair and then brings her close to him and gives her a long kiss.

Winner: Trish Stratus in 3:45

(57, 52, 63) ½*

Ross: Come on that was blatant cheating.

Coachman: What are you talking about, JR? Trish defeated Lita. How was that cheating?

Ross: Give me a break.

The Y2J Countdown quickly appears and “Break Down the Walls” begins to play. Christian and Trish look shocked as they look up the ramp and wait for Chris Jericho to appear. But he doesn’t. He is standing behind them as he came from the crowd. He pushes Trish down just as she was about to slap him. Christian goes to attack Jericho, but Jericho ducks the punch and grabs Christian. He begins to punch him and then grabs him by the legs, dropping him to the mat, and he was going to lock him in the Walls of Jericho, but Trish got up and goes behind Jericho. Jericho drops the legs of Christian, turning around and grabs Trish’s hand just as she was about to try and slap him again and he drops her to the mat and goes to lock in the Walls of Jericho on her, but Christian crawls behind him, hitting a low blow, and then gets up, turning Jericho around, and planting him with the Unprettier. He and Trish quickly get out of the ring as they walk up the ramp, looking at Jericho down and out on the mat.

Later that night, following Lance Storm returning by attacking his former partner, Val Venis, “behind” Johnny Nitro’s back while he was “distracted” by Trish Stratus, giving Christian the victory, Chris Jericho returned, looking to get revenge on Christian and Trish Stratus. But his plans were foiled again.

Trish Stratus got up on the apron, looking to bare her breasts for Johnny Nitro to see. Val Venis was just getting him and picking up Christian when people in the crowd looked to the right side of the screen. Something was going on. And sure enough, that person emerged from the crowd, hopping the guardrail, and rolling into the ring. It was shown to be Lance Storm, and he was waiting. Val Venis dropped Christian, turning around, to see what all the noise was about, and was met with a swift Superkick from Lance Storm right into the chin, sending him down to the mat. Lance Storm dragged Christian right on top of Val Venis, rolling out of the ring. Trish got down and Johnny Nitro turned around. He got down on the mat, making the count. One .. Two .. Three.

Winner: Christian in 10:12.

(82, 76, 89) *** ½

Christian rolled out of the ring and he and Trish Stratus hugged, kissing for a brief time. Lance Storm was still there and Christian and Storm shook hands as the two of them raised each others hand, with Christian still holding Trish very close to his chest, strangely. The place went nuts when Chris Jericho emerged from the back, running down the ramp. Christian, Trish, and Lance all took off through the crowd with Chris Jericho going after them. However, they got away as Johnny Nitro rolled out of the ring and stood in front of Jericho. He told him not to go after them. Jericho laughed at Nitro, and then delivered a quick right hand to the jaw of Nitro, sending him down. Jericho rolled him into the ring, grabbing him by the legs, and then locking him in the Walls of Jericho. He broke the hold and then helped up Val Venis. The two shook hands and then Jericho jumped out of the ring, running to the back, hoping to be able to find Christian.

(91)

[Commercial.]

Match Two – Matt Hardy vs. Matt Masada

The sounds of the keyboard strokes are head as the computerized loading of Matt Hardy’s entrance video begins and “OOOOOOOOOOOH YEEEEEEEEEAH!” is heard as “Live for the Moment” by Monster Magnet begins to play and out comes Matt Hardy. He raises his right hand in the air, giving the “V1” sign.

Matt Fact #1: Matt Hates Wearing Shoes When He Doesn’t Have To.

Matt Fact #2: Matt Only Feels Clean If He Takes A Shower Three Times A Day.

Snow: Well that second Matt Fact wasn’t needed. [Creeped-out sounding voice.]

Coachman: Nothing wrong with wanting to be clean, Al.

Matt Hardy gets into the ring and goes on the turnbuckle, raising his arms for the “V1” sign again. He jumps down as his opponent, Masada, is introduced as Matt Masada for some reason, even though Matt is not his first name or even his wrestling name like Masada is. Masada is dressed in darkish green knee length shorts and wearing a plain black sleeveless shirt. He also has these two brad-type things in his heard that make it have two points.

Coachman: Matt Babaganosh is someone we have seen maybe once or twice here in the past year or so, Al.

Snow: Matt Babaganosh isn’t your average Babaganosh Family member. He is a rough and ready style wrestler. He loves to brawl and he can beat the crap out of you. I’ve seen this man up close when wrestling and he is one tough individual, Coach. He’s going to be a start one day.

Coachman: No doubt about that, Al. But tonight he has to get through the Sensei of Mattitude, Matt Hardy if he wants to carry on with being a future start someday.

Snow: Right you are, Coach!

Matt Hardy and Masada lock up. They circle around each other, still in that collar-and-elbow tieup, but Hardy pushes Masada back into the ropes and raises his arms in the air, yelling out “V-ONEAHHHHH!” Masada looks a little pissed about Hardy showing off, and goes for a single leg takedown, but Hardy makes a fist with his two hands and hammers at the back of Masada, causing him to go down. Hardy begins to stop away at Masada while he is down and then grabs him by the hair and whips him into the ropes. Hardy jumps up and takes him down with a nicely executed Dropkick and makes the cover. Referee Mike Sparks makes the count. One … Two … kickout by Masada.

Matt Hardy picks up Masada and whips him into the corner. He runs in sternum first, and then stumbles out of the corner and Matt Hardy runs up to him, clasping his hands around the neck and under the arm, and hitting the Side Effect. Matt Hardy makes the cover again on Matt Masada and Mike Sparks makes the count. One … Two … kickout by Masada. Hardy picks up Masada and locks up with him again. Hardy hooks the arm and lifts him up in a Vertical Suplex and then holds him vertical. Hardy is letting the blood flow straight down to the brain of Masada while he does a few fake pumps like he will drop him. After the fourth fake pump he finally drops him for a Vertical Suplex and then floats over for the quick cover. One … Two … Th … kickout by Masada.

Hardy picks up Masada and whips him into the corner. Masada runs in back first and Hardy goes over and climbs up to the second rope and begins to punch him in the head. One … Two … Three … Four … Five … Six … Masada grabs hold of Hardy and drops him down for an inverted Atomic Drop. Both Masada and Hardy are down and out. Referee Mike Sparks begins to count them both out. One … Two … Three … Four … Five … Six … Masada begins to move, Seven … He rolls an arm on top of Hardy just as Sparks reached Eight. He counted the pinfall. One … Two … kickout by Hardy.

Masada got up and picked up Hardy and whipped him into the ropes and then took him down with a Drop Toe Hold. Masada then wrapped the legs up in a nicely executed STF. Masada begins to pull back on Hardy’s hair. Matt Hardy was reaching for the ropes. Masada began to pull back hard on the hair. But Hardy reaches for the ropes and Sparks broke up the submission. Masada grabs Hardy and takes him down with a snap Suplex. Masada goes over to the corner and props himself up onto the top rope, seated. He then jumps off for an elbow drop, connecting with it, and then making the cover on Matt Hardy. One … Two … kickout by Hardy.

Masada got up and picked up Hardy. He once again sent him to the corner, but Hardy ducked a lariat attempt by Masada and returned with a Dropkick to the face of Masada, sending them both down and out, once again. Hardy quickly got to his feet, though, and picked up Masada and kicked him in the midsection, and then grabs the head of Masada like he is going for a DDT, but swings his free hand out in the “V1” sign again and then turns around in one fell swoop connecting with the Twist of Fate. Matt Hardy quickly got up and went to the ropes. He climbed up to the middle ropes and then leaped off for the Leg Drop off of the middle rope. Matt Hardy covered Masada as the referee counted. One … Two … Three!

Winner: Matt Hardy in 5:45

(75, 67, 83) ** ¾

[Commercial.]

Eight Man Tag Team Recap from Raw

Coachman: Matt Hardy made quick work of Matt Babaganosh a few moments ago, but lets take you, once again, back to Raw last week.

Snow: Last week on Raw we saw a tremendous eight-man tag team match that had the Houston crowd going insane. Including Mick Foley coming out and chasing away Randy Orton.

Coachman: Let’s show you the closing moments of that match.

We are shown the final few minutes of the match right after the final commercial break of the evening.

We are back from that final commercial break and in the ring are Van Dam and Triple H. Orton seems to have tagged in Triple H during the commercial break and “The Game” has taken control of the match. He has Van Dam up and in an abdominal stretch. He reaches to the ropes and uses the hand of Randy Orton to get extra pressure. Orton pulls back tight, applying that pressure to the abdomen of RVD. Hebner checks what is going on, warning Triple H as he breaks it. He goes right back to doing it again. And all of a sudden a car crash is heard and the place goes nuts. Mick Foley has entered the arena and is running down the ramp. Randy Orton looks shocked, breaking the hold for Triple H, which leaves Triple H in shock, and Van Dam is able to hip toss Triple H to break the hold. He and RVD are both down. Orton, however, has jumped off of the ring apron, hoping the barricade, and has run through the crowd with Mick Foley chasing after him. The crowd is chanting RVD, clapping along, wanting him to get up. He inches his way to the corner and dives, tagging in Shawn Michaels to a huge pop from the crowd.

Shawn Michaels enters the match for the first time, grabbing Triple H. The two slug it out in the middle of the ring and Michaels gains the upper hand. He whips Triple H into the corner, and “The Game” does the Ric Flair head flip over the ropes. But he falls back into the ring, stumbling across the ropes and into the wrong corner where RVD, Chris Benoit, and Booker T all give him some cheap shots, before sending him back towards Shawn Michaels, who grabs him and twists him around for a backbreaker. Shawn Michaels covers Triple H as Earl Hebner makes the count. One … Two … Thr … kickout by Triple H.

Ric Flair and Batista rush into the ring, taking down Shawn Michaels in the process but they are quickly out numbered when Benoit goes after Flair, laying in some stiff chops to him and Booker T and Rob Van Dam go after Batista. We see a box show up in the corner with Mick Foley chasing after Randy Orton. Orton seems to be stumbling along, falling down quite often, but Foley still can’t catch him. The box disappears and back to the action at hand. Booker T kicks Batista, and then bounces off the ropes. Ax Kick by Booker T! He is down! Spin-a-roonie to a huge pop from the crowd! RVD looks at the crowd and points to the ropes. He leaps up to the ropes, Five Star Frog Splash onto Batista! Benoit has Ric Flair down and in the Cripple Crossface! The legendary “Nature Boy” Ric Flair is tapping like crazy to the World Heavyweight Champion!

Shawn Michaels gets up, and sees all of the carnage in the ring. He sees Ric Flair tapping to the Crippler Crossface, and sees Booker T and RVD standing to the side behind a fallen Batista. He backs off into the corner, tuning up the band. Triple H begins to move. Shawn Michaels goes for the Sweet Chin Music, but Triple H ducks! Kick to the midsection on Shawn Michaels! Booker T runs for “The Game” and delivers a swift Ax Kick to him, sending Triple H stumbling backwards. Chris Benoit breaks the hold on Ric Flair, and quickly grabs Triple H, dragging him down to the mat, locking him in the Crippler Crossface! He is tapping, but Earl Hebner tells Benoit he is not the legal man! RVD, again, looks around and leaps to the top rope. He is perched on the top rope, looking around at the crowd. He does his thumb point along with the crowd chanting “Rob … Van … Dam” and he leaps off, hitting the Five Star Frog Splash to the back of Triple H while he was in the Crippler Crossface!

