They start the show with a tribute to Martin Luther King Jr.
The show starts with the IC Title Match last week between Jeff Hardy and Orton. Orton low blows Jeff to get DQed from the match. They brawl and Orton is about to kick Jeff’s head off when Jeff back body drops Orton off the stage. Jeff then climbs the lighting rig and hits a swanton from way too high. They are both taken out on stretchers.
The now opening is great! Lots of Cena, HHH, Orton, Umaga and HBK. Pyro and then a good look at the new set. There’s 1.2 million LEDs in the new set. It’s huge! There’s a huge bar of LEDs across the top that says RAW but can change to whatever they want. It gives of huge amounts of light to the crowd.
HBK comes out. His entrance looks great. “HBK” down the new columns. Kennedy comes out and his logo is behind him in LEDs, it also looks great. Kennedy takes off his shirt and throws it at the back of HBK’s head. HBK tosses it into the crowd.
They lock up and Kennedy gets a couple arm drags and an arm bar. HBK gets out and gets a front face lock on Kennedy. Kennedy gets out and they get to their feet. Kennedy gets a hammerlock on HBK. He gets out. HBK trips up Kennedy then hits a headlock takeover. HBK covers and Kennedy bridges out of the cover. HBK forces him back down from the back bend and into a cover. Kennedy telegraphs and gets kicked. Kennedy kicks HBK and covers for two. A couple of forearms across HBK’s face. A modified chinlock on HBK. “HBK” chants. Kennedy hits a neck breaker on HBK. Kennedy keeps a reverse chinlock on and hits another neck breaker. Kennedy rips a chunk of HBK’s hair out and tosses it in the direction of the fans. HBK gets backed into a corner and kicked in the gut a couple times. HBK gets a chop in. HBK manages to come back with a swinging neck breaker and both are down for at least five.
They exchange chops. A flying forearm by HBK and he nips up. Inverted atomic drop to Kennedy. HBK climbs. HBK hits his flying elbow. HBK tunes up the band. HBK goes for sweet chin music but Kennedy ducks and dives from the ring between the ropes. HBK flies out onto him.
– Commercial
Kennedy sling shotted HBK into the ring post during the break. Kennedy stomps HBK in a corner. Kennedy runs and drives his knee into HBK’s head. Kennedy covers for two. “HBK” chants from what sounds like a huge amount of kids. HBK is whipped, goes up-side-down, but comes back out with a huge clothesline. They’re both down for at least five. Kennedy hits a jawbreaker on HBK. Kennedy tried for the mic check but HBK elbows out. Kennedy is bleeding a bit from above an eye. Kennedy set HBK up top and climbs. He tries for a superplex but HBK fights him. HBK manages to punch Kennedy to the mat. HBK flies but Kennedy gets his knees up. Kennedy takes HBK down and covers for two.
HBK tries for sweet chin music but Kennedy drops back to the mat to avoid it. Kennedy comes back to his feet and goes after HBK who manages to hit sweet chin music. HBK covers for three. (Fantastic match!)
– Winner: HBK
Video recap of the super kick from a variety of angles. HBK celebrates up the ramp.
Out back Orton is sitting, holding his neck. He says that despite Jeff trying to end his career last week – he’s obviously talking to someone – that this person wants Orton to go to the ring and shake Jeff’s hand. Vince says yes, that’s what he wants. Orton says he took a vicious fall then Orton made a conscience (Orton mis-spoke, not a typo) decision to climb the rigging and fly. There’s no way Orton’s shaking his hand.
Vince asks if Orton knows how many times he’s had to shake people’s hands who he didn’t like? That’s why he always has hand sanitizer with him at all times. It might make Orton look more likeable. He does say Orton has to mean it when he shakes Jeff’s hand, heck, Vince doesn’t mean it. Therefore, if Orton shakes Jeff’s hand, Jeff has to be thinking to himself – what do I have to do to beat this man. When he looks in Orton’s eyes he’ll know he can’t. Vince tells him to go shake the man’s hand.
