Tonight's RAW Supershow opens with the "IT BEGINS" clock slowly beginning its descent to zero, rolling over to 60 MINUTES left as we go to the usual video package and pyro. Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler welcome us to Memphis, TN and J.R. welcomes the King home. In observation of his homecoming, WWE brass has given The King a match tonight against an opponent of the Board of Directors' choosing.
WWE COO Triple H enters and announces that he has elected to host a 20-man over the top Battle Royal at the start of the new year to get the RAW roster geared up for the Royal Rumble, with the winner earning a shot against the WWE Champion later tonight. CM Punk hits the stage and tells Triple H that he still doesn't think that the COO position is right for the Game, but that Hunter has come up with a respectable idea for once. Punk joins the broadcast table to provide commentary and scout the competition.
Batista wins a 20-man Battle Royal to earn a shot at the WWE Championship Match later tonight, last eliminating The Miz. (match also featured John Morrison, Jeff Hardy, Air Boom, Hawkins & Archer, MVP, Brian Kendrick, R-Truth, Epico & Primo, Beer Money, Zack Ryder, Dolph Ziggler, Michael McGillicutty, Chris Masters and Mason Ryan)
Finish came as The Miz dumped out Morrison and Hardy simultaneously, then turned around into a Batista spinebuster and a Batista Bomb to the outside for the win.
Shawn Michaels in his office, interviewing potential replacements, the first candidate is Eugene. Funny segment, it doesn't take Shawn long to realize that this is going nowhere and Shawn thanks him for his time and shows him the door.
Alberto Del Rio backstage with Ricardo Rodriguez heading to the ring. The first Royal Rumble qualifying match is next.
Del Rio emerges and tells the WWE Universe that ultimately it doesn't matter who his opponent is tonight or who he crosses paths with at the Royal Rumble, because like Hulk Hogan, Shawn Michaels and Stone Cold Steve Austin before him, he will win back-to-back Royal Rumble matches and this time he'll win the title on the Grandest Stage of Them All. Del Rio is interrupted by the sounds of "Sirius" and his qualifying match opponent--RICKY "THE DRAGON" STEAMBOAT!
Alberto Del Rio def. Ricky Steamboat to qualify for the Royal Rumble
Outstanding match. Ricky Steamboat proves once again that he can still run with the young guys. Finish came as Steamboat had Del Rio reeling and connected with a Diving Cross Body, but Del Rio rolled through and locked on the Cross Armbreaker. Steamboat struggled valiantly for about three minutes, fought to get to the ropes and came within arm's reach of the bottom rope before being forced to tap. Del Rio becomes the first superstar to qualify for the 40-man over-the-top-rope challenge.
Shawn Michaels interviewing another candidate, this time, it's Yoshi Tatsu. Another humorous, lost in translation segment, and Michaels dismisses Tatsu, shaking his head in frustration.
Jerry Lawler takes to the ring from the broadcast table, his match is next as we head toward another commercial.
The feed cuts out and the "IT BEGINS" clock reappears, the clock still counting down, now down to 31 MINUTES and 49 SECONDS as we go to our next break.
Back from break and the Board of Directors have selected DAVID OTUNGA to go one-on-one with Jerry Lawler.
Jerry Lawler def. David Otunga
Finish comes as Lawler sneaks in a low blow, and drops "Mr. A-List" with a Piledriver and a Diving Fist Drop. As expected, Lawler was WAY OVER with the hometown crowd.
Shawn Michaels is now interviewing Ron Simmons, Michaels tells him that he has the right credentials, but for some reason just can't see it working out...Ron Simmons shakes his head and lets loose with another "DAMN" before leaving the office. Michaels is getting panicked now, realizing that he's running out of time.
CM Punk is backstage heading to the ring for his title defense against Batista as we go to another commerical break. The "IT BEGINS" clock is now down to 22 MINUTES and 17 SECONDS.