Chris Benoit breaks the hold. Earl Hebner finally restores order in the ring, forcing Batista and Ric Flair to the outside, as they just fall to the mat. Chris Benoit, Booker T, and Rob Van Dam all leave. Shawn Michaels once again tunes up the band and Triple H slowly stumbles to his feet. He turns around, looking like he wants a tag, but he is in the corner of Benoit, RVD, and Booker T, and when he turns around he is met with a swift Sweet Chin Music to the chin, knocking him down and out. Shawn Michaels falls on top of Triple H and Earl Hebner makes the count. One … Two … Three!

Winners: Chris Benoit, Shawn Michaels, Rob Van Dam, and Booker T in 22:34

(84, 87, 80) ***

The Houston crowd goes insane as “Sexy Boy” begins to play. Shawn Michaels, Chris Benoit, Booker T, and Rob Van Dam all celebrate in the ring while Batista and Ric Flair slowly get to their feet, helping Triple H out of the ring and to the back.

Ross: What a tremendous match we just witnessed! My gawd Chris Benoit, Shawn Michaels, Booker T, and Rob Van Dam are victories! What a night!

Edge: When it looked like Benoit was in trouble in the beginning, JR, they came back and defeated Evolution!

Ross: Maybe a big thanks could go out to Mick Foley when it shocked Evolution when he came out, chasing away Randy Orton. Speaking of which, we got some footage of them still in the back! Let’s take a look!

As the four faces continue to celebrate with the fans, the camera cuts to the back where Foley is chasing after Orton. They look like they have made it to the concession stands now and Orton runs into a room. It turns out to be the men’s restroom. Foley enters and he sees Orton. Orton tosses a fan into Foley, making a quick escape out of the room. Foley runs out of the room, chasing after Orton. He is screaming at Orton as he chasing him towards the backstage area now. Orton, however, is seen running as fast as he can towards that black limo out there. The door seems to be open and it is Ric Flair and Batista, screaming at Randy Orton to hurry up. They already have Triple H in there and they want to get the hell out of there. Orton dives into the limo, as Ric Flair shuts the door tight and the limo pulls off. Foley couldn’t make it in time. He runs towards his own white car, packed right there, and hops in. He chases after the Evolution limousine as the shows fades away to the WWE logo.

(87)

[Commercial.]

Coachman: Welcome back! We are set to take you to the main event of the evening and it features two men that have been at each others throats for the past few weeks here on Raw.

Snow: Right you are, Coach. Rico and Dreamer have been wrestling each other for several weeks now and both times Dreamer has defeated Rico. Two weeks ago Rico lost, and then the follow week, last week, Rico made notice that he is a changed man and that he is going to be a role model for people everywhere. He still lost, but tonight he plans on beating Dreamer in a tag team match when he debuts his new bodyguard, whoever that plans to be.

And just then, Rico Constantino’s music begins to play and out comes Rico in his purple tights with the words “Role” and “Model” down the pant legs. He points to the entrance way and out comes the big man, Matt Morgan. Morgan was a draftee a few weeks ago when Bischoff got him from Smackdown, and he is making his first appearance on the Raw brand, in his role as Rico’s new bodyguard. Tommy Dreamer’s theme music begins to play and he comes out with Orlando Jordan at his side.

Match Three – “The Role Model” Rico Constantino and Matt Morgan vs. Orlando Jordan and “The Innovator of Violence” Tommy Dreamer

Rico Constantino looked to start off the match first for his team, but when Tommy Dreamer patted Orlando Jordan on the chest, and told him to leave the ring, so he could start them match off with Rico, Rico turned right around and tagged in the monster Matt Morgan. Rico quickly left the ring, to quite a few boos from the crowd. I guess the Houston crowd wanted to see Rico get his ass beat for the third week in a row. But that was not to be as Morgan stepped into the ring and pounded his chest. He told Dreamer to “let’s go.”

Dreamer shook his head and pointed at Rico, telling him he will get his. Dreamer and Morgan locked up, but Morgan quickly hit a knee to the midsection of Dreamer, backing him off. Matt Morgan grabbed Tommy Dreamer and whipped him into the ring. Morgan charged for Dreamer, hitting a shoulder block on him, and Dreamer went down. Morgan started kicking Dreamer while he was down and then ran off the ropes, jumping high into the air, and then dropping a leg right across the throat of Dreamer. Morgan went for the cover. Referee Brian Hebner went down for the count. One … Two … kickout by Tommy Dreamer. Morgan got up and picked up Dreamer in the process and tossed him, high into the air, and Dreamer came crashing down into the corner. He wasn’t seated as his arms were able to hold him up for support. Matt Morgan ran into the corner and went for a running body splash into the corner, but Dreamer, somehow, managed to get out of the way by dropping to the mat and rolling to the outside. Matt Morgan ran into the corner sternum first, and fell backwards down to the mat, holding his chest. Tommy Dreamer was down on the outside and referee Brian Hebner began to count him out. Dreamer got up, rolled into the ring and tagged in Orlando Jordan.

Orlando Jordan came into the ring and grabbed Matt Morgan. He lifted him off the crowd and grabbed hold of the left arm of Morgan and gave him an arm wringer, and then an STO sent Morgan down to the mat. Jordan, once again, picked up Matt Morgan and whipped him off the ropes. Jordan went for a lariat on Morgan, but Morgan ducked it and ran off the ropes. When he returned he hit a nicely executed bicycle kick to send Jordan down to the mat. Matt Morgan made the tag out to Rico Constantino.

Rico, of course, was quick to get in when someone was down and out. He went for the quick cover on OJ. One … Two … kickout by OJ. Rico picked up OJ and slapped him across the face, but all that served to do was fire up OJ and he fired back with a slap of his own. Rico got in the face of Jordan locked up with him. Rico backed Jordan into the ropes and whipped him into the ropes. When OJ returned he hit a dropkick on Rico, sending him down to the mat. OJ got up and picked up Rico and sent him into the corner. Rico hit the corner back first and OJ ran over to him and jumped up onto the middle rope and with a first in the air, looking into the crowd, he began to punch Rico in the head. One … Two … Three … Four … Five … Six … Seven … Eight … Nine … Ten. The crowd chanted along as OJ hit ten punches in succession. OJ picked up Rico by the hair and dragged him to their corner where he tagged in Tommy Dreamer.

Dreamer returned to the ring and OJ had Rico in an arm wringer again, and then Dreamer kicked the ribs of Rico. Dreamer grabbed Rico from OJ as he left. Dreamer locked up with Rico, sending him into the ropes, but Rico managed to reverse the Irish Whip, sending Dreamer into the ropes, and when Rico grabbed referee Brian Hebner to have him turn around, Matt Morgan was able to kick Dreamer right in the small of the back as he hit the ropes nearest to his corner. Rico grabbed Dreamer and body slammed him to the mat. Rico went to the corner and got up on the middle rope, jumping off, hitting a nice fist drop right to the face of Dreamer. Rico got up and tagged in Matt Morgan again.

Morgan came back in, grabbed Dreamer from Rico and tossing him up against the corner. Morgan goes to the corner and chokes Dreamer with his boot. Referee Brian Hebner forces the illegal move to be stopped after a five count. Dreamer falls to the mat, clutching his throat, choking, as the match is cut to a commercial break.

[Commercial.]

When we come back from a commercial break, Rico is back in the ring with Tommy Dreamer. Rico has Dreamer in an STF right now, pulling back on the hair of Dreamer, and then slamming it down to the mat. “Let’s go Dreamer” chants ring throughout the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. Dreamer reaches for the ropes and breaks the hold. Hebner steps in to force Rico to break it. Rico finally does, but quickly pulls Dreamer away from the corner and drops down for the cover. Hebner makes the count. One … Two … Thr … kickout by Tommy Dreamer. Rico picks up Dreamer and whips him into the ropes and catches him in a sleeper hold. Dreamer is fighting it, but he falls to the mat. Hebner raises the arm of Dreamer. It falls once. He raises the arm of Dreamer again. It falls twice. Hebner once again raises the arm of Dreamer for the third time. But this time it doesn’t fall, and Dreamer gets up, and begins to elbow Rico, but Rico pulls back on the head of Dreamer, causing him to fall to the mat. Rico makes the cover on Dreamer. One … Two … Thr … kickout by Dreamer. Dreamer begins to crawl to his corner, but Rico grabs hold of the leg of Rico, and tries to pull him away from the corner, but Dreamer pushes Rico away with a kick, and dives, tagging in Orlando Jordan.

Jordan comes in and takes down Rico. Rico pops right up and a right hand from OJ. He then begins to do the Johnson Shuffle but Matt Morgan comes running in and lows right over OJ. Dreamer gets up and goes for Morgan, but Morgan ducks a lariat from Dreamer, and grabs him by the throat and plants him with a double arm sitout chokeslam. Morgan grabs Rico and drags him to his corner. He leaves and then tags himself in and grabs Dreamer and tosses him over the top rope and onto the floor. Morgan grabs OJ and hits him with the double arm sitout chokeslam and then makes the cover. Brian Hebner makes the count. One … Two … Three. Morgan and Rico pick up the victory over Dreamer and Jordan. Morgan leaves the ring, grabs Rico, picks him up and tosses him over his shoulder and carries him to the back.

Winners: Rico Constantino and Matt Morgan in 12:11

(72, 67, 77) ** ¼

Snow: Rico finally gets one up over Dreamer in this match, even if he did have some help from Matt Morgan.

Coachman: I told you, Al. It was only a matter of time before Rico was able to beat Dreamer, and even if he didn’t get the win, he had a hand in winning this match!

Snow: You need to give credit where credit is due, Coach. Matt Morgan brought Rico to victory, and what an impressive debut this big man, and former Tough Enough contestant, has had on Heat tonight.

Coachman: Morgan did debut in a big way and he and Rico are going to cause hell in the life of Tommy Dreamer whenever possible. Rico will be able to dominate Tommy Dreamer now, and will get that singles victory over Dreamer. It’s just a matter of time.

Snow: Right you are, Coach. Rico does have a shot now at defeat Dreamer and I think it will be sooner, rather than later.

Coachman: We are out of time, folks! Tune into Raw tomorrow night for what will be the final Raw before Backlash!

Snow: And tune in next week as we are live from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and myself and the Coach will be bringing you all the last minute updates live from the site of Backlash!

---------------------------

Overall: 77

TV Rating: 1.03

[kaplanir]

Very nice so far. I always liked Heat reports. I never liked heel vs. heel matches, so I had a little trouble with the first match but other than that, it was a great show.

[Fitzy]

Backlash Is Right Around The Corner

April 12, 2004

We are only six days away from Backlash, live and only on Pay-Per-View. And what a week we have in store for you.

Last week on Raw we saw that explosive eight man tag team match that could be a lead candidate for a match of the year. Evolution got beat in the match by Chris Benoit, Shawn Michaels, Booker T, and Rob Van Dam. How will Evolution take that loss?

Well, we can’t tell you how they will react, but what we can tell you is that two members of Evolution will be in action as Triple H and Ric Flair are set for singles competition. Triple H will take on Rob Van Dam as Ric Flair takes on Booker T. These two matches will be previews for what could be in store for you at Backlash as the team of Triple H and the World Tag Team Champions of Ric Flair and Batista take on Booker T, Rob Van Dam, and making his in ring return, Edge in a six man tag team match. And speaking of Edge, by order of the General Manager, Eric Bischoff, he will return to the broadcast booth and to keep him from interfering in Evolution’s matches, especially Triple H’s, if he does, he will be suspended, without pay, for as long as he was out previously with a broken neck.

With just six days to go until the highly anticipated match between Shawn Michaels and Chris Benoit for Benoit’s World Heavyweight Championship, how will these two react? What is in store for Benoit and Michaels this coming Monday on Raw? We will find out.