– Commercial
Beth comes out and the whole new set goes red. She’s in a black jumpsuit with the sides cut out. Mickie comes bouncing out and the whole area is stripped and swirled. She’s in a black and white version of her normal two piece outfit.
An arm bar on Mickie. Mickie cartwheels out and tries to reverse it but can’t. Double knuckle lock and Mickie is forced back and covered for two. Beth gets slammed into a corner and Mickie throws punches. Beth reverse it and set Mickie up top. Mickie goes for head scissors but end up on the apron. Beth knocks her to the floor and follows her out. Mickie gets slammed into the side of the ring. Back in the ring Beth gets a head lock on Mickie who powers out and rolls Beth up for two. A forearm to Mickie’s face, but Mickie comes back with her own forearms and manages to hit her head scissors. Mickie covers for two. Mickie goes for a DDT but gets hung up on the top rope. Beth uses the leverage to hit a cradle suplex. Beth covers for three.
– Winner: Beth
Beth leaves the ring and Mickie punches the mat in frustration.
Grisham is out back with HHH. He asks about HHH’s match tonight that will qualify him for the RR. HHH doesn’t know who he’s facing. He says that it’s not that Vince didn’t want to tell him, it’s that Vince spent the last 8 hours with makeup artists to cover his liver spots and age lines because of WWE going HD tonight. 7 of the 8 previous RR winners went on to win the title. He knows this because he was one of them. He guaran-damn-tees to win his match tonight.
– Commercial
Video of JBL dragging Y2J across the arena by a rope around his neck. JR says Y2J is here tonight.
Brian Kendrick is talking to Cody about being in the RR. Brian says he has a qualifying match. Holly walks in and makes sure Cody has his back when he faces Carlito tonight. Brian says something about Holly not having to dress like Carlito tonight. The young guys laugh but Holly doesn’t think it’s funny. Cody says he has a picture and put it up on his MySpace. Holly asks what the heck MySpace is. Brian tells him to get with the 21st century and that it’s on the world wide web. Holly says he knows what the world wide web is. He then says that if anyone gets in his space during the RR that he’ll take them out. That includes Cody.
Holly leaves. Brian comments on Holly being cranky. Cody says that’s Holly on a good day.
Video of Orton, growing up and traveling with his dad. He says he was bred to be a wrestler. It goes on to show his first WWE match when he beat Holly. He says he breathes wrestling and it’s in his blood. It goes on to show him in Evolution and then killing legends. Then there’s a big segment of his wrestling set to music. It then shows his attack on Matt Hardy out back.
Out back Finlay is heading for the ring. Hornswoggle is with him, running around him in circles and laughing. Finlay just grins.
– Commercial
Slam of The Week – Vince out back with Horney talking about the mini-rumble. Video of the mini-rumble, but then the real Khali comes out. Finlay comes out to save Horney.
Finlay and Horney come down to the ring together, they’re tagging tonight. The Highlanders are already in the ring.
Finlay and Rory lock up. Rory is back to the ropes but then Finlay is backed to the heel corner. Finlay elbows Robbie and then fights his way out of the corner. Rory takes Finlay down and stomps him. Rory goes after Horney and drags him into the ring. Horney bites his hand. Horney kicks Robbie through the ropes and then climbs. Finlay slams Rory down and Horney hits a tadpole splash for three.
– Winners: Finlay and Horney
Finlay and Horney celebrate and dance in the ring.
Y2J is out back heading for the ring.
– Commercial
Video of the JBL and Y2J feud.
Y2J’s music and it’s really cool to see him pose in front of the new set with all the lights. He comes down to the ring in black jeans and a black pin stripped button down shirt. He has mixed reviews from the fans but some chants of his name.
He says he could have come out and ranted and raved about how he wanted to face JBL tonight and not wait. But when JBL heard he was there, wouldn’t enter the building. He finds that interesting after he called Y2J a coward last week. He was watching last week with his kids. His 4 year old son looked at him and asked if he’s a coward. When Y2J said he’s not, his son had doubt in his eyes. JBL said he didn’t want to make it personal, but he did. After 17 years Y2J says he’s never been treated like he was. JBL made a big mistake when he did it. It wasn’t that he wrapped the cord around his neck and made him taste blood or by injuring his larynx. He made a mistake by not finishing the job. He’s been slapped around, punched and kicked by the biggest and baddest, but he’s never been dragged around like that. But he’s still here. MSG is the place that some of the best shows have been. But he’s not worried about a good show. On Sunday he’s just worried about a fight.
