WWE Raw kicks off tonight with the usual pyro explosions as Jim Ross welcomes to the Times Union Center in Albany, New York.
– Lilian Garcia is in the ring introducing RAW General Manager William Regal.
Regal introduces Orton’s opponent for Backlash, who he calls the most deserving #1 contender in WWE history, JBL. JBL’s limo pulls up to the ramp and out comes the self proclaimed Wrestling God.
JBL comes to the ring and extends his hand to Randy Orton for a shake. Orton doesn’t return the offer and Regal gets on the mic. Regal begins to talk and the music hits and out comes The Game, Triple H.
Triple H enters the ring and says he’s confused. He asks Regal if he is out of his friggin’ mind? Triple H asks him if this is his main event for Backlash? Triple H says he knows he was busy with Flair’s retirement last week, but he must have missed something. The Game says while Randy Orton won the match at WrestleMania, he didn’t really beat anyone. Triple H says Orton took a cheap shot and got lucky with the win. Then he asks how is a guy, who spent the last two years retired as an announcer on SmackDown, be the #1 contender? Triple H says JBL’s biggest claim to fame since being back is slapping a midget.
Regal says he has a solution and says Triple H has to earn his way into the Backlash main event. Regal announces that Triple H will face JBL and Randy Orton in a Handicap Match tonight and if he wins, the Backlash main event will be a Triple Threat. Orton and JBL argue with Regal at this as his music hits and JBL keeps arguing with him. We cut to commercial.
Umaga vs. Val Venis
Back from commercial and The Samoan Bulldozer Umaga is making his way to the ring as Val Venis makes his way out for this singles match.
Umaga starts the match off in total control of Val. Venis goes to fight back but Umaga comes back and whips him in the corner. Umaga catches Val in the throat and rams him in the turnbuckle post in the corner.
Umaga slams Val back to the mat and grounds him with a neck hold. Val gets to his feet but Umaga keeps punishing him. Umaga locks on another neck hold as Val tries to fight back and hold on. Val gets to his feet and fights back but Umaga drops him with a big backdrop.
Umaga drags Val to the turnbuckle and hits a big running splash on his head. Umaga calls for the Samoan Spike, lifts Val Venis to his feet and hits him hard with the Spike. Umaga gets the 1-2-3 for the win.
Winner: Umaga
– Back from commercial and Melina and Jillian Hall are coming out…
Jillian Hall and Melina vs. Ashley Massaro and Mickie James
Mickie and Ashley are out next for this Divas tag match. Ashley starts the match off quick getting a 2 count on Jillian. Ashley climbs Jillian in the corner and punches her until Melina hits her from behind. Melina gets tagged in and they hit a double team move on Ashley and gets a 2 count until Mickie breaks it up.
Mickie finally gets tagged in and goes to work on Melina then dropkicks Jillian. Mickie turns round but gets hit in the turnbuckle by Melina. Melina takes back control of the match, working up Mickie in the turnbuckle. Mickie puts her knees up and blocks Melina, hits a running neck breaker and a 2 count.
The other two Divas get involved but clear the ring. Mickie hits her finishing move DDT on Melina and gets the pinfall. Ashley and Mickie celebrate in the ring to Mickie’s music.
Winners: Mickie & Ashley
– Back from commercial and we go to a video of highlights of Ric Flair at WrestleMania 24 and on RAW the next night with his farewell address.
Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch vs. Brian Kendrick and Paul London
Back from commercial and Cade & Murdoch are making their way to the ring. Their opponents are out next, doing their usual entrances, running to the ring.
London comes in right off the bat, hits some big moves on Cade and gets a close 2 count. Murdoch trips London, making him fall on his face. Cade regains control and gets a 2 count. Murdoch gets tagged in and they hit a big double team move on London then a 2 count.
Murdoch continues to beat down London, getting another 2 count. Cade gets tagged back in and keeps London from tagging in, pummeling him. Cade tags back in Murdoch who misses a big running elbow in the corner. Kendrick finally gets tagged in and hits Murdoch with a series of kicks and dropkicks. Cade comes in while the ref is disracted and goes to powerbomb Kendrick. Cade botches the powerbomb, drops Kendrick but picks him back up and hits it. Murdoch ends up getting pinned.
Winners: Kendrick and London
– Backstage we see JBL and Randy Orton. The WWE Champ tells JBL to stay out of his way tonight because he will defeat Triple H again. The match is next as we go to commercial.
