WWE RAW Results (8/4): JBL is #1 Contender, Cena/Batista Win Tag Titles

WWE RAW
August 4, 2008
Knoxville, TN
Commentators: Michael Cole & Jerry “The King” Lawler
Reported By: Hunter Golden of WrestleView.com
We opened up with new Raw GM Mike Adamle on the ramp and he introduces himself before making some remarks. Adamle said there was a guy who wasn’t taken seriously and he wasn’t very good at his job. Adamle said he was talking about Ronald Reagan. He said he went from B-rated movie actor to one of the greatest Presidents the country has ever seen. He said first impressions could be deceiving. Ronald Regan once was on screen with a monkey. He called Jeff Hardy “Jeff Harvey”.
He said he wasn’t the greatest announcer and said there were even petitions asking for his resignation. He said it was their right in America. He said it wasn’t the America he wanted to be a part of. Adamle went over for his reasoning for putting Michael Cole into the tag title match, and then said tonight there’d be three championship matches tonight.
The first would be the tag team championship match between the team of Cody Rhodes & Ted Dibiase against John Cena & Batista. JBL came out of nowhere to congratulate Adamle on his recent promotion. He said first impressions could be deceiving as he showed off a copy of the newest issue of Fortune magazine.
JBL said as a football player, he knew what Adamle was made of.. He said he already made one blockbuster call last week making Cena-Batista, but wanted him to make a second one and put him in a title match with JBL.
Chris Jericho popped up out of nowhere and made HIS case for a title match. He put HBK out, right? JBL and Jericho began going back and forth, Adamle said that he could just make it a Triple Threat match, but that was the easy way out. He said tonight, he’d have JBL & Jericho take on Punk in a handicapped match. The man who defeated Punk would get the title shot. If they lost though, neither guy would get a shot at the big belt.
****Commercial****
WWE Intercontinental Championship
Kofi Kingston v. Paul Burchill
The two locked it up before Burchill took an arm wringer. Kingston tried to spin out of it but Burchill was able to use his strength to keep Kingston down to the mat. Kingston eventually shimmied out and attempted a key lock but Burchill shoved him off and slammed him to the mat.
The two criss crossed before Kingston hit a wheel kick and hit some punches and shoulder thrusts in the corner before flat backing the challenger with an uppercut for a one count.
Katie Lea interjected herself just long enough for Burchill to hit a forearm from behind before putting some brutal stomps to the back of Kingston’s head. Burchill hit a hangman’s neck breaker for a two count before bullying the smaller champion into the corner and working him over some more. Kingston shot out with a roll up attempt, but Burchill kicked out and floored him with an uppercut before slapping on the good old rear chin lock.
Kofi hit an arm drag to take Burchill down and hit some kicks, but Burchill was able to whip him to the ropes. Kingston bounded off and began hitting a flurry of kicks and strikes before connecting with a high cross body and a drop kick followed by the boom boom leg drop. One step up enzeguiri later, it’s all over.
Winner and STILL Intercontinental Champion: Kofi Kingston via pin fall
After the match Katie got in Kofi’s face. Kofi didn’t fall for the distraction this time though, and side stepped the oncoming Burchill and tossed him to the outside. The two tussled on the ring apron before Kofi chased his adversary back to the locker room.
Mickie James’ music hit and the next title match is on deck.
****Commercial****
WWE Women’s Champion
Mickie James v. Katie Lea Burchill
We came back to James in total control, bullying Katie around the ring. Mickie was laying it in with some forearm and a not so friendly drop kick to the mush of Katie. Mickie followed her challenger to the outside of the ring, hitting a Lou Thesz press before bringing her into the corner and cracking her in the ribs with some kicks.
Mickie’s emotions got the better and lost control as Katie clocked her with a kick to the back of the head and a neck breaker off the second rope. Katie went for the cover but James kicked out. Katie went to work on James’ back before hitting a snap mare out of the corner and booting her square in the back of the head.
Katie slapped on a bow and arrow and Mickie countered out into a cover attempt. The spurt didn’t last long though as Katie went back on the offense only for Mickie to hit the head scissors. James hit some forearms before hitting a STIFF funning forearm to the grill of Burchill. Mickie hit a huge neck breaker only for Katie to kick out.
Katie busted out a northern lights suplex for a two count before booting Mickie in the gut and looking for a neck breaker. Mickie however countered out of nowhere and hit a boot to the gut followed by the implant DDT for the win.