Randy Orton, the WWE Intercontinental Champion, is also scheduled to be in Chicago as Raw comes to you live on Monday night. What will the self-proclaimed “Legend Killer” have to say? Will Mick Foley be there? All we know is that come Backlash, this is going to be a hard-hitting hardcore match that could see careers made and careers ended.

Last week we saw Lance Storm return to Raw to Superkick his former partner and align himself with his former tag team partner and the man he has held tag team gold with in Christian. Christian, Trish Stratus, and Lance Storm all stormed off after their match before Chris Jericho could get his hands on them. But Jericho wasn’t satisfied with that so he put the Special Guest Referee, Johnny Nitro, in the Walls of Jericho. What will go down on Raw? Will Jericho be able to get his hands on Christian before Backlash rolls around?

All of this and more on Raw at 9/8 CT on Spike TV!

[Fitzy]

Forget this post.

Edited May 15, 2004 by Fitzy

[Fitzy]

RAW

LIVE! Monday, April 12, 2004

Chicago, Illinois

Allstate Arena

After the WWE opening video plays we go straight to a recap of last week’s eight man tag team match featuring Evolution against Chris Benoit, Shawn Michaels, Booker T, and Rob Van Dam. It is at the end were Batista gets the Ax Kick from Booker T and a Five Star Frog Splash from Rob Van Dam. It shows Ric Flair tapping out to the Crippler Crossface and Triple H getting taken down by an Ax Kick from Booker T, to which Booker T saved Shawn Michaels from getting the Pedigree from Triple H. Benoit broke the Crippler Crossface on Flair. Benoit grabs Triple H and locked him in the Crippler Crossface. RVD hit a Five Star Frog Splash on the back of Triple H while he was tapping out. Earl Hebner told Benoit he wasn’t the legal man. Flair and Batista were rolled out of the ring and RVD, Benoit, and Booker T were forced out of the ring. This left Michaels and Triple H in the ring as the legal men. Michaels hit the Sweet Chin Music on a groggy Triple H to score the win. The rest of the footage shows Mick Foley chasing Randy Orton through the crowd and into a bathroom stall were Orton tossed a fan into Foley and ran out of the bathroom. Foley chased after Orton, but Orton dove into Evolution’s limo and the show came to a close.

And with that, a new-look Raw video which is reminiscent of Smackdown’s video were all of the stars of Raw are shown in poses including some various “action” shots of the matches. The video plays to the new music as well called “Redefine” by the band Soil.

FIRST SIGHT

Turns me around again

Brings me face to face with my sin

I’ve got it, always had it

A reason to look within now

TAKE FLIGHT

To your sun again

Burns the sin straight from my hands

I’ve got it, always had it

A reason to live within now

Every time I fall

You catch me

And every time I lose control

You help me, you save me

And every time I lose myself

You find me, redefine me

MY GOD

How stained my hands have been

Makes me sick from inside out again

I’ve got it, always had it

A reason to look within now

STAND CLOSE

To my side again

Never stuck a knife in my back, friend

I’ve got it, always had it

A reason to live within now

Somebody to make me feel whole again (better)

Somebody to make me want to love again (my life gets better)

Somebody to make me see the sun again (my life gets better)

Somebody to hold me, hold me

Until this life feels better

Every time I fall

And every time I lose control

You help me, you save me

And every time I lose myself

You find me, redefine me

And every time I hate myself

You love me, forgive me

And every time I lose myself

You find me, redefine me

The pyrotechnics display goes off and the camera focuses on Jim Ross, who once again, starts off the broadcast sole.

Jim Ross: Hello everyone and welcome to Raw! We are at a sold out Allstate Arena in Chicago, Illinois and what a loaded show we have for you! Triple H and Ric Flair of Evolution will both be in action tonight as the 16 time World Heavyweight Champion, Ric Flair, takes on the five time World Heavyweight Champion, Booker T, in a one-on-one match! Also, Triple H will take on Booker T’s partner, Rob Van Dam in the main event!

The Game versus Edge … Tonight?!

“Evolution” by Motorhead begins to play and out comes Triple H along with the World Tag Team Champions Ric Flair and Batista. Randy Orton, the WWE Intercontinental Champion, is noticeably missing from this segment. The gold pyrotechnics display shows off in the background as Batista poses, facing the pyro, and showing off his muscles while Triple H and Ric Flair pose facing forward. They all meet back at the end of the stage, right before the ramp, with Triple H in the middle. Batista and Ric Flair are off to the side of him and both of them raise their World Tag Team Championship with one arm while Triple H raises their other arms in the air. They all get down to the ring with Ric Flair getting in first and Batista following him in next. Triple H goes around to the front of the ring, taking one last sip of his water and then tosses the bottom into the crowd. Triple H then hops up to the ring apron and leans up against the ropes and faces the crowd. He raises his arms in the air as he spits out his water and then gets into the ring, taking the microphone from ring announcer Lillian Garcia.

Triple H: Cut the damn music! [The music takes a while before it finally cuts.] I said cut it! [As Triple H said that the music just shut off.] Edge, get your lanky ass on down here! I don’t want to wait until Backlash, I want to beat the hell out of you tonight! You see, Edge, I have come to really get sick and damn tired of seeing you around here. Ever since your ass returned to the WWE, you have been nothing but a pain in the ass. You act like some big shot around here, but news flash, Edge, while you were away for 14 months, your name hasn’t been mentioned at all. No one cared that you were gone.

And with that, “You Think You Know Me?” begins to play and the smoke fills the entrance way. Edge comes out running and then runs to the left first, rallying up the crowd, and then rights to the right, rallying up that side. It calms down as he stands at the center of the stage with a microphone in hand.

Edge: Triple H, you say that I was forgotten about while I was away for those 14 months? Is that really anything new? Why focus on a guy that isn’t around for a while? You see, Triple H, the world doesn’t revolve around you. I know that is something hard for you to grasp, but that’s the fact. News flash, Triple H, I am here, and there isn’t a damn thing you can do about it.

Triple H: Like hell there isn’t, Edge. Tonight. Me versus you. You want to settle this right now, Edge? I am all set. Let’s see if you still have it, Edge.

Edge pulls off his newly designed T-Shirt and drops it on the stage as he begins to walk down the ramp. And with that “I’m Back” begins to play and out comes the General Manager Eric Bischoff along with his apprentice Johnny Nitro.

Triple H: Bischoff, what the hell do you want? This is between me and Edge. This has nothing to do with you!

Eric Bischoff: That’s where you are wrong, Triple H. Do you really think I would allow such a money-making match such as Edge versus Triple H to take place in Chicago, Illinois?! [The crowd boos loudly. Chants of “Asshole” at Eric Bischoff begin. Bischoff laughs.] Come on, Triple H. Give me a break! Not to mention the fact that Edge is still not cleared to wrestle until this Sunday, live on Pay-Per-View, at Backlash! H, you have Edge at Backlash, when you team up with your friends Batista and Ric Flair against Edge, Booker T, and Rob Van Dam.

Triple H: You know damn well that he is cleared to wrestle, Bischoff! Don’t be such an asshole. Give me the match that I want! Tonight!

“One of a Kind” by Breaking Point hits and out comes Booker T and Rob Van Dam. RVD and Booker T walk past Bischoff and Nitro and stop by next to Edge. Edge hands over the microphone to RVD.

Rob Van Dam: Triple H, dude. You shouldn’t be worried about someone else right now, man. You got your hands full with me tonight, dude.

Triple H: [Talking in a mockingly manner at RVD] “Dude, you got me tonight, man.” RVD, you are making a huge mistake by stepping into the ring with me tonight. I will show you, [Triple H points to Edge.] Edge just what will happen to you come Backlash! RVD, you are just going to have to be an example tonight.

Van Dam: Whatever you say. Dude, these fans know that I am gonna smoke your ass tonight. Because tonight, everybody’s favorite wrestler, and mine too, [RVD does the thumb points as the fans say it along with him and do the thumb points, too.] Rob … Van … Dam is going to step into that ring and show you just why they call me Mr. Monday Night!

“One of a Kind” by Breaking Point begins to play again as Booker T, Edge, and Rob Van Dam all shake hands. Eric Bischoff and Johnny Nitro head to the back and Edge picks up his T-Shirt and puts it back on. He walks to the left side of the screen and then walks down the steps, picking up the headseat, and then sits down next to Jim Ross.

Ross: Nice to have you again on commentary, Edge!

Edge: It’s great to be back, JR. But there isn’t anything in the word that could keep me here past tonight. Sorry, JR, but tonight is the last night, ‘cause come Backlash, I will be back wrestling.

Edge stands up as Triple H, Ric Flair, and Batista walk up the aisle. Flair goes crazy. He tosses down his jacket and he wants a piece of Edge. Triple H calms him down. Triple H points in the direction of Edge, mouthing “Backlash, you’re mine.” And then Evolution head to the back.

Ross: Easy, Edge. You don’t want to get suspended, now do you? Don’t let him provoke you like that. Folks, we’ll be right back.

Edge remains standing, watching as Evolution leaves to the back.

(87)

[Commercial.]

An All Canadian Tag Team Match~!

The show comes back from a commercial. The cameras are inside the office of the General Manager, Eric Bischoff, who is talking with is apprentice, Johnny Nitro.

Bischoff: Did you remember to remove Chris Benoit and Shawn Michaels from the card tonight?

Johnny Nitro pulls out his PDA and checks it out.

Johnny Nitro: Yup! Sure did, EB. Both Chris Benoit and Shawn Michaels have been unscheduled.

Bischoff: Good. I don’t want to risk the main event of Backlash for this Sunday to be messed up if either were to get injured.

Nitro: Good thinking, EB. We can’t risk that.

Bischoff: Now, as for other business that I need to take care of. I never con –

Just as Bischoff was about to say something, the door to his office slams open and in walks Chris Jericho. He looks pissed off.

Bischoff: Do you ever knock?

Chris Jericho: Bischoff shut the hell up. I didn’t come here to get lectured. I came here to demand a match! You see, I want Christian in a match tonight! That ass-clown deserves a beating that only Y2J can deliver. The CLB and the Dirty, Disgusting, Brutal, Bottom-Feeding, Trash-bag Ho deserve to get a beating that they will never … ever, forget, a-gain.

Bischoff: You don’t come in hear making demands and threats. Jericho, you are threatening to harm two of my star employees, and that just doesn’t sit well with me. But if it is Christian you want, then it is Christian you’ll get. But of course, you will still need to wait until Backlash for that singles match you seemingly can’t wait for. So, tonight, it will be you and your new found buddy, Val Venis, taking on Christian and his new partner, Lance Storm in a tag team match.

Jericho: Who the hell cares what the match is, Bitchoff … I mean, Bischoff. The fact is Christian is getting a brutal beating tonight and at Backlash!

Chris Jericho goes to leave.

Bischoff: And now before I was so rudely interrupted. Johnny, I want to congratulate you on a job very well done last week. You made for one hell of Special Guest Referee.

Chris Jericho turns right back around.

Jericho: How in the hell can you possibly say that, Bischoff? Johnny Nitro screwed Val Venis out of the match last week when he purposely allowed Lance Storm to attack Val Venis and those slow counts. Thanks to that ass-clown over there.

Jericho points to Johnny Nitro.

Nitro: Hey! Who are you calling an ass-clown? Just look at me! I am Johnny Nitro! I am the fastest rising Superstar that Raw has ever seen! Who cannot like this great face of mine?! I have superstar written all over me!

Jericho: You have brown all over your face is more like it.