JR and King go through the matches scheduled for the RR.
Jeff Hardy is out back getting yelled at by Vince for risking Orton’s life and his own life. He tells him to go out and shake Orton’s hand tonight. He knows it’s like politicians who shake hands but hate each other. It will make Orton wonder what Jeff’s capable of and what he’d do to win the title.
Jeff says Vince doesn’t have to worry about anything. He’ll be out there and will give everyone something to talk about.
– Commercial
Promo for WMXXIV.
Kendrick comes to the ring for his RR Qualifying Match (even though he qualified at a house show a few weeks ago). Regal comes on the new tron and says that even someone like him could win the RR. But for Brian to qualify he’ll have to face someone who’s already qualified Umaga comes down to the ring.
Brian rushes Umaga and is slammed down. Umaga chops Brian down. Umaga whips Brian but Brian is able to move out of the way of the splash. Brian gets a lot of kicks in to Umaga’s legs, but then is slammed down again. Brian gets hung up-side-down. Umaga tries for a flying head butt but Brian sits up to avoid it. Brian hits a couple of drop kicks, one from the top, and an enziguri, but can’t drop Umaga. Brian gets flung in the air, caught then slammed in a Samoan drop. A Samoan spike and Umaga covers for three.
– Winner: Umaga
Video replay of parts of the squash.
Mickie is sitting on the floor out back crying. Maria comes up and asks what’s wrong. Mickie says she’s been giving her all, but can’t beat her. Ashley comes up and Mickie leaves. Ashley says she was at a party at the Playboy mansion and… Santino comes up and says he knows what Ashley’s going to say. He tells her thank you, but no thank you. Maria doesn’t need to buy him a subscription. Why buy the cow when you have someone who will milk you for free. He then drags Maria off.
– Commercial
A clip about Celebrity Apprentice when Vince is on this coming Thursday. They make little comments about each other for this video – about the WM haircut and who started the “You’re fired” being a big catch phrase.
HHH is out back getting ready for his match.
King is wearing 3D glasses. JR asks why. King says HD. JR corrects him saying it’s HD.
Video of Jeff Hardy. Some of his early matches (bad hair) and home videos set to music. A good deal of him high flying. Clips from ladder matches and more of him flying. It then goes to what happened at the end of RAW last week. More ladder match high flying.
– Commercial
Carlito comes down to the ring. Santino and Maria are in tow. Maria is in tight black pants and a long sleeved leopard shirt that only covers her tatas. Video from the trading places match a few weeks ago when Holly beat Carlito. Hardcore Holly comes down to the ring with Cody Rhodes.
They lock up and Holly shoulder blocks Carlito. Holly then takes Carlito down for two. A couple of chops to Carlito who comes back with a hard clothesline for one. Holly gets slammed into a corner and then Carlito kicks his back a couple times. Carlito slams Holly down for two. Carlito stomps Holly and then gets a chinlock on him. A knee in Holly’s back, but he gets to his feet and out. Carlito gets chopped into a corner. A suplex to Carlito and Holly covers for two. Carlito goes out to the apron and hangs Holly on the top rope. Carlito locks an arm hold on Holly who manages out. Back body drop to Carlito. Holly gets Carlito up for the Alabama slam but Santino jumps up on the apron. Holly drops Carlito and goes for Santino. Carlito grabs Holly and hits the back stabber.
– Winner: Carlito
HHH is out back heading for the ring.
– Commercial
Video from the 2002 RR when HHH won just after coming back from being gone for 8 months. HHH eliminated Mr. Perfect. Angle thinks he eliminated HHH, but hadn’t. HHH comes back at angle and eliminates him (think that might also be a little stab at TNA?).