Winner and STILL Women’s Champion: Mickie James via pin fall
Beth Phoenix popped up right after the bell rang and slammed James in to the side of the apron. Mickie fought as best she could, but Phoenix quickly nailed the front face buster and that’s it for Mickie. Santino is on the apron telling everyone who she is. She grabbed his tush and shut him up in short order. He tried to return the favor but instead gently tapped hers. She likes it.
****Commercial****
Mike Adamle is in the back thanking Stephanie and Shane on the cell phone. Beth Phoenix and Santino showed up in his office demanding title shots. Adamle said there was only room for one more title match at Summerslam. They would have to decide between the two of them who would get their match. After a little passive aggressiveness from both sides, Adamle interrupted and decided to make a match of his own. It’d be a winner take all tag team match: Kofi Kingston & Mickie James v. Beth Phoenix & Santino Marella. Winner would take the titles.
A video aired putting over John Cena.
Batista was approached by Todd Grisham in the back. Batista said if Adamle wanted to make a splash putting him and Cena in the same match, so be it. But he had the same advice for Cena this week as he did last week: stay out of his way.
****Commercial****
Layla is dancing in the ring before cutting to a conversation between her and Jamie Noble earlier in the night. Noble said he made some reservations to the waffle house. Layla said things weren’t working. She said every time he ran his mouth, he got his butt kicked. She said she doesn’t associate with losers. Noble yelled something about Pecan Waffles.
Layla’s dancing some more before William Regal’s music hit and he came down the ramp. He waved Layla off and wanted to remind the people of exactly who he was. He said he was William Regal and he was our King. He said he earned that title winning the tournament earlier this year. He went to say something before Jamie Noble’s music hit and he came down to the ring.
Noble and Regal went at it and the refs had to pull them apart. Layla looks baffled.
****Commercial****
Chris Jericho & JBL v. CM Punk
Mike Adamle popped up and let us know there was a 10 minute time limit on the match. If it does, we’re getting another triple threat at Summerslam.
Jericho is sporting the traditional wrestling tights. While he and JBL bicker, Punk dive bombs them both. Jericho and JBL went right at Punk hammering away at him before tossing him into the ring and hitting a stereo shoulder block.
The two slapped away at Punk on the mat before backing him up into the ropes and whipping him. Punk threw on the breaks and back dropped Jericho to the floor before going one on one with JBL. JBL caught him in a high cross body attempt and hit the fall away slam for a two count before going to work on the back of Punk.
JBL laid ‘em in with right hands to the face of Punk before hitting a swinging neck breaker for a two count. Jericho was crawling into the ring but JBL knocked him back to the floor. He pursued Jeircho only to get whipped to the steps.
Jericho’s turn now. Jericho went after Punk with a rear chin lock as the crowd rallied Punk to his feet. Punk fought out with some back elbows before eating a knee to the gut. Jericho dropped a knee across Punk’s face before Punk kicked out.
Jericho kept up the pressure with a body slam and mounted the top rope before Punk cut him off. Punk went for the super plex only for Jericho to fight him off. Jericho went for the flying back elbow and connected for a two count.
Jericho slapped on the abdominal stretch only for Punk to rally yet again. Punk tossed Jericho off and hit some knees to Jericho’s head only for JBL to pop up and flat back him with a clothesline for a two count. Jericho and JBL are all over each other now exchanging blows.
JBL got the better of the exchange this time and chased the champion to the outside of ther ring and nailed him into the table. JBL tossed Punk into the ring only for Jericho to hit a lion sault and almost get the cover but JBL broke it up.
JBL and Jericho are still going at it and Punk hit JBL with the flying lariat. Punk tossed Jericho into the corner crotch first and Punk’s looking good. Punk was able to hit GTS on JBL but Jericho broke up the cover. Punk caught the oncoming Jericho with a running power slam for a two count before he sling shotted Jericho into his groggy partner. He rolled Jericho up for a super-hot two count.
Jericho slapped on the Walls of Jericho as Punk writhed in pain in the middle of the ring. JBL nailed Jericho with a boot to the back of the head and sent him to the floor. JBL staggered to his feet only for Jericho to snap mare his head off the top rope. JBL staggered back and fell on Punk for the pin fall with 1 second to go.
Winner and #1 Contender for the World title: JBL via pin fall
We’re going to hear from Shawn Michaels after the break.
****Commercial****
A video putting over the vicious beating Shawn Michaels received at the hands of Chris Jericho at the Great American Bash aired.