Bischoff: Forget what he says, Johnny. You are indeed a Superstar.

Bischoff shakes the hand of Johnny Nitro. For some reason, Johnny Nitro wants to shake Chris Jericho hand. Jericho goes to back hand him, but doesn’t, and walks off.

Nitro: I only wanted to wish the man luck. Meh. Who cares? I don’t need to sink to his low. I am, after all, a great, and respected, man here on Raw.

Bischoff: You sure are, Johnny. You sure are!

(76)

[Commercial.]

Ross: What a tag team match we just got signed for tonight, Edge!

Edge: Chris Jericho and Val Venis taking on my brother Christian and Lance Storm. That could be a potential classic, JR.

Ross: Indeed it can, Edge. And with that, let’s head down to Lillian Garcia for the opening match.

Match One – The Hurricane and WWE Women’s Champion Victoria vs. “The Redneck Messiah” Jamie “By God” Noble and Molly Holly

‘Stand back, there’s a hurricane coming through” is heard as “Eye of the Hurricane” begins to play. The Hurricane comes out and poses on the stage when “I thing I’ve lost my mind” is heard and “All the Things She Said” by TATU begins to play. The WWE Women’s Champion, Victoria, comes out and she and The Hurricane walk down to the ring together. They get in the ring, posing for the crowd. Jamie Noble’s theme music begins to play and out comes Noble with Molly Holly. Molly has a long, curly blond wig on and the two of them walk down to the ring. Noble gets into the ring and goes to the corner and stands on the second rope, raising his arms in the air. Molly and Victoria exit the ring as The Hurricane and Jamie Noble start things off. Referee Billy Silverman calls for the bell.

Jamie Noble and The Hurricane circle each other and eventually lock up. Noble backs Hurricane back into the corner and still has the lockup on him. Billy Silverman steps in between them, breaking it apart, but Noble moves Silverman aside and begins to kick right at the left leg of The Hurricane. Billy Silverman once again pushes Noble back. The Hurricane comes out of the corner and he and Noble lock up again. Noble goes for a single leg take down and then drops down, wrapping the left leg around his own leg, and then hammering away at it with his elbow while swatting Hurricane away from him. Hurricane continues to fight it, trying to break the hold, and finally reaches for the ropes. But Noble quickly breaks the hold. He grabs the left leg and places it on the bottom rope. Noble grabs the top rope, leaps up into the air, and comes crashing down upon the left leg, hard. He does it again, and does it for the third time. Noble drags him around from the corner and hooks the leg for a cover. One … Two … kickout by The Hurricane.

Jamie Noble gets up and picks up Hurricane in the process. Noble whips Hurricane into the ropes and runs at him with a shoulder block and takes Hurricane down to the mat. Noble grabs the left leg again and wraps his own leg around it, but once again Hurricane is able to reach the ropes. Noble gets up and goes to grab Hurricane, but when he reaches down to grab him, Hurricane pulls down on the tights of Noble, and pushes him out of the ring. This buys Hurricane some time to move. He begins to move slowly towards his own corner while Noble is back to his feet. But by the time Noble gets up, Hurricane has already tagged in Victoria. So Billy Silverman forces Noble to tag in Molly Holly.

Molly Holly comes in and Victoria goes right for her, but Molly ducks and Victoria runs into the corner. She stops herself, but when she turns around she is met with a swift kick from Molly to the midsection, backing her into the corner. Molly begins to chop the chest of Victoria and then with a hiptoss brings her down to the mat. Molly then puts her into a hammerlock position, and yanks back on the hair. Silverman warns her about the hair pulling. Molly points out The Hurricane trying to get in and quickly breaks the hold and tosses Victoria into her own corner. Molly goes over to antagonize Hurricane, distracting referee Billy Silverman, while Jamie Noble uses the tag rope to choke out Victoria in their corner. Noble breaks the choke and Molly comes back and quickly puts Victoria into an STF. But being too close to the ropes, she is able to reach them to break the hold.

Molly Holly pulls her away from the corner and then she grabs the left arm of Victoria and quickly twists it and drops down to the mat. Molly gets up, twists the arm again, and falls to the mat quickly. Molly goes for a quick cover. One … Two … kickout by Victoria. Molly picks up Victoria and goes to chop Victoria, but Victoria fires back with a chop of her own. She goes to kick Molly, but Molly catches the foot. But with her free foot, Victoria delivers an Enzugiri. Both women fall to the mat. Molly is the first to be able to move to her corner, but Victoria is closer to her own corner. She begins a slow crawl. Molly makes the tag to Jamie Noble and he comes running in, but just as he bends down to grab Victoria, Victoria tags in The Hurricane. Noble drops Victoria, and begs off. Hurricane fires back with fists. Molly gets up, and Victoria runs for her, hitting a Lou Thesz Press on her and the two roll to the outside. Hurricane goes to whip Noble into the corner, but Hurricane reverses it. Noble hits the ring posts sternum first and then Hurricane grabs him by the neck and hits the Eye of the Hurricane. One … Two … kickout by Jamie Noble.

The Hurricane goes to the top rope, perched. He waits for Noble. Noble stumbles to his feet. He leaps off and hits the Blockbuster on Jamie Noble. One … Two … T … kickout by Jamie Noble, again. Hurricane gets up and slaps his knee. He signals for the Shining Wizard. Jamie Noble gets up, but drops down to one knee, holding his neck. Hurricane runs for him, Shining Wizard! One … Two … Three!

Winners: The Hurricane and Victoria in 8:45

(78, 77, 79) ** ¾

While Victoria and The Hurricane celebrate their victory in the ring, we cut to the back where Kane is walking down the hallway.

Ross: Kane is walking towards the ring, Edge, and we have to take a break!

[Commercial.]

Kane Will End The Undertaker’s Career At Backlash

“Slow Chemical” by Finger Eleven begins to play as the fire goes off on the stage. Kane emerges from the back and walks down the ring. He gets into the ring, raising his arms up and then down swiftly as the fire goes off on the ring posts. Kane grabs the microphone from Lillian Garcia, scaring her out of the ring. The music stops as Kane begins to speak.

Kane: Last week, Mr. McMahon came out here and demanded that I take on my brother, The Undertaker, at Backlash. At first I was against this decision to even have my brother on the same show as me. And I was again the decision for me to step into the ring against my brother again. But I began to think of a WWE without my brother. A Raw without the Deadman sounds great, doesn’t it? Who needs the Deadman around? No one. What good does my brother bring? Nothing.

The crowd chants for The Undertaker.

Kane: Undertaker, I will not be afraid of this match for any longer. I will not hide like all of your opponents before. I am not going to back done from this chance to finish you off once and for all. You should have remained buried, but come Backlash, your career will be OVER! There will be no more Undertaker for which you to cheer. There will be no more Undertaker for anyone of you anymore. The Undertaker, my brother, will be FINISHED!

The fans boo Kane, and continue to chant for The Undertaker. Kane is getting pissed off in the ring.

Kane: Stop chanting that name! The Undertaker is not someone you should cheer for! The Undertaker will be no more come Backlash! Mr. McMahon told me that I would be fired if I couldn’t finish off the Undertaker. [Loud cheers for that.] BUT THAT WON’T HAPPEN! The Undertaker is the only one you won’t be seeing around here anymore! The Undertaker will be finished because I won’t allow the Deadman to roam around the WWE any longer! And I will make sure that my brother, The Undertaker, will not rest in peace!

He lights shut out. Thunder is heard. An eerie sound fills the air. A cold fills the arena. And dark smoke fills the arena and the ring. The camera focuses in on Kane as he is freaking out in the ring. The lightning strikes on the Titantron and the voice of The Undertaker is heard. He is talking in tongues again. And the “Ministry” theme begins to play. But The Undertaker isn’t in sight. A spot light shines up on the Titantron where a large black cross is set on fire. Kane is freaking out as The Undertaker’s presence is felt. Kane backs out of the ring, watching his back and every step he takes. He heads off to the back. Undertaker chants fill the arena as the lights go back on and Kane is not around anymore.

(79)

[Commercial.]

Christian’s music begins to play and out comes Christian followed by Trish Stratus and Lance Storm. Christian points to the crowd like he normally does and then grabs Trish on the stage, close and in tight, and then gives her a kiss while Storm proceeds down the ramp. Christian and Trish follow him and they get in the ring after Storm. Lance Storm has the microphone in his hand just as Christian and Trish enter the ring. Christian’s music quickly stops.

Lance Storm: If I could be serious for a moment. Two weeks ago you all saw me frustrated and walking out on Val Venis. And then just last week, I returned to Superkick Val Venis helping Christian win. You are all probably wondering why I turned on Val Venis like I did. It’s quite simple, really. I was being portrayed as a comedy act. You all cheered me on when I was doing those shenanigans. You all chanted “Dance Lance, Dance.” And I danced for you. And I was getting some respect around here. But even that little ounce of respect couldn’t keep me doing that. I have pride. I have to look in the mirror and respect myself. And I couldn’t respect myself. I was a comedy act. I was a joke. I was a joke to all of you people. I’d walk down the street and those same people would keep telling me to dance. And I’d do it. I’d do it for my fans. But if you can’t respect me when I am serious, then I can’t respect you. I will no longer dance. I will no longer look for your cheers. You will respect me for my wrestling, not for my dancing. I’ve had enough of it all. I am from Calgary … [dramatic pause] …, Alberta, Canada. Where I come from, we wrestle. We don’t dance. I’m a wrestle, not a dancer. That’s what we do best. And I want to wrestle again. And with Christian I felt that this was the right time to do so. You are looking at a true Canadian …

And before Lance Storm could finish it off, he is cut off by Chris Jericho’s theme music. Lance Storm gives a quick, cold stare with his head, without moving his body, towards the entrance way where Chris Jericho and Val Venis made there entrance. Chris Jericho’s music stopped as he began to talk.

Jericho: What we are looking at is a true Canadian Jackass! [The crowd cheers for Jericho.] No one wants to listen to Lance Storm or Christian speak. They all came out here to see Chris Jericho and Val Venis kick your asses up and down that ring.

Chris Jericho drops the microphone and he and Val Venis run down to the ring.

Match Two – Chris Jericho and Val Venis vs. Christian and “The Canadian Superstar” Lance Storm with Trish Stratus

As soon as Chris Jericho and Val Venis hit the ring they begin to brawl with Lance Storm and Christian. Chris Jericho goes straight for Christian while Lance Storm and Val Venis brawl. Chris Jericho whips Christian into the ropes after several chops to the chest when he had him up against the ropes. Jericho whipped him towards the opposite ropes and when Christian reached it, he held onto the top rope ad then slide out underneath the bottom rope. Lance Storm, however, didn’t have that same luck with Val Venis. When Val whipped him into the ropes, Storm returned and Val grabbed him on the rebound and tossed him right out through the ropes into Christian. Lance Storm and Christian stumbled around on the outside and crashed up against the ramp. Trish Stratus ran over to check on them.

[Commercial.]

After that quick commercial break, everything looks underway. We return just as Lance Storm enters the ring. So nothing was missed during that quick commercial break except for Christian, Trish, and Lance all talking on the outside and recuperating. Referee Brian Hebner called for the bell and the match was officially underway with Lance Storm and Chris Jericho starting things off.