CM Punk def. Batista via count out to remain WWE Champion
Finish came when Punk threw a Roundhouse kick to Batista while on the apron and hit a suicide Plancha, sending Batista over the broadcast table and into the lap of Carlos Cabrera. By the time Batista regains his bearings, the ref has reached nine and the Animal fails to beat the count. Punk grabs a steel chair and unfolds it in the center of the ring as the clock has now reached 1 MINUTE, 30 SECONDS. As the clock ticks down, Punk wonders aloud who he’ll be defending the title against at the Royal Rumble. The clock freezes at 11 SECONDS and the power goes out to the arena.
With the crowd sitting in the dark, a cascade of boos rides the rafters of the arena. Finally the words “SH@RE HIM, REJOICE” appear on the titantron. The letters digitally unscramble to reveal the message-- “@IAMJERICHO IS HERE”. The Crowd EXPLODES into cheers as the power goes out again and the clock starts up again with the countdown from ten. The clock reaches zero and an INSANE amount of pyro hits the stage as Chris Jericho has RETURNED AGAIN!
Jericho hits the ring and comes face-to-face with the WWE Champion and we have an intense staredown. Chris takes a mic and says he understands that Punk is parading around lately, calling himself the "Best In The World". Jericho tells Punk to look him in the eye as he says this, that Jericho is "The Best In The World At What I Do". Jericho tells the WWE Universe that he is here to salvage the WWE Championship from certain doom if it remains in the hands of CM Punk.
Punk asks him what the hell he's talking about and Jericho reminds him that during "that epic shoot that you did last summer that got all of the fanboys' attention and made them suddenly love you" that Punk told everyone that he was a “Paul Heyman guy”, that “Paul Heyman saw something in him that no one else in WWE did” and that he clearly has nothing but contempt for WWE brass. Jericho inquires of Punk, after hijacking the WWE title at Money In The Bank last year, why should we believe him when he says that he has no intention of taking the WWE Championship with him to ECW? Jericho points out that Heyman DID invite all former ECW Champions to defect at their leisure.
Jericho says that while the ECW issue is important for the WWE Universe, he says he’s here on personal business and says he wants to demonstrate to Punk and the world that he is STILL the Best in the World, not Punk as is professed by the Internet Wrestling Community and by cheap t-shirt slogans. Jericho says he doesn’t need a t-shirt to make everyone believe he’s the Best In The World, he just is. Jericho says he plans to demonstrate his superiority in a match for the WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble.
Punk takes the mic and accepts the challenge, but ups the ante. Punk says that in order to prove who truly is the Best In The World, we should host a contest that will leave little doubt as to who can go the distance, a match which only six brave souls have thus far opted to endure. Punk proposes CM Punk versus Chris Jericho, for the WWE Championship, in a 60-MINUTE IRON MAN MATCH.
The lights go down and a gong sounds, giving way to a MASSIVE POP from the crowd. The lights come back up and THE UNDERTAKER appears on the balcony just overlooking the ring. Standing over the WWE Champion and the returning challenger, Undertaker glares at the scaffold holding the WrestleMania 28 sign and makes the throat-slashing gesture to both men. The lights go back down and Taker disappears.
As Jericho and Punk argue over who Taker was addressing, Jericho accepts Punk’s challenge and both men get in their final jabs for the evening. Punk tells Jericho that he is lying to the people by trying to convince them that he is original by any stretch of the imagination. Punk says that while Jericho claims to “re-invent” himself with every return, that he’s still the same guy who graced WWE’s stage twelve years ago and the only adjustment he made last time around was “getting all serious, using flowery language and ripping off Anton Chigurh.” Punk tells Jericho that he’s not fooling anyone and come the Royal Rumble, “I’m keeping the WWE Championship...Friend-O.”
Jericho fires back, telling Punk that he won’t have to wait long to see him re-invent himself. Jericho vows that at the Royal Rumble, he will re-invent himself as the NEW WWE CHAMPION. Punk tries to set up for the GTS, but Jericho counters out and hits the champion with a Codebreaker. Jericho heads back up the entrance ramp, taunting Punk as he gets back to his feet, mouthing “That’s 1-0.” as we go to commercial.