Handicap Match: Triple H vs. Randy Orton and JBL
Back from commercial and Triple H is coming to the ring where Randy Orton and JBL are waiting.
Randy Orton and Triple H start the match off and Triple H gets him in the corner with a series of right hands then a clothesline. Orton hits Triple H with a knee to the chest and backs him in the corner with right hands. The Game beats down JBL then goes back after Orton.
William Regal is watching this match at ringside. JBL gets tagged in and backs Triple H into the ropes. He backs off, they talk some trash and stare each other down. JBL backs up as the referee comes between them. They lock back up and Triple H applies a side headlock then knocks him down with a shoulderblock. The Game grounds JBL to the mat with a headlock and holds it.
JBL tags in Orton, who comes in and goes to work on Triple H. Orton distracts the ref a couple of times as JBL stomps on Triple H. The ref turns around and catches JBL beating on Triple H and makes him back off. Orton keeps on working on Triple H and gets a 2 count. Orton goes stomping on Triple H’s knees, legs and arms, wearing down The Game.
JBL gets tagged back in and nails Triple H with a series of right hands and a big side slam. JBL hits four straight elbow drops on The Game for a 2 count. JBL tags back in Orton who comes in kicking at The Game’s ribs and backs him in the corner with right hands. Triple H comes out of the corner with right hands and they go back and forth with punches. Orton hits a big powerslam on Triple H for another 2 count and JBL is tagged back in.
JBL goes to work with more kicks and applies a sloppy sleeper hold on The Game, taking him to one knee. Triple H fights back and breaks the hold and hits a big knee to the face on JBL. Triple H with more right hands to JBL but gets hit by a big boot in the corner. JBL goes for the Clothesline from Hell but Orton tags himself in. Triple H counters the RKO, pushes Orton into JBL and hits the Pedigree on Orton for the win! Triple H is going to Backlash.
Winner: Triple H
– After the match, William Regal gets in the ring and officially announces the Triple Threat main event at Backlash for the WWE Title. The music hits and out comes John Cena.
Cena comes out and congratulates Triple H on going to Backlash. Cena makes his way to the ring and says he has a proposition. Cena says since Triple H said he never lost at WrestleMania because Cena got beat by The Pedigree, Cena brings up beating Triple H at Royal Rumble and WrestleMania before. Cena also talks about beating JBL before. Cena says at last year’s Backlash, he defeated Randy Orton.
Cena then makes some lame homosexual jokes towards Randy Orton and proposes to William Regal that we have a Fatal 4-Way at Backlash for the WWE Title. JBL and Orton don’t like the sound of this, especially JBL who is yelling at Regal. Regal says Cena has given him a fantastic idea but says if Cena wants to be in the main event, he has to earn his spot tonight in a Handicap Match. Tonight, Cena will face JBL and Triple H in a match and if he wins, then he goes to Backlash in the Fatal 4-Way main event. Regal’s music hits as the WWE Superstars look at each other after hearing the news and Cena makes his exit to the back.
– Still to come, The Highlight Reel with Batista and Shawn Michaels. We go back to commercial.
Hardcore Holly and Cody Rhodes vs. Carlito and Santino Marella
Back from commercial and the WWE Tag Team Champions are coming out. The odd team of Carlito and Santino come out next to Carlito’s music.
Cody and Carlito start the match and Cody locks Carlito in a side headlock. They go back and forth until Holly gets tagged in and they hit a nice double team hip toss. Carlito and Santino get confused on who’s tagged in and finally Santino comes in. Santino works on Holly in the corner and tags back in Carlito.
Carlito and Santino go back and forth on Holly getting a couple of 2 counts in there. Carlito puts his knee in Holly’s back and grounds him to the mat with a chinlock. Santino gets tagged in and tries to stop Holly from tagging but he gets to Cody Rhodes. Cody comes in and cleans house, knocking Carlito off the apron. A big knee on Santino. Cody runs into Santino’s boot in the corner and gets knocked off the top rope. Santino hits a diving headbutt off the top rope for the pinfall on Cody Rhodes.
Winners: Carlito and Santino Marella
– Back from commercial and we see Cryme Tyme backstage with their WrestleMania Clearance Sale. They’ve got some Soul gel from Rocky Johnson they say, an autographed copy of Maria’s Playboy and a pair of Kim Kardashian’s panties, straight from the Hall of Fame. Shad tells him that Kim wasn’t at the Hall of Fame and that was Mae Young’s dressing room he went into. Cryme Tyme does their “Money Money” gimmick and we go back to JR and The King at ringside who lead us into a Great Khali-Big Show video.