Chris Jericho and Lance Storm lock up in the center of the ring, but Lance Storm pushes Jericho back. Jericho gets up in the face of Lance Storm and Storm slaps him right across the face. Jericho backs off, rubbing his face, and then fires back with a slap of his own. Storm rubs his face as a huge red mark begins to show on both of their faces. And then Jericho lunges for Storm and they lock up again. Storm gets Jericho in a side headlock and backs him up against the ropes. But as he does this, Jericho pushes Storm off of him and sends him into the ropes. As Storm returns, Jericho quickly drops to the mat and Storm leaps over him and runs off the ropes again. Jericho gets up and leap frogs over Storm as he comes back towards him. And Storm hits the ropes again and when he returns Jericho hits a nice dropkick sending Storm back to the mat. Storm quickly gets to his corner from his knees and tags in Christian.

Christian comes in, pounding his chest and pointing to Jericho. He motions with both of his hands in a “break you in half” type manner. Jericho laughs it off. They lock up. Christian suplexes Jericho down to the mat and floats over for the cover. Referee Mike Chioda makes the count. One … Two … kickout by Jericho. Christian gets up and picks up Jericho by the hair and whips him into the corner. Christian runs into the corner, but Jericho kicks Christian in the mouth, backing him off. Jericho gets up on the second rope, facing the crowd, and then leaps off, backwards, twisting in the air and hitting a nice crossbody block on Christian. Chris Jericho gets up, picking up Christian and locking up with him. Jericho grabs Christian by the arm and locks him in a hammerlock position and then pushes him from behind and then slaps him in the back of the head. Christian, rubbing his head, complains to the referee. Chris Jericho walks over to his corner and tags in Val Venis.

Val Venis comes in and goes right for Christian but Christian takes him down with a drop toe hold. He wraps up the leg in a grapevine and then pulls back on the neck of Venis for a modified version of the STF. Val Venis reaches for the ropes to break the hold and does so. Christian holds on a little while longer until Mike Chioda steps in and forces the break by pulling apart Christian’s hands from Val’s head. Christian pulls Val Venis into the center of the ring and covers Val. Christian places his elbow right across the face of Val, rubbing his elbow up against the face, grinding it into the mat. Mike Chioda makes the count. One … Two … T … kickout by Val Venis. Christian gets up and drags Val Venis over to his corner. He tags in Lance Storm.

Lance Storm enters the ring as Christian rolls out to the outside. There he and Trish embrace, with Trish consoling him. Christian finally gets back up onto the ring apron. Storm places Val’s foot on the bottom rope and then leaps up and drops a knee right down upon it. Storm drags Val out of the corner and then begins kicking away at Val. Storm picks up Val and whips him into the corner. Lance Storm gets up to the middle rope and begins to punch Val Venis. One … Two … Three … Four … Five … Six … Seven, Val Venis grabs Storm by the legs and gets himself out of the corner and drops to the mat with Storm’s head crashing on the top turnbuckle pad. Both he and Val Venis are out. Trish Stratus is backing on the mat to encourage Storm to get up. Storm moves first, with Val Venis moving slowly behind him. Storm opts not to go to the corner and quickly turns around and grabs Val Venis by the leg and pulls him back to the corner of he and Christian. Storm goes over to Chris Jericho, taunting him, and Mike Chioda breaks this up by keeping Jericho out of the ring. While this is going on, Christian comes into the ring and begins pounding his fists right into the face of Val Venis. Christian quickly exits the ring and Storm turns back around and grabs Val Venis. He lifts him up and twists the arm of Venis and then tags in Christian.

Christian climbs the ropes and leaps off, hitting a double ax handle to the arm of Val Venis and then Storm leaves. Christian grabs that arm and places it behind Val Venis in a hammerlock and then lifts him up and hits a nice backdrop Suplex, causing the arm to land first with the body mass of Val Venis crashing down upon his own arm. Christian makes the cover to Val Venis. One … Two … Thr … kickout! Christian looks frustrated. He runs over to Chris Jericho and knocks him down with a forearm. Chris Jericho quickly gets back up to the ring apron, furious with that cheap shot, but Mike Chioda will not allow him to get back into the ring. Christian grabs Val Venis and whips him into the ropes and Christian takes him down with a back body drop. Christian grabs Val Venis and when he gets up, Christian has him in an inverted DDT position, but opts to drop him neck first onto his knee instead of dropping to the mat. Christian makes the cover again on Val Venis. One … Two … Thr … kickout! Val Venis is still alive. Christian drags Val Venis to his corner and tags in Lance Storm.

Lance Storm comes back in and picks up Val Venis. He whips him to the ropes and Lance Storm runs for him, sliding through the legs and grabbing hold of Val’s own leg and applying the single leg Boston Crab, the Straight Shooter. Chris Jericho tries to run in to break the hold but Mike Chioda forces him back out. Christian runs in and runs off the ropes and then drops a leg to the back of the neck of Val Venis. He quickly leaves and Chioda turns around, warning him. Lance Storm still has the Straight Shooter applied. And Val Venis is inching closer and closer to the ropes! He does! And a loud pop is heard as Val Venis forces the break on the submission. Lance Storm applies several kicks to Val. He pulls Val up and goes for an Irish Whip! Val Venis reverses it. Back Body Drop by Val Venis! He and does and so is Lance Storm. Val Venis makes the tag to Chris Jericho to a tremendously loud pop from the Chicago crowd. Christian comes in and Jericho decks him with a right hand, knocking him down. Lance Storm is back up and Jericho takes him down. Christian is back up and Jericho grabs him by the legs. Walls of Jericho! Storm gets up and goes to attack Jericho but Val Venis hits a lariat on Storm! Christian is seen tapping out, but he isn’t he legal man. While Mike Chioda is trying to separate Val Venis and Lance Storm, this allows Trish Stratus to come in.

Trish Stratus comes in and jumps on the back of Chris Jericho but Jericho grabs her by the head and tosses her down in front of her. He grabs her by the legs and goes for the Walls of Jericho on him, but Christian gets up and takes down Jericho. Christian picks up Chris Jericho and hits the Unprettier on him! Christian checks to see if Trish is alright. And they leave. Mike Chioda forces Val Venis out of the ring. Lance Storm and Chris Jericho are both out. Lance Storm begins to move and makes the cover. One … Two … Thr … kickout by Chris Jericho. Christian, Trish, and Lance Storm are all shocked. Chris Jericho gets up and goes for Storm, but Storm grabs Chris Jericho and takes him down with a Suplex and then grabs him by the leg and locks him in the Straight Shooter. Christian, still on the outside, grabs Val Venis and tosses him up against the barricade, making him a non-factor in the match. Lance Storm sits down basically on the neck and shoulder region of Chris Jericho, pulling back hard on the leg, and Chris Jericho is forced to tap out to the Straight Shooter!

Winners: Christian and Lance Storm in 18:43

(89, 86, 93) **** ¼

The place is booing the hell out of Storm and Christian. Christian picks up the helpless Chris Jericho and hits another Unprettier on him. Christian picks him back up, holding him in place and Trish Stratus delivers a Chick Kick to him. Lance Storm goes to the outside and rolls in Val Venis and then locks him in the Straight Shooter while Christian begins to kick the hell out of him while he is down. Trish Stratus pulls up the head of Val and slaps him hard across the face. Storm breaks the hold as Trish grabs his and Christians hands and raises them in the air to a course of boos from the crowd.

[Commercial.]

Backlash Rundown

Ross: What a despicable act that was! Trish Stratus, Christian, and Lance Storm all attacking the helpless Chris Jericho and Val Venis!

Edge: I have come to lose a lot of respect for Lance Storm after that. But I always knee it was in my brother Christian to do that. Nothing has changed with him. But Storm has changed. And I don’t like it.

Edgewater’s “Eyes Wired Shut” begins to play in the background as the WWE Backlash graphic appears on the screen followed shortly by the Christian vs. Chris Jericho graphic.

Ross: Well, Chris Jericho will be able to get revenge on Christian in only six days from now as Backlash comes to you live this Sunday Night from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Edge: Christian and Chris Jericho will step back in that ring in a WrestleMania rematch. This isn’t going to be good for Christian, JR, as Chris Jericho is sure going to be ready for anything this time. He will be ready to kick my brother’s ass.

The Lance Storm vs. Val Venis graphic appears on the screen now.

Ross: Lance Storm will also be in action, Edge. Storm takes on Val Venis. These two are two former partners and recently, a change of heart by Storm caused him to turn on his former partner. He made mention that he wants to be taken seriously earlier tonight and won’t be seen as a comedy act no more.

The Women’s Championship Match graphic featuring Victoria, the WWE Women’s Champion, and Molly Holly is shown next.

Edge: Also on the card is Victoria defending the WWE Women’s Championship against Molly Holly.

Ross: Molly Holly got her head shaven by Victoria last month. This month she tries to extract revenge on Victoria and reclaim the WWE Women’s Championship in the process.

Next the graphic for the WWE Intercontinental Championship is shown.

Edge: Randy Orton has made claim to being the Legend Killer. And at Backlash, he tries to kill off another legend in the Hardcore Legend, Mick Foley.

Ross: This brash superstar, Randy Orton is so full of himself. He will be defending his title against Mick Foley in Foley’s own environment, the Hardcore Match!

Edge: What is going through Orton’s mind that made him even accept that as a stipulation?

The graphic for the Loser Leaves WWE Match, as stated by Mr. McMahon, between Kane and the Undertaker.

Ross: Last week, Mr. McMahon has stated that he is sick of seeing Kane being afraid of The Undertaker and made this rematch for Backlash. But with an added stipulation. The loser, as ordered by Mr. McMahon, will be fired from WWE!

Edge: The Undertaker has made Kane’s life a living hell for the past few months and at Backlash, someone is leaving because of it. But who will it be?

And next is the graphic for the six man tag team match featuring Evolution, Edge, RVD, and Booker T.

Ross: And next up is your match, Edge! You will step into the ring with Rob Van Dam and Booker T at your side to take on Evolution. You have returned to issue a challenge to Triple H and what you got was a six man tag team match with Ric Flair and Batista, the World Tag Team Champions as his opponents. This is going to be one intense match, and the intensity has been showing for several weeks now between the two of you.

Edge: I can say right now, JR that this match is going to be hell. But not for me, only for Triple H and his flunkies. You see, JR, Triple H makes claims to be the end all, be all of professional wrestling. I am only doing my part to shut this man up. I am sick and tired of listening to him. And come Backlash, I will get this opportunity.

And the final graphic, featuring Chris Benoit and Shawn Michaels, for the World Heavyweight Championship, is shown now.

Ross: And the main event of the evening will be for that all important World Heavyweight Championship. Everyone wants a shot at that belt and come Backlash, Shawn Michaels will be getting his shot.

Edge: This title is very important. And at Backlash, we will see just why it is so important as one hell of a competitive match will happen between the champion, Chris Benoit, and Shawn Michaels. This is going to go down in the record books, JR, as one classic match.

Ross: Both Chris Benoit and Shawn Michaels have stated that this is a dream match for the two of them. And speaking of which, later tonight I will head down to that ring and I will conduct an interview with both men. I will get their thoughts and feeling heading into this all important World Heavyweight Championship match for the champion and challenger.

(81)

America’s Most Wanted – Coming Soon?

Thunder and Lightening is heard and on the screen the flashing images of lightening and thunder lighting up the dark sky. The sky goes black due to no lightening striking, but when it hits a shadowy image of a man with long hair is shown, facing at the camera. The screen goes black again. Lightening strikes the sky once more and another man’s face, with shorter hair, but still long, shows up on the right side.

The lightening stops and the screen goes to a white backwards. The sounds of footsteps are heard. They are at a distance. Lightening strikes again and the white screen appears once more. The footsteps are closer. More lightening and they get closer. Two guys dressed in black jeans and black t-shirts appear. Both noticeable big. The one on the right standing at 6’1” and the one on the left standing at 6’3.” The screen quickly cuts out the man on the right and the video editing fades him away. The one on the left also gets faded away. The lightening strikes.