Back from commercial and the second Royal Rumble Qualifying Match is about to get underway as Alex Riley makes his way to the ring. Wade Barrett enters and reassures Riley that he won’t have to qualify against him, but against his newest advisor--William Regal.
Alex Riley def. William Regal to qualify for the Royal Rumble Match
Good match. Finish came when Riley evaded a Knee Trembler from Regal and hoisted him into position for an A-Bomb and the three count. After the match, Barrett jumps Riley and drops him with Wasteland, leaving him lying. Jack Swagger runs down and slaps on the Ankle Lock, refusing to let go. WWE officials have to break the hold and Swagger goes to the announce table and walks off with the United States Championship.
Shawn Michaels is still holding more interviews to try and find a replacement at General Manager. This time, it’s Zack Ryder and DDP, who get a decent pop, but it’s very clear that the search still hasn’t reached a resolution and time is quickly running out.
Santino Marella def. Husky Harris to qualify for the Royal Rumble Match
Cena watches from the entrance ramp, hoping to get as much support as he can in the event that he himself can qualify for the Rumble later tonight. Husky attempts his Running Senton Splash, but Santino moves out of the way and lands his own Running Headbutt. As Harris staggers back to his feet, Santino strikes with The Cobra and locks up the three count as Cena hangs his head in disappointment.
A promo for Rey Mysterio’s return airs, containing only the word “February”.
Michaels is growing increasingly frustrated as one by one the candidates that come forth are increasingly disappointing. Hunter is now trying to console HBK and convince him that someone will come along in time to accept the job. Michaels opens the door for the next candidate and THE BOOGEYMAN sticks his head into Michaels’ office. Michaels quickly shuts the door and Hunter concedes that “This might be harder than I thought.”
Drew McIntyre def. Goldust to qualify for the Royal Rumble Match
Finish came as McIntyre countered the Curtain Call into Futureshock for the pin.
Michaels looks as though he has finally given up and is willing to subject himself to an appointed replacement by the Board of Directors, when Hunter enters and says that the man the Board of Directors has selected to replace Michaels should he fail to find a proper replacement before the end of tonight’s show is the very man he took it from, JBL. Michaels has an epiphany and says that won’t be necessary, he knows just who to appoint to the position as we go to our final commercial.
John Cena tells the other members of Nexus to watch the next match closely, because this is how one qualifies for the Royal Rumble. Cena hits the ring and invites out his opponent, only to find that he must qualify by defeating the returning---VADER!
John Cena def. Vader to qualify for the Royal Rumble Match
Cena took everything Vader had to offer, including the Vader Bomb, Power Bomb and the Diving Moonsault. Upon receiving the Moonsault, Cena sticks his foot on the bottom rope out of desperation. The Nexus surrounds the ring and jumps on the apron to create a distraction. Vader destroys McGillicutty and Harris, but Mason Ryan clubs Vader in the back of the head and Cena takes Vader from behind with the F-U. Cena locks in the STFU and Vader taps out. Cena keeps the hold locked in, forcing Vader to tap out, releasing the hold only upon the threat of the decision being reversed. The Nexus stands triumphant as Cena qualifies for the Rumble.
The WWE Board of Directors comes to the ring and prepares to make the announcement that JBL will be inheriting the duties of the RAW General Manager. Just before the announcement can be made, however, Shawn Michaels interrupts and says that after an entire evening of interviewing candidates he realized that the next nominee for the WWE Hall of Fame hadn’t been made yet, and he knew that he had his replacement. HBK throws to the tribute video and the new RAW General Manager and WWE Hall of Fame Inductee is-----THE RATED-R SUPERSTAR EDGE!!!!! EDGE IS BACK! Edge comes to the ring to an ENORMOUS pop and proceeds to drop JBL with an Edgecution before shaking hands with HBK and accepting the position. Edge celebrates with the fans and poses on the turnbuckle to end the show.
No comments:
Post a Comment