Shawn Michaels is with us via Satellite. HBK said he was going through a culmination of injuries he’s had over his career. He’s been wrestling with broken ribs has had a history with his knees and back. He said the deal was that he had a re-evaluation with the Doctors prior to Summerslam. He said he would publicly announce their decision at the Summerslam show. He said this time, he’d listen to his advice. He said if he could compete, even on a limited basis, he would. He said though, if the news was bad, he was prepared to walk away. He said he loved performing for the fans but the one thing he loved more was his family. He said maybe it was time to start putting them first.
Later tonight John Cena & Batista will face Cody Rhodes & Ted Dibiase for the tag titles.
****Commercial****
Matt Striker, our teacher, is in the ring. He said he wanted to thank GM Mike Adamle for allowing him to compete as a member of the Raw roster. He said he knew he’d get to face the finest competition…. He spoke for a while before Kane’s music hit.
Kane v. Matt Striker
Kane sized up Striker who tried a boot to the stomach but instead was punched to the mat. Striker tried to slide through Kane’s legs but Kane hit an upper cut and floored the former NYC school teacher. Kane followed up with a big boot and an Irish whip followed by a clothesline.
Kane caught a huge side walk slam after that before climbing to the top rope and connecting with his big lariat. Kane signaled for the choke slam and planted Striker to the mat for the pin fall.
Winner: Kane via pin fall
After the match, Kane grabbed a mic and said he was in a bad place lately, but he was better now. He said he figured out that ‘he wasn’t alive, he was dead’. Kane kept looking at his little man-purse with whatever’s inside it.
****Commercial****
The Smackdown rebound aired.
A video putting Batista aired after Cole & King ran down the Summerslam crowd.
John Cena put over how important Batista was to the fans of the WWE. He said he knew this was the ultimate showdown at Summerslam. He ran down the history between the two and that the day was coming, that they’d face each other. He said in his match tonight, he’d be ready for anything.
****Commercial****
Mike Adamle is in the back when Kelly stops by. She wanted to congratulate him on the job he was doing. He thanked her. She said he’s out done himself tonight. She said that Kane was something else. Adamle agreed and said that he needed to find out what was in that bag. He said next week, they’d find out what was in there.
World Tag Team Championship
Cody Rhodes & Ted Dibiase v. Batista & John Cena
Cena and Dibiase got things started. The two locked up with a hot crowd. Dibiase hit the side head lock and the two criss crossed before Cena hit the turnbuckle shot and followed it up with the bulldog. Cena dragged Dibiase to the middle of the ring and went for a cover attempt before tagging in Batista.
Rhodes tagged in and it’s Batista-Rhodes. Batista chucked Rhodes to the side like he was absolutely nothing. Rhodes came at Batista and grabbed a headlock and a sunset flip and a…. none of it is working. Batista bullied Rhodes into the corner and began absolutely hammering him with shoulder blocks.
Rhodes caught Batista with a kick to the face but after a nice leap frog duck under sequence from Batista, got planted with a clothesline. After some stooging with Cena, Batista found himself double teamed and planted into the ring post.
****Commercial****
We came back to Cena getting the hot tag from Batista. The crowd is going bananas. Cena went through his victory sequence on the champions before getting ready to hit the five knuckle shuffle. Cena went for the FU, but Dibiase hit a blind tag and drop kicked Cena to the floor.
Dibiase whipped Cena into the ring steps before gathering the former champion and tossing him back into the ring. He went for a cover but Cena got his hand on the bottom rope. Rhodes tagged in and he and his partner hit a double suplex for a two count.
Dibiase and Rhodes picked Cena apart, hitting a back suplex and a fist drop. After nailing a vicious clothesline, Dibiase tagged in his partner and Rhodes hit a methodical drop kick for a two count. After trading blows, Rhodes surprisingly got the better of Cena and hit a side Russian leg sweep before tagging in Dibiase again.
Dibiase hit a top rope axe handle on Cena for a two count before tagging Rhodes right back in. The two hit dueling back elbows for another two count but Cena kicked out.
Rhodes booted away on Cena’s head, taunting him. Rhodes hit a sleeper hold on Cena and began to bring him to his knees. Cena struggled to his feet and Batista doesn’t look excited to get the tag. Rhodes brought Cena to the corner and went for a pin, but Cena kicked out.
Dibiase tagged in and slapped on a sleeper hold of his own, but Cena fought out and went for a sleeper of his own, but Cody Rhodes blind tagged and cut Cena off again. Cena eventually fought to his corner where he slapped Batista into the ring. Batista absolutely unloaded on Cody and Dibiase. Cena half-reluctantly disposed of Cody while Batista put away Dibiase for the win.
Winners and NEW Tag Team Champions: Batista & John Cena via pin fall
After the match Cena and Batista posed with their belts to dueling crowd reactions.