A “Wanted” poster is shown. Underneath the “Wanted” logo is “America’s Most Wanted.” The two men appear on the screen. “Wildcat” appears under the man on the left and “Cowboy” appears under the man on the right. The screen fades to black. Gun shots are heard with bullets piercing through the image, each bullet spelling out the word “Coming Soon.”

(70)

[Commercial.]

Orton – The Hardcore Legend?

“Evolution” by Motorhead begins to play once again. Randy Orton, the WWE Intercontinental Champion, makes his way out from behind the entrance way and poses in front of the gold pyrotechnics display in the background. Orton makes his way down the aisle and gets into the ring. He takes the microphone from Lillian Garcia.

Randy Orton: In just six days, Mick Foley’s career will be over. [Foley chants start.] I will be the one that finally puts this fat ass out of a job come Sunday. You see, Mick, I have grown sick and tired of you these past few months. You are nothing, Mick. You have all of these people cheering your name, but for what? Because you try to kill yourself for these morons? What good does that do, Mick? Mick, Sunday, you won’t be able to kill yourself for these people because I am going to do it for you.

“Asshole” chants begin as Randy Orton grows frustrated with this crowd.

Orton: Chant that all you want, but the fact of the matter is that your poor hero, Mick Foley, will be around no longer. I don’t care if I am an asshole or not. At least by the time I am his age I won’t be a broken down piece of crap. Hell, in my short career I am already a star. It took him a long time to become a star. In fact, it was only because of one fall that even made him. He didn’t do anything in this ring that made him that star. I have become this business. I am the future and present of this business. Nothing can stop me. Not even your precious Mick Foley.

And with that, the sound of a car crash is hit and sure enough it is Mick Foley who makes his way out. He is dressed in his red and black torn flannel shirt and lack sweat pants. Foley walks down the ramp to tons of “Foley” chants. Foley cracks a smile at the bottom of the ramp and then rolls into the ring. He goes over to the opposite side of the ring and is handed a microphone. Orton looks worried that is now out there, and can easily kick his ass if he wanted to.

Mick Foley: Why are you cowering away, Orton? I thought you said you could kick my ass? I thought you would be flushing my damn career down the toilet. Where is that intensity you showed in those speeches, Orton? Huh? Where the hell are they? You see this, Orton? [Mick Foley points to his cheek.] You see that? That is where you spit on me several months ago. [Orton cracks a smile.] You think that’s funny, kid? You think by disrespecting a legend, someone who has made it in this business, someone who will be forever remembered as a Hardcore Legend unlike some people who will never be remembered twenty years from now. In fact, they ill only remember you as being the son of a famous wrestler. “Hey, wasn’t that kid in WWE, that son of Cowboy Boy Orton Jr.?” “Yeah, what ever happened to him?” Those are the types of questions people will ask. But you want to know why? Come Backlash, Randy, your ass is mine. You want to parade around this ring like some Legend Killer. Like hell you are. You haven’t done jackshit in this business. You are just the errand boy for Triple H and company. You are getting a free ride, kid. Enjoy it will it lasts. God knows you can’t get by on wrestling alone.

Orton: Screw you, Mick. You see this? [Orton points to the Intercontinental Championship.] This, Mick, this signifies I have made it. Me pinning Shawn Michaels means I’ve made it. Me pinning you after kicking yours and Rock’s ass at WrestleMania means I’ve made it. I have made it, Mick, whether you would like to admit it or not. Admit it, Mick; you are just jealous of the success that I have achieved so early in my career. And come Backlash, Mick, I will be the new Hardcore Legend. Screw you and your pathetic little career, Mick. You are nothing. You never amounted to a damn thing in this business. You really think by telling me that I will never amount to a damn thing in this business hurt me, Mick? Look at me. I am a Superstar already. These people wish they were half the man that I was. And Mick, you just wish you had half the brain and half the looks that I already have.

Foley: Randy. You need to quit fooling yourself. You need to stop pretending to be a wrestler. You are just a wrestler’s son. Sure. I said you would never amount to a damn thing in this business. And I still stand by that statement. You will be long forgotten in twenty years, Randy, while people will still consider me a legend in this business.

Orton looks pissed. He is making a fist. He wants to attack Foley.

Foley: Go ahead. Punch me. Hit me, Orton. Do yourself proud. Make a name for yourself by knocking out Mick Foley. Go ahead. Try it.

Orton makes these faces like he wants to punch Foley. He pulls back. He looks ready to punch Foley when the crowd begins to make noise as someone is running through the crowd. It turns out to be Batista, closely followed by Ric Flair. Batista rolls into the ring and blindsides Foley.

Orton: Pick that son of a bitch up! I want to hit that piece of crap right now!

Ric Flair and Batista pick up Mick Foley and hold him. Firstly, Orton spits right in the face of Foley again. He goes to punch him when the crowd begins to cheer as Booker T and Rob Van Dam rush! Randy Orton runs out of the ring and Ric Flair and Batista back off, slowly. Flair wants a fight. Batista pulls him out of the ring, though. RVD and Booker T attend to Mick Foley when “I’m Back” begins to play. Eric Bischoff comes out.

Bischoff: So it seems like Booker T and Rob Van Dam want to save poor old Mick Foley. That’s so nice of you to do so. But as of right now, Booker T, your match is taking place. I don’t care if you are still in your nice clothes or not. You won’t be needing them. I am sure Ric Flair will make easy work out of you right now.

Flair, who was looking for a fight moments ago, rolls into the ring. Rob Van Dam helps Booker T out of the ring. Booker T takes off his jewelry and hands them to RVD on the outside. He is still in his nice clothes, and might not be in the best clothes to wrestle in, either. But before the match begins, a quick commercial break interrupts.

(83)

[Commercial.]

Match Three – Booker T vs. ½ World Tag Team Champion “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair

We come back from a commercial break and Ric Flair looks to be in control. Referee Mike Sparks looks to have ordered Batista, Randy Orton, Mick Foley, and Rob Van Dam to the back. Eric Bischoff is already gone, too. Ric Flair has Booker T in the corner and is chopping him like crazy. The crowd is yelling out “WOOOOOO!” following each one. Flair continues to chop the chest of Booker T and eventually rips off the t-shirt off of Booker T and begins to slap and chop the chest of Booker some more. Flair grabs Booker out of the corner and hooks the arm and takes him down with a Suplex. Flair goes for the cover. One … Two … kickout by Booker T.

Ric Flair picks up Booker T and whips him off the ropes. He returns and Flair catches him in a sleeper hold. Booker T tries to fight for the ropes, but he can’t make it. Referee Mike Sparks raises Booker’s arm once. It falls. He raises his arm again. It falls for the second time. Mike Sparks raises Booker T’s arm for the third time, but it doesn’t fall all the way. The crowd is alive and cheering on Booker T. He elbows Ric Flair and breaks free. He runs off the ropes and takes him down with a Houston Side Kick and makes the cover on Ric Flair. One … Two … kickout by Ric Flair.

Booker T picks up “The Nature Boy” and whips him off the ropes. Booker T ducks down, looking for a back body drop, but Flair stops and kicks Booker in the face. Flair then picks up Booker and body slams him. Ric Flair grabs the legs of Booker T and locks him in a variation of the spinning toe hold. He then eventually drops to the mat and grabs the other leg and locking them together and then using his free leg, he is pushing down on the knee of Booker T. Booker tries to sit up and fight it, but Flair chops him back down. But this only fires up Booker T. He keeps using his muscle mass to move closer to the ropes. He finally reaches the ropes and breaks the hold. Ric Flair, however, isn’t ready to break the hold. So Mike Sparks steps in and breaks it. Booker T is still in a little pain from that. Ric Flair stands up and targets the knee. Softening him up for that Figure Four Leg Lock to win him this match. Flair keeps stomping away at it. He pulls Booker away from the ropes and towards the center. He picks up the left leg and drops some elbows in on the knee and thigh area. After several of those, Flair drops down, holding the knee in place, wrenching on it and elbowing the knee area. Booker looks in pain, but is sitting up, and trying to reach for Flair. Booker hits Flair, but it is a weak punch. Flair doesn’t budge. He just pulls back tighter on the hold. But Booker, once again, punches Flair, and this time catches him with a solid punch. Flair gets up and drops down right and grabs the neck, locking him in a headlock while he is down. But Booker T fights out of this, lifting himself, and Flair, up and taking Flair down with a back body drop. Both of them are down and out. Mike Sparks begins to count. One … Two … Three … Four … Five … Six … Ric Flair begins to move, Seven … Flair is up and Booker T is on his knee. Flair goes over to him, but Booker T stands up. Ric Flair begs off, but Booker T comes for him, and Ric Flair hits a thumb to the eye. Flair body slams Booker and makes the count. One … Two … T … kickout.

Ric Flair runs off the ropes and then begins his strut. But this only serves to waste time as when he goes to drop the knee across Booker’s neck, Booker moves out of the way, and Flair knees the mat instead. Booker T grabs Ric Flair by the hair and pulls him up. He fires back with several of his own knife-edge chops and slaps, backing him into the corner. Booker grabs Flair and whips him into the opposite rope. Flair runs into the ropes and runs upside down into the corner and falls to the ring apron. Booker T runs at him, but Flair drops to the apron and Booker T crotches himself attempting a Houston Side Kick. Ric Flair gets back up onto the ring apron. Ric Flair pushes Booker back into the ring and he falls in a good position for Flair to climb the ropes. But as he is on the top rope, Booker T gets up and tosses him off. Ric Flair gets up, but only on his knee. As he begins to move, Booker runs for him, Ax Kick! He takes Ric Flair down. Booker T is on his knee. He stares into his hand, not wearing his gloves this time, though, and begins to shake his head. He waves them to the side and it is time for the Spinaroonie! The place pops as Booker T finishes that off. Ric Flair is standing up and Booker T grabs him, Book End! Booker T covers “The Nature Boy.” Mike Sparks gets down for the count. One … Two … Three!

Winner: Booker T in 12:14

(82, 89, 69) **

Ross: Booker T just defeated Ric Flair just days before Backlash! Can his partner RVD continue this momentum as you guys head into Backlash, Edge?

Edge: Booker T pulled through big time tonight, JR, and RVD has a tough test against Triple H tonight, but RVD will be able to hold his own against “The Game” tonight, JR.

Ross: Folks, when we come back from this commercial break, I will be in the ring interviewing the World Heavyweight Champion Chris Benoit and the Number One Contender Shawn Michaels! Don’t go away!

[Commercial.]

The Crossface or the Sweet Chin Music?

Jim Ross is standing in the middle of the ring with a microphone in his hand.

Ross: Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the World Heavyweight Champion, “The Crippler” Chris Benoit!

“Whatever” by Our Lady Peace begins to play and the place goes insane with cheers for Chris Benoit. Benoit comes out, raising his arms at the stage. He takes off the title and goes to the right of the stage, raising the belt in the air, and then goes to the opposite side and raises the belt there. Benoit then goes down the ramp and gets into the ring, going up onto the turnbuckles, pounding his chest with one hand and raising the belt with another. He meets in the center with Jim Ross.

Ross: Chris, it’s great to have you out here. Now let’s get down to business. This Sunday, live on pay-per-view you have a match against Shawn Michaels for your World Heavyweight Championship. You got tough opposition in front of you, Benoit, but you have overcome the odds at WrestleMania XX by winning the World Heavyweight Championship when you made Triple H tap out to the Crippler Crossface. Do you think you can overcome the odds again and retain that World Heavyweight Championship?