HHH comes down to the ring. Regal’s music plays and he comes out to the stage. He says it’s not who his opponent is, but the match he’s in. In order to qualify he has to face potentially three people in an Over The Top Rope Gauntlet Match. His first opponent is Snitsky who comes down to the ring quickly.
HHH attacks him as soon as he enters the ring. HHH takes him down then tries to toss him out. Snitsky hits a side slam and drops an elbow. Snitsky gets HHH on his shoulder and tries to send him over the top. HHH holds on to the top rope and is able to get free. Snitsky tries to kick HHH in the head and ends up straddling the top rope. HHH can’t use that to get rid of Snitsky, but is then able to send him over the top.
Mark Henry comes out to face HHH. HHH hits a face buster but then runs into a clothesline. Henry tries to force HHH over the top, but can’t. Henry picks HHH and nails a back breaker. Henry gets HHH ½ over the top rope, but HHH holds on and gets back in the ring. HHH gets whipped but HHH moves before he gets splashed. HHH tries to pick up Henry and falls back with Henry on top of him. Henry splashes HHH in a corner. Henry waits for HHH to get to his feet and rushes him. HHH pulls the top rope down and Henry goes over the top.
Regal is seething. He stops the third person from running out and takes off his own jacket. Regal runs to the ring. Regal gets HHH up and almost over the top. HHH gets back in the ring and hits a spine buster. HHH tosses real from the ring to qualify for the RR!
– Winner: HHH
Regal is on the ramp screaming his head off at HHH. HHH poses on a corner close to the ramp and taunts Regal. Video of the three eliminations.
Split screen – Orton and Jeff Hardy are out back heading for the ring.
– Commercial
More video from Orton and Jeff Hardy’s feud.
Vince comes down to the ring. I don’t have HD, but Vince is obviously wearing makeup. He wants to hear it for Vince in HD, but gets head. He says at the RR there will be a WWE Championship Match. Vince introduces Orton. Orton comes out to the ring. He’s obviously a bit sore, but not as much as he’s playing it up. Vince then introduces Jeff Hardy. Jeff Hardy comes out and he’s limping badly, playing up last week’s jump.
“Hardy” chants. Orton and Jeff glare at each other. Vince says this match doesn’t need any hype and it’s actually been spiraling out of control. What type of match will it be at the RR? Will there be more high flying? More kicks to the head? But they will both leave it all in the ring until one wins. He asks them to put their differences aside and shake hands. But before they do, any last minute comments?
Orton takes the mic and says he’s going to be honest. Since he found out he was facing Hardy at the RR, he’s been relieved. Hardy’s done some amazing things, but has never come close to becoming the WWE Champion. But Jeff has impressed him. Every time he closes his eyes he see Jeff Hardy crashing down on him from 30 feet in the air. He won’t win the title, but has earned something almost as good – Orton’s respect.
“Hardy” chants. Jeff takes the mic and says he doesn’t care about earning his respect. He didn’t his a 30 foot swanton for respect, he did it to hurt Orton. He did it for his brother Matt. He did it to show he’d do anything to become WWE Champion. If he was going to shake hands with someone he respects, he’d have to get in a long line because he respects a lot of other people there more than him.
Jeff leaves the ring and goes to the announce table. He says people he respects like JR, and shakes his hand. Like Jerry Lawler, and shakes his hand. Like Lillian Garcia, and shakes her hand. Jeff then goes over to the fans and asks someone’s name. The guys says his name is Ryan. Jeff says, like Ryan, and shakes his hand. Jeff goes over the barrier and into the crowd. He asks a guy his name, Bobby. Like Bobby, and shakes his hand. Like Cody, like Ethan, like Justin, like Kevin, like Chris, like Wayne, like Jordan, like Christina, like Brian and shakes everyone’s hand as he shakes them.
Jeff re-enters the ring and drops the mic. Jeff glares at Orton who glares back. Orton puts his hand out. Jeff just glares. Jeff then kicks Orton in the gut and hits the twist of fate on him.
Biggest pop
Jeff Hardy
HHH
HBK
Biggest heat
Orton
Vince
Regal
Kennedy