Full Credit: Todd Martin, wrestlingobserver.com
WWE Raw Report
By: Todd Martin
Email: MartinT2007@lawnet.ucla.edu
Date: 01/03/04 from Long Island, NY.
The Big News: Randy Orton defeated Triple H heading into New Year’s
Revolution this weekend. He will face a serious challenge in the form of a
determined Batista. Also, Muhammad Hassan beat up Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler
following their debate.
Title Changes/Turns: None.
Match Results: Dave Batista b Chris Benoit; Edge b Chris Jericho; Shelton
Benjamin b Sylvan Grenier; Trish Stratus b Victoria; Christian b Eugene
Dinsmore; Randy Orton b Triple H.
Show Analysis:
I would like to start this report by sending a special shout out to a close,
long-time personal friend who joined me for some of Raw tonight: my sister.
In an unrelated note, what kind of loser would play this WWE fantasy game,
or worse yet spend their hard earned money on it? I take that back. I’m just
kidding. But if you’re going to play the game, at least do a better job
running your team than Keiji Muto did ruining, err running, All Japan. Now
that’s a crying shame. OK, I’ve dropped about 20 subliminals, so let’s get
to Raw. I’m a bad person.
Eric Bischoff, holding the title, announced that all the Elimination Chamber
participants would wrestle each other on Raw. This led into the first match,
where Batista scored a dominant victory over the pride of Atlanta, Chris
Benoit. He used an awesome fisherman buster/superplex/brain buster type move
on Benoit off the top rope and applied a half crab, mockingly forcing Benoit
to tap by moving his hand. He hit a spine buster for a near fall. Benoit
came back with an enzuigiri, German suplex and head butt off the top for a
near fall. Benoit applied the crossface, but Batista lifted him up and
rammed his head multiple times into an exposed turnbuckle. He then hit the
sit down power bomb for the pin. Batista was put over very strong and clean
here, and it is nice to see them firmly choose wrestlers to put over.
Backstage, Flair talked up Batista to HHH. He said that HHH can beat up the
other guys in the Chamber, and then Batista coming in last will do the dirty
work and get the title back to HHH. HHH said he knows he can count on
Batista. Batista came in and wanted the $100 from his bet with HHH last
week. Batista has large ears. I hope he doesn’t hear that. Anyway, HHH was
clearly annoyed and asked Flair to give him the money. Batista wanted the
money from HHH. An angry HHH pulled out the money, but Batista said he was
only kidding. This was a very interesting backstage vignette, and one of the
more effective ones they have done with Batista and HHH.
Gene Snitsky did an interview. He came on to the interviewer who can’t
complete sentences so she left. Snitsky said he has a surprise for Kane, and
it isn’t his fault. Edge complained about Michaels as the referee to
Bischoff, so it looks like they will be wrestling at Mania. Bischoff told
him to take out his frustrations on Chris Jericho. Edge did, defeating
Jericho. Edge used a hammerlock, chicken wing and arm bar. Jericho came back
with a bulldog, huracanrana, enzuigiri and Northern Lights suplex. He went
for the Walls but it was broken up. Jericho went for a crossbody off the top
but missed. Edge went for the spear but Jericho leap frogged over him.
Jericho went for a victory roll but Edge dropped down ala Bret Hart vs. Owen
Hart from WrestleMania X. Edge grabbed the ropes for the pin in another
solid match.
Randy Orton did an interview where he said he would regain his title in the
Elimination Chamber. He also promised to take everything from HHH, and said
he would beat HHH later in the show. Shelton Benjamin beat Sylvan Grenier.
Maven came out for commentary and demanded a title shot. Benjamin hit a
spinning heel kick. Grenier didn’t kick out but the referee stopped his
count anyway. Benjamin then hit the T-Bone for the pin.
Next up was the debate. Hassan was asked if there is unfair persecution of
Arab-Americans. Hassan said America at its core is racist, and was founded
on slavery. He said Arab-Americans were discriminated against before and
after 9/11. The national tragedy was used as an excuse for America’s real
feelings to come through. He said there is now open discrimination without
consequence. Some of the crowd vociferously chanted USA, which in this
context made them look bad. He talked about searches and harassment and said
the United States is the most hated nation in the world.
Lawler replied that there are racists here, but there are racists
everywhere. He said calling American troops cowards was wrong. He said
people don’t hate Hassan and Daivari because they are Arab-American but
because they are jackasses. Daivari then went nuts. Hassan said he hates
most Arab-Americans for taking the abuse they are given. He said Jim Ross is
sickened that Hassan is just as American as him or his Sooners. He called JR
a coward. JR said love it or leave it. Hassan then attacked Lawler and JR.