Chris Benoit: JR, I have worn this title with pride since I have overcome the odds of defeating both Shawn Michaels and Triple H at WrestleMania. There isn’t a doubt in my mind that I cannot defeat Shawn Michaels to retain this title. You see, JR, Shawn Michaels is one hell of a wrestler. He is one tough opponent, but the fact of the matter is I am the World Heavyweight Champion. And I did it by making Triple H tap. And come Backlash, Shawn, I will make you tap out!

“Oh, Oh, Shawn!” is heard as “Sexy Boy” begins to play. Shawn Michaels makes his entrance with flashing lights and the pyrotechnics going off while he is on his knees on the ramp. He jumps up and heads to the ring. His music cuts. Chris Benoit and Shawn Michaels stare eye to eye.

Benoit: Shawn, Backlash is only six days away. Are you truly ready to step into the ring with THE best damn technical wrestler in this business today?

Shawn Michaels: Chris Benoit, I have all the respect for what you have done in this business. It took you 18 years to finally live your dream of holding that title, and I respect you for that. I respect you for earning that title and making Triple H tap. But the fact of the matter is Chris Benoit, come Backlash, all of this – this friendship – will be tossed out of the window. It will be me versus you for that World Heavyweight Championship.

Benoit: Like I’ve said before, Shawn, friendship is always out the window on matches. I don’t bring friendship into matches. It is business. It isn’t personal. What I do in the ring is wrestle. I don’t go out there to make friends. I go there to wrestle. And wrestle is what I do best. But friendship remains in the back.

Michaels: Come Backlash, Benoit, there will be only one thing you will see coming, and that is the Sweet Chin Music. That title will be mine once again at Backlash, and there ain’t a damn thing you can do about it, Chris. Maybe I should refresh your mind. Maybe I should show you and help out remember just exactly what happened the last time we met one on one, Chris. Do you remember that night? There were no titles on the line, but the outcome this Sunday will be no different, except for me walking out as the World Heavyweight Champion. Let’s go back to February 16th, Chris.

The Titantron shows the footage of Raw from February 16th. It picks up just as Shawn Michaels made it to the ropes after being locked in the Sharpshooter. A few moments later, Triple H made his way out to the ring, with the World title over his shoulder. It is clipped again and it shows Chris Benoit getting hit with the Sweet Chin Music and Shawn Michaels pinned Chris Benoit for the win.

Michaels: See, Benoit, two months ago I defeated you with the Sweet Chin Music. Come Backlash, Benoit that is exactly what will happen to you once again.

Benoit: It seems that you conveniently left out the part that Triple H had me distracted.

Chris Benoit countered the Sweet Chin Music into a Crippler Crossface, which Shawn Michaels fought out of. It is clipped to when Chris Benoit ended up locking the Sharpshooter on Shawn Michaels, who eventually made it over to the ropes. A few moments later, Triple H made his way out to the ring, with the World title over his shoulder. Chris Benoit was distracted by Triple H, turned around and got hit with the Sweet Chin Music by Shawn Michaels! Shawn Michaels pinned Chris Benoit for the win.

Benoit: I don’t make excuses, I got distracted, but it does seem to me that you want to forget that you did need help to beat me, Shawn. But come Backlash, there will be no help. It will be just me versus you, Shawn, and this [benoit points to his World Heavyweight Champion] … this is what will be on the line this time. My World Heavyweight Championship will be up for grabs, Shawn. But unlike February, the outcome will be me making you tap out in front of my home town fans!

Shawn Michaels gets up in Chris Benoit’s face. Jim Ross gets in between the two, and tries to separate them, but they won’t budge. But neither come to blows as they do back off.

Michaels: I can wait ‘til Backlash to take what will be mine, Chris. In six days, Chris, that title will be mine.

Shawn Michaels wants to shake Chris Benoit’s hand. They do, Benoit drops the World Heavyweight Championship as they draw each other close to each other again, but neither man wants to break the handshake. They are mouthing off to each other, and the words “World Heavyweight Championship” comes up a lot if you can read lips. Shawn Michaels goes to back off, but Benoit drags him back in, still holding onto the handshake. Michaels looks kind of pissed about this. But eventually Benoit breaks the hand shake and goes to pick up the title that was dropped earlier, and just as he turns around he is met with the Sweet Chin Music. Benoit lay flat out. Shawn Michaels picks up the World Heavyweight Championship. There are some scattered boos from the crowd, and a cheers, too. This crowd is torn between their allegiances to either wrestler.

Ross: What did you do that for, Michaels?

Shawn Michaels pushes JR away, grabbing the microphone from him. Ross checks on the World Heavyweight Champion as he is down and out.

Michaels: Chris, like you said, what happens in this ring is business. It wasn’t personal, just business.

“Sexy Boy” plays again. Shawn Michaels tosses the World Heavyweight Championship down across the chest of Chris Benoit and leaves.

(77)

[Commercial.]

Ross: What a despicable act by Shawn Michaels! He just laid out the World Heavyweight Champion just days before that match! This is sick! I couldn’t believe what I just witnessed.

Edge: Shawn will do anything to get that title back, JR. You better believe that. And tonight he showed just that.

Ross: I can’t talk about this. It makes me sick that Shawn would do such a thing. Let’s head to the ring for the main event! This is sickening!

Edited May 15, 2004 by Fitzy

[Fitzy]

Match Four – Main Event – Rob Van Dam vs. “The Game” Triple H

“One of a kind!” is heard as the loud pyrotechnics go off and “One of a Kind” by Breaking Point begins to play. Rob Van Dam makes his entrance and stands at the top of the stage. He does the thumb points to himself and then walks down the ramp. He rolls underneath the bottom rope and then pops right up as Lillian Garcia announces his name he begins to point to himself with his thumbs as the crowd says ihis name alone with Lillian Garcia and point to themselves as well. “It’s time to play the game … Time to play the game!” is heard as “The Game” by Motorhead begins to play. Triple H makes his way down to the ring with ½ of the World Tag Team Champions, “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair at his side. Triple H gets down to the ringside area and walks around to the side facing the camera and takes one last sip of his water before tossing away the bottle into the crowd. He hops up onto the ring apron and as the music hits the guitar solo he spits out his water and gets into the ring. Earl Hebner calls for the bell and the match is official.

Rob Van Dam and Triple H lock up and they grapple with each other, trying to get the advantage to start off the match. RVD gets Triple H in a side headlock, and then brings him down with a headlock takedown. RVD gets up, followed by Triple H, and he looks pissed that he just got taken down by RVD. He locks up with Van Dam again, and gets him in a side headlock and backs him off to the ropes. He then whips RVD into the ropes and when he returns RVD ducks a punch from Triple H and runs off the opposite rope and comes back with a flying crossbody block. RVD lands on top of Triple H for a cover, but Triple H quickly tosses RVD off of him, not even for a one count. Triple H rolls to the outside.

On the outside, Ric Flair is offering words of encouragement for him. RVD looks into the crowd and then runs for the opposite ropes and bounces off of those and then runs for Triple H and hits a no-rope touch plancha onto Triple H and Ric Flair. RVD quickly props up to his feet and rolls into the ring, posing for the crowd as they cheer him on. RVD rolls to the outside and goes to pick up Triple H, but Triple H pulls down on his singlet and RVD rams his head into the steel ramp. Ric Flair gets up and runs around to the opposite side of the ring, getting up on the ring apron, and distracting Earl Hebner while Triple H picks up RVD and drops his throat first across the barricade. Triple H then picks up RVD and tosses him into the steel ring steps as RVD rams into those, ribs first. Triple H reaches underneath the ring, and he pulls out a steel chair. But before he could use it on RVD, Booker T comes running down to the ring to a huge pop. The Booker Man grabs the chair from Triple H but then is blindsided by the leviathan Batista. Ric Flair jumps down off of the ring apron and allows Earl Hebner to turn around. Triple H rolls into the ring and Hebner begins to count out RVD. Flair and Batista attack Booker T, fighting him off to the back. At eight RVD manages to get back into the ring. Triple H grabs RVD and whips him into the ropes and lifts him up, Spinebuster! He makes the cover. One … Two … Th … kickout by RVD.

Triple H picks up Rob Van Dam and whips him into the corner. Triple H goes over there and lays in several knife-edge chops and then goes up onto the middle rope and begins to punch Van Dam. One … Two … Three … Four … Five … Six … Seven … Eight … Nine … Ten. Ten punches in succession by Triple H and he jumps off and RVD falls to the mat. Triple H makes the cover. One … Two … Th … kickout. Triple H is growing a little frustrated. He runs off the rope and drops a knee right across the face. He makes the cover. One … Two … T … kickout by RVD. Triple H picks up RVD and whips him into the corner. He runs in and hits a high knee into the corner and then RVD stumbles out of it. Triple H runs off the ropes and hits another knee on him. RVD falls to the mat. Triple H makes the cover again. One … Two … T … kickout. Triple H complains about a slow count, even though it was clearly not one. Triple H picks up RVD and whips him into the ropes. He catches him on the return with a Sleeper hold. He has RVD right where he wants him now. RVD is fighting to stay up. He is waving his arms around like a mad man. He is reaching for those ropes. But he is still in the center of the ring. Earl Hebner steps in and raises the arm of RVD. It falls once. Earl Hebner raises the arm of RVD again for the second time. It falls twice. Earl Hebner raises the arm again but it stays up and RVD grabs the neck of Triple H and drops down to the mat hitting a jawbreaker on Triple H. Triple H’s neck snaps backwards and he falls to the mat. Earl Hebner begins to count them both down. One … Two … Three … Four … Five … Six … RVD begins to move, Seven … Eight … He covers Triple H to break the count out. One … Two … kickout by Triple H.

RVD picks up Triple H. He whips Triple H into the ropes and then runs for him and hits a lariat that sends them both flying over the top rope and onto the outside. Spike TV use this time to take the final commercial break.

[Commercial.]

When they come back from a commercial break, Triple H was back in control. In the split screen it shows that RVD had picked up Triple H on the outside, but Triple H rammed RVD back up against the ring post and tossed him back into the steel ring steps and then rolled him in where he took control of the match again. Triple H had RVD down in a Figure Four Leg Lock now. RVD kept sitting up, reaching for those ropes, but every so often he would fall to the mat for a pin fall. But he would raise it at two. RVD moved to the ropes, getting closer and closer. Triple H tried to move away from the ropes, but RVD rolled over, causing pressure to be added to Triple H instead of himself and reached the ropes. Earl Hebner stepped in to break the submission up.

Rob Van Dam got up, limping, and Triple H got up, too. RVD began to punch Triple H and then went for some kicks, but Triple H eventually got the leg of Van Dam. RVD then hit the step over back heel kick and then got up. He looked around and ran fast for the ropes and then rolled along the mat, leaping up and then hitting a senton bomb onto Triple H for the Rolling Thunder. RVD made the cover as Earl Hebner counted. One … Two … Th … kickout by Triple H. RVD picked up Triple H again and whipped him into the ropes. RVD ducked down, split legged, and Triple H leaped over him. One the return Triple H was sent flying over RVD via a monkey flip from RVD. RVD made the cover. One … Two … T … kickout by Triple H. RVD went to the top rope, waiting for Triple H to get up and when Triple H got up, RVD hit a top rope heel kick to him, knocking Triple H back down. RVD went for the cover again. One … Two … T … kickout.