– Backstage we see Triple H backstage getting ready when JBL walks in. JBL makes this speech when Triple H pulls out his ear plugs; he was listening to music. JBL walks off asking why doesn’t anyone listen to him. Triple H says “pretty much because you’re an ass” and we go back to commercial.
Maria vs. WWE Women’s Champion Beth Phoenix
Back from commercial and Maria makes her way out to the ring. The Glamazon comes out next for this non-title match. Maria charges Beth to start the match and they lock up and trade slaps then Maria hits her with a forearm and a kick. Beth overpowers Maria and slams her on her back, kicking and stomping on her.
Beth hits a big dropkick on Maria, sending her outside to regain her composure. Back in the ring and Beth hits an odd submission to slam move on Maria. Maria rolls Beth up for a close 2 count and fights back with knees to the gut and kicks. Maria takes her down with a head scissors and a cross body off the top rope. Beth rolls over Maria’s crossbody and picks her up in the air. Maria counters with a DDT and gets a 2 count.
Beth Phoenix drops Maria’s neck over the ropes then hits her Fisherman’s suplex for the pinfall and the win.
Winner: Beth Phoenix
– We see Shawn Michaels and Batista making their way to the ring for The Highlight Reel with Chris Jericho as we go back to commercial.
The Highlight Reel with Chris Jericho, Shawn Michaels and Batista
Back from commercial and the WWE Intercontinental Champion Chris Jericho makes his way to the ring where the set for The Highlight Reel is up.
Jericho says tonight, the whole thing could go up in flames and calls out his first guest, Batista. The Animal comes out, with no pyro and makes his way to the ring. Jericho calls out his next guest, Shawn Michaels and calls him the man who ended Ric Flair’s career. HBK comes out next to a nice pop and just a few boo’s.
Jericho flashes a graphic on the screen of WWE fans response to the question earlier. The majority voted Yes that HBK made the wrong decision at WrestleMania by ending Flair’s career. HBK says it was Ric Flair who asked him to do the match at WrestleMania. Jericho shows the match on the screen and where HBK went through the table with the moonsault.
Jericho talks about when HBK said “I’m sorry, I love you” before he superkicked Ric Flair. HBK says he’s sorry and Batista interrupts and says the hell he is sorry. Batista says he is only sorry that people are giving him crap. Jericho laughs and smiles as Batista talks down to Shawn Michaels. HBK asks Batista where was his friendship for Flair on WrestleMania when he could have talked Flair out of the match. HBK says Flair didn’t want Batista in that ring with him because he knew he couldn’t handle it. HBK says WrestleMania was the hardest night of his career. Batista said he trusted Shawn Michaels. They exchange some words and stare each other down. Batista drops his mic, they exchange another stare as we go to commercial and Batista leaves the ring. We see John Cena coming to the ring.
– Backstage and we see William Regal backstage on the phone. Randy Orton walks up and says he was on the phone with Vickie Guerrero and Shawn Michaels vs. Batista is on for Backlash. Orton says he deserves to be treated with respect. Regal says he will teach everyone about respect as RAW comes from London, England next week and Orton’s opponent will be him, William Regal.
Handicap Match: John Cena vs. Triple H and JBL
JBL and Cena start the match off with Cena getting distracted by Randy Orton walking to ringside. JBL clubs Cena from behind and goes to work on the former WWE Champion.
JBL gets a 2 count on Cena and goes to tag Triple H but it doesn’t happen. Cena tries to come back but JBL knocks him back to the mat. JBL continues to kick and stomp on Cena, controlling the match. Triple H keeps extending his hand to tag but JBL won’t do it.
Another 2 count by JBL. Cena gets knocked to the outside and JBL follows as Orton cheers him on. Back in the ring now and JBL grounds Cena on the mat with a chinlock and holds it. Cena fights back and Triple H refuses the tag to JBL. Orton taunts Cena until Cena hits the 5 Knuckle Shuffle on JBL. JBL tries to tag again but The Game won’t do it. JBL rolls out of a FU and Triple H dodges JBL again. JBL ducks the FU again but hits Cena with a big boot, laying him out.
Triple H and JBL exchange words and start brawling in the ring. They go to the floor where Orton gets laid out by JBL. Back in the ring, Orton lays out JBL with a RKO and leaves the ring. Cena pins JBL for the win and the chance to fight at Backlash.
Winner: John Cena
RAW goes off the air as Orton holds his WWE Title high and Cena celebrates going to Backlash.
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