He choked JR unconscious with a belt and busted open Lawler. Hassan and
Daivari left smiling. These four will wrestle in a tag team match on Sunday.
This was a good segment, but it killed off the crowd for the rest of the
night. It was perhaps too delicate and nuanced for pro wrestling. Both sides
made excellent points. The one exception was the lame love it or leave it
conclusion, which is the mantra of a fascist government, not a
constitutional democracy. I am very interested to see how this angle will
play overseas. They have given Hassan clear motivations that make him a more
sympathetic heel like Bret Hart of 1997.
Jonathan Coachman did commentary from this point on. Trish Stratus squashed
Victoria. Trish yanked around Victoria by her hair and choked her. She
missed the chick kick, but Victoria missed the jigglesault and Trish hit the
chick kick for the pin. Trish got on the microphone and said she is beating
Lita on Sunday. Lita came down and they traded blows. Lita was in control
with a rear naked choke when Snitsky came out. Trish gave Lita the chick
kick and Snitsky was going to smash her head when Kane made the save.
Personally, I would appreciate some sort of explanation why Lita has warmed
up to a man that essentially raped her and forced her into marriage.
Eugene and Christy were chatting backstage. He said she looks like Lindsay
Lohan. Her movie has been shooting right next to my law school, so I’ve been
waiting to run into her for some time now. I don’t think it is happening,
unfortunately. Eugene was listening to her CD, and Christy got him to sing a
song from it. Regal came in and Eugene and Christy left. Regal got the CD
player and started to sing and dance to the song. This was cute. I was
actually joking last week about a derogatory nickname for Christy, but some
of the suggestions were so funny I think I may actually use one or more of
them. I’ll get back to you all on that next week.
Christian beat Eugene. Christian’s new ring attire is awesome. Whoever did
it should do more stuff for them, and should design something to distinguish
Edge. Eugene used the Ultimate Warrior gorilla press and splash. I hope
nobody gives him AJPW tapes from the 90s, because he is going to get fired.
Tomko attacked Eugene on the outside, but Eugene was able to take over in
the ring with a Rock Bottom and airplane spin. Christian reversed that but
Eugene applied the double chicken wing ala Ricky Steamboat. They had a
series of rollups, with Christian grabbing Tomko’s hand and scoring the pin.
Backstage, HHH told Flair to come to ringside, but Batista to say backstage.
Ross came back for the main event. While I understand it helps to sell the
PPV, it really undermined the angle and should not have been done. If they
wanted Ross for the final sell, they should have done this angle last week
rather than this week.
Randy Orton beat Triple H. Orton went for the RKO, but HHH escaped. Flair
and Orton had a confrontation, and after Orton was dropped on the barricade
by HHH, Flair stomped him. HHH worked over Orton, but Orton threw HHH into
the post and steps. He used a neck breaker and cross body off the top for a
two. He applied a sleeper, but the referee got knocked out. HHH got the ring
bell but Orton stopped him and hit HHH with the bell. Batista came out, but
Benoit made the save. Michaels came out in a referee’s shirt, and Edge came
out to spear him. Jericho stopped Edge and used a plancha to the outside.
Orton went for the RKO but HHH countered. HHH went for the pedigree but
Orton countered and hit the RKO. Michaels counted the pin to conclude the
show.
Final Thoughts:
This was a tremendously well put together show. It was filled with great
wrestling, great vignettes and great build. Raw has been on a roll as far as
putting together solid self-contained shows that build up the next
pay-per-view. I’m still skeptical, because the show needs fresh main events
more than anything else. The crowd is getting behind Batista and they have
booked him very well, but I just don’t sense a turn by him in the near
future will be a positive. There is a real dearth of heel main event talent
on Raw, and turning Batista would leave Orton in limbo and focus the entire
promotion around HHH even more than it is already.
It’s also harder for someone of his size and style to work long term as a
face. If he sells too much it hurts his popularity and if he sells too
little it hurts the rest of the roster. Look at the Road Warriors, Brock
Lesnar or Bill Goldberg for examples. The better solution would be a heel
Batista on top in fresh match-ups against all the face talent, and if the
crowd still wants him as a face, it will work all the better a year from
now. But I just don’t see that happening. They haven’t allowed anyone to
shine above HHH in half a decade. The one problem with this show was the
debate, which while well done, killed off the crowd. I think the angle is a
major turn-off to the viewing audience, even though I haven’t minded it as
much as I thought I would. The willingness to give more conclusive finishes
is an indication of a confident direction, which is good. Sunday is very
important. The booking in this match could very well set the table for the
rest of the year, so it is imperative they come up with a finish that is
good for the business.
Source: Todd Martin