Several near falls for RVD, but it still wasn’t enough to beat “The Game.” RVD sat down on Triple H and began punching his head. He then got up and pointed to the corner. The place popped as they knew what was next. RVD got up onto the top rope. He leaped off, but missed! Triple H moved out of the way of the Five Star Frog Splash! Triple H reached for the ropes to pull him up. RVD was rolling on the mat, in pain from missing the move, holding his stomach. Triple H walked slowly towards RVD, picking him up. He kicked him in the midsection, hooking the arms, and planted RVD with the Pedigree! One … Two … Three!

Winner: Triple H in 15:58

(78, 81, 72) **

Triple H is lying flat out on his back along with Rob Van Dam.

Ross: Damnit! I can’t believe Triple H just pulled out that victory! Damnit it to hell!

Edge: Triple H might have won tonight, JR, but at Backlash, I can guarantee you that I won’t be losing and that it will be Triple H and the rest of Evolution heading home with a huge loss.

Ross: I can’t stand Triple H! He didn’t deserve to win this match! But he will get what he deserves come this Sunday! Folks, we are out of time, join us this Sunday night, live from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada when we go live for Backlash!

The show comes to a close as Triple H is just getting to his feet, getting his hands raised and Jim Ross still can’t believe that he won the match.

---------------------------

Overall: 79

TV Rating: 4.1

[Fitzy]

Backlash Preview

This Sunday night, Raw presents Backlash live on Pay-Per-View and DirecTV. Backlash comes to you from the beautiful Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. And from top to bottom, this looks like a loaded show.

Chris Benoit will be stepping into the ring in front of his hometown friends and family as he defends the World Heavyweight Championship for the first time since winning it at WrestleMania XX when he defends it against Shawn Michaels. Shawn Michaels is no stranger to this belt, having defeated Triple H back at SummerSlam 2002 as well as his many times as WWE Champion, too. But he is stepping into the ring with Chris Benoit for the first time in a singles match since February 16th when he defeated him, with a little help from Triple H. For the past few months Michaels and Benoit have been the best of friends, teaming up on several occasions and delivering some great matches. But his biggest challenge will come when Benoit makes his first title defense this Sunday night. Will Michaels be able to go two and zero against “The Crippler” and this time take the title from him? Or will Chris Benoit deliver on his promise to make Shawn Michaels tap out in front of his hometown?

Edge will be making his in-ring return at Backlash as he teams up with Rob Van Dam and Booker T to take on Evolution, consisting of Triple H and the World Tag Team Champions Booker T and Rob Van Dam. Edge returned and immediately made his mark when he interrupted Triple H’s speech and berated him. Triple H challenged him to a fight right there, to which Edge agreed upon, but it was all a set up as Ric Flair and Batista attacked Edge and beating him three on one, until Booker T and Rob Van Dam, still upset about losing the World Tag Team Championship just one week previous to Ric Flair and Batista and saved Edge from further injury. Eric Bischoff later booked this match. For the past few weeks, Edge has been made commentator so Eric Bischoff could easily keep an eye on him and so Edge wouldn’t attack Triple H, if he did, he’d be suspended, without pay, for the same amount of time he was just out for with a broken neck. With Edge finally able to step into the ring in well over 14 months, will Triple H be ready for him? Edge is furious with Triple H and Edge wants to make his return a memorable one and make an immediate impact. With Booker T and Rob Van Dam still furious about not being World Tag Team Champions at his side, he has a big shot at defeating Evolution. But Evolution has Batista, Ric Flair and Triple H, all of whom are big players here on the Raw brand, and will stop at nothing to win this match. Triple H sees this as a stepping stone to getting his World Heavyweight Championship back. Will it be a stepping stone? Who knows?

The WWE Intercontinental Championship will also be on the line as Randy Orton will defend against Mick Foley in a match that Foley is no stranger to, a Hardcore Match. Evolution will be barred from ringside and there will be no countouts and no disqualification. Will Randy Orton be able to overcome these odds and retain his precious title? For months, Orton has been claiming to be the Legend Killer. And has disrespected the Hardcore Legend, Mick Foley, at every chance he could get. By spitting in his face, beating the hell out of him with Evolution, and pinning him and the Rock in a handicap match at WrestleMania with Batista and Ric Flair on his team. But in recent weeks, all of this has awakened the hardcore maniac within side Mick Foley. Will Orton be in for a career threatening beating from Mick Foley? Or will Foley be just another notch on the Legend Killers list? Orton says he is ready for this, but really, can he be when he is stepping into an environment that he has never faced before? Will the Intercontinental Championship end up in the hands of Mick Foley for the first time ever?

Kane has been furious, and some could say a afraid, of the recent addition of The Undertaker to the Raw brand. Eric Bischoff drafted him and Kane couldn’t stand this. But last week Mr. McMahon had enough of Kane being afraid of “The Deadman” and told Kane straight up, that if he couldn’t defeat The Undertaker at Backlash that he’d be fired. And also promised that if Kane won, that The Undertaker would be no more. In this all important match, careers are on the line. Will we see the last of “The Deadman” or will we see the last of Kane? No one knows for sure, but come Backlash, someone is leaving.

On the March 29th edition of Raw, following Val Venis losing to Jamie Noble, when Val returned to the back, he saw Lance Storm, bags and all, leaving. Val Venis had no clue why his partner was just leaving until Lance Storm gave his slow turning serious-looking stare back at Val Venis and then leaving. The next week, on April 5th, during Val’s match with Christian, Lance Storm came out and hit the Superkick on Val and then helped Christian get the win. Christian, Lance, and Trish escaped before Chris Jericho could get his hands on them. Christian instead attacked special referee Johnny Nitro. This past Monday, on Raw, Lance Storm explained his actions by saying that he was sick of playing up to the fans and dancing for them. He was sick of hearing the fans say to him “Dance Lance, Dance.” And on Raw, he said he gave it up for a better place. He is a wrestler. And with Christian and Trish, he felt he would be able to showcase his wrestling talents better. And Bischoff awarded Storm a match with Venis this Sunday night. How will Val Venis be able to react to his former partner abandoning him and then attacking him, costing him the match? We will find out as Val finally gets his one on one match against his former friend and partner.

Chris Jericho and Christian have been the best of friends and now the worst of enemies. And it all began with a simple little bet. But Christian turned it all around on Jericho and sided with the girl Jericho loved, Trish Stratus, at WrestleMania, when Trish came out and attacked Jericho. And in the past few weeks, Jericho even brought back the old catch phrase for one Stephanie McMahon, now used for Trish, the Dirty, Disgusting, Brutal, Bottom-Feeding, Trash-Bag Ho. On March 29th, Chris Jericho came out, chasing away Christian all the way to the back. Christian and Trish ended up getting away from Jericho. The following week, on April 5th, Chris Jericho came out following the Trish Stratus vs. Lita match, and tried to attack Christian, and nearly put Trish in the Walls of Jericho, but Christian got up and attacked Jericho and hit the Unprettier on him. Christian and Trish left after that, until later that night when Christian had a match. Christian defeated Val Venis with help from Lance Storm and Jericho tried to attack Christian, but Christian, Trish, and Lance ran through the crowd. Johnny Nitro got in Jericho’s way, and paid for it with the Walls of Jericho. And this past Monday, Christian and Lance Storm pull out the victory over Jericho and Val Venis when Jericho tapped to the Straight Shooter. Will Jericho be able to get revenge on Christian? Christian won at WrestleMania. Will he win again at Backlash?

And the WWE Women’s Championship will also be on the line as Victoria defends against Molly Holly. At WrestleMania XX, Molly Holly lost the match to Victoria. It was title vs. hair, and Victoria retained her title, and thus Molly lost her hair. She got it all shaven off, but according to Molly, her hair grows back fast and changes color weekly. Sporting a new hair style each week, from short to long, from blonde to brunette, she has it all. But what she doesn’t have is the WWE Women’s Championship, and she wants it back. And at Backlash, she gets her rematch. Will she be able to defeat the psycho Victoria and capture what she believes is rightfully hers? Or will Victoria once again defeat Molly?

Also, on Sunday Night Heat, Jamie Noble will take on The Hurricane. These two have a rivalry renewed lately. When Jamie Noble debuted for Smackdown back in 2002, he immediately attacked The Hurricane, and evening winning the Cruiserweight Championship at the King of the Ring that year. And two years late, when Noble debuted right here on Raw, he once again attacked The Hurricane. Come Sunday, who will win, “The Redneck Messiah” Jamie “By God” Noble or The Hurricane? Find out just an hour before we head on to Backlash for the Pay-Per-View!

Backlash – Raw – April 18, 2004 – Edmonton, Alberta, Canada – Rexall Place

Sunday Night Heat Match: The Hurricane vs. Jamie Noble

Chris Jericho vs. Christian with Trish Stratus

WWE Women’s Championship Match: Victoria © vs. Molly Holly

The Loser Is Fired As Ordered By Mr. McMahon: The Undertaker vs. Kane

Val Venis vs. Lance Storm with Trish Stratus

WWE Intercontinental Championship Hardcore Match: Randy Orton © vs. Mick Foley

Edge, Booker T, and Rob Van Dam vs. Evolution: Triple H and the World Tag Team Champions Batista and Ric Flair

World Heavyweight Championship Match: Chris Benoit © vs. Shawn Michaels

[punky]

Great stuff from both of you guys so far and I'm glad to see that syco is doing well with SmackDown! and furthering some storylines.

And allow me to make some BackLash predictions:

Sunday Night Heat Match: Jamie "By God" Noble vs The Hurricane

Noble continues his singles winning streak.

Chris Jericho vs Christian with Trish Stratus

Jericho gets revenge on Christian, even after Trish interference.

WWE Women's Championship Match: Victoria © vs Molly Holly

Victoria retains the belt, keeping the bald Molly away from the belt. At least, I hope!

The Loser Is Fired As Ordered By Vince McMahon: The Undertaker vs Kane

Kane finally gets the best of his older brother and sends Taker to the grave.. for good.

Val Venis vs Lance Storm with Trish Stratus

If I can be serious for a minute.. Lance Storm needs to win or he'll be looked at as a joke.

WWE Intercontinental Championship Match: Mick Foley vs Randy Orton ©

Randy continues his jesus push and beats Foley, thus (trying) to solidify him as an uppermidcarder.

Edge, Booker T & Rob Van Dam vs Triple H, Ric Flair © & Batista ©

The faces outdue The Evolution when Edge pins Flair. Thus setting up an Edge vs 3H feud.. with 3H saying Edge never beat THE GAME~!

World Heavyweight Championship Match: Chris Benoit © vs Shawn Michaels

Benoit needs to keep the belt in his hometown and does it by making Shawn tap in Canada!

Edited May 19, 2004 by CM Punk

[DMN in the House]

NEW BEGINNINGS FOR TEAM ANGLE?

April 15th, 2004

After a match that saw Shelton Benjamin come within seconds of defeating WWE Champion Eddie Guerrero in non title action, and an aftermath that saw both Charlie Haas and Kurt Angle join in a group hug, could we see the rebirth of Team Angle on SmackDown!? Kurt Angle will be in the house, and has asked for time to address the situation!

The number one contender to Chavo Guerrero's Cruiserweight title will team up with his good friend Funaki as Ultimo Dragon and SmackDown!'s Numbah One Announcer team up to take on Chavo, and his father, Chavo Classic!

The mysterious Nova will be making his WWE debut as he takes on Shannon Moore!

And after wrestling to a draw on last week's Velocity, Charlie Haas will take on Rey Mysterio Jr one last time, in a match in which SmackDown! General Manager Paul Heyman has declared that there must be a winner!

Be sure to tune in Thursday night at 8/7 CT on UPN, to SMACK your TV!