RawSan Jose, CA
Jan. 31, 2005
* Triple H starts the show reminding us how he's the Jesus Triple-H Christ of professional wrestling. After congratulating fellow Evolution-member Batista's Rumble win he predicts that their Wrestlemania title-match will be the greatest in history.
Before Batista can say his piece the Titantron interrupts with Smackdown's champion John "Bradshaw" Leyfield challenging Batista to jump brands and challenge him for Wrestlemania (a reversal of Chris Benoit's jump from last year.)
H insists that Batista's not interested and the segment ends without us getting his side of things.
Intercontinental Title
Shelton Benjamin (c) vs. Simon Dean
Simon Dean was known as Nova in ECW (I think, I'm not an ECW expert.) His gimmick is of a Charles Atlas - Richard Simmons type claiming we can all be fit and trim by using the Simon System.
Shelton pins him fairly quickly, and when Simon claims that he won because Shelton used the Simon System he gets his ass pounded again.
* HHH informs Bischoff of his disgust for whoever had the bright idea of airing the JBL challenge for Batista. He wants to get to the bottom of it.
Some bimbo chick is shooting shirts to the crowd when Edge comes out and insults her. Shawn Michaels interrupts the degradation and wants a rematch right now from the night before. Edge declines since he already beat him and gets Superkicked in his oversized teeth as a result.
Singles Match
Maven vs. Hurricane
Quick Maven win, next.
* Gene Snitsky, wrestlings first baby killer, scares some random women while admiring their shoes. I've never understood shoe fetishes. High Heels do nothing for me. I like licking toes though. Thought you'd like to know that.
* Bisch sends Coach out to solve the JBL mystery, but Theodore Long arrives to admit that he's offering Batista $$$ to jump to Smackdown.
* Stacey's concerned over Randy Orton's concussion. I hope it gives him a better character.
Tag Team Championship
La Resistance (c) vs. Chris Jericho/Chris Benoit
The referee loses control and throws the match out. The two Chris', both former tag champs together and former Heavyweight champs as well, weren't able to soundly defeat the foo-foo french team, and they're none too happy with each other about it.
* Muhammad Hassan (maybe you've read about him in the papers and magazines?) complains that his loss at the Rumble (where everyone in the ring gained up to throw his Arab Ass out) was further proof of America's racism against Islam. He challenges any American from the back which brings us:
American Challenge
Sgt. Slaughter vs. Muhammad Hassan
Camel Clutch embarrasses America. If Sarge voted for Bush then he had it coming. Besides, he's old, fat and bald now.
* HHH confides with Ric Flair that perhaps he's being selfish keeping Batista from his destiny of dominating Smackdown and having Evolution control both brands. Good way to keep Batista from destroying him at 'Mania.
* Next week Raw comes from Tokyo, where we get Benoit vs. Jericho, Regal/Tajiri against the Frenchmen for the titles, and Edge vs. Trip for the big one.
Tag Team Match
Randy Orton/Shawn Michaels vs. Triple H/Ric Flair
Randy knocks his concussed head loopy again. Trip nearly finishes him off but Shawn Superkicks him. Edge runs in to attack Shawn, missing and spearing Hunter instead, and Randy gets the pin. Shawn holds the dazed Orton up, looking like he wants to play with him in the shower or something.
Cage Match
Kane vs. Gene Snitsky
Kane tears the door off the cage and Chokeslams Snitsky on it for the pin.
Smackdown
San Jose, CA
Taped Feb. 1, 2005
Broadcast Feb. 3, 2005
* John Cena congratulates Batista's win and encourages him to jump ship. Teddy Long announces that there will be an 8-man tournament started to determine JBL's Wrestlemania opponent. Leyfield isn't happy with that, or with his scheduled Barbed-Wire Cage Match against The Big Show in a few weeks. He and his toady Orlando Jordan try to jump Cena but get held off and FU'd for their troubles.
Kurt Angle Invitational
Angle gloats over hurting Shawn Michaels at the Rumble and challenges him, but is met instead by Nunzio (whose Royal Rumble # Angle strong-armed from him)
A quick Anklelock gets the win for Kurt.
* Kurt orders Mark Jindrak to soften Rey Misterio up for him, and isn't happy to learn from Luther Reigns that his next opponent after beating Rey will be Undertaker.
* Carlito Colon tells Long that he'll be defending himself before the Board of Directors in Stamford instead of Japan.
Singles Match
Rey Misterio vs. Mark Jindrak
Jindrak doesn't soften Rey up and loses instead.
* Amy demands Joy pay for the dry cleaning from last week. Joy refuses so Amy declares The Bashams will beat Big Show. Huh? So? What'd one have to do with the other?
2 on 1 Handicap Match
The Basham Brothers (c) vs. The Big Show
Second week in a row Tag Champs are soundly defeated by one wrestler (last week Batista beat La Rez and shoved a flag pole up their ass.)
Singles Match
Undertaker vs. Rene Dupree
Jindrak pulls Rene out after he's Chokeslammed, Taker goes out after them and it's a Double Countout. Undertaker Tombstones Dupree for his trouble.
Singles Match
Booker T vs. Eddie Guerrero
Eddie tries to play Possum with a fake hurt knee but it doesn't work and Booker gets the pin with a handful of tights.
* Due to the Taker - Dupree DCO the winner of the Misterio - Angle match automatically goes to the Final.
And we're outta here for this week.
