WWE RAW Results: 11-3-08Results courtesy of
PWTorch.com (direct link to Caldwell's complete report). Condensed here to in-ring results only.
1 -- JEFF HARDY & ECW champion MATT HARDY vs. THE BRIAN KENDRICK (w/Ezekiel) & MVP
Jeff appears to be channeling the Barbarian with his eye-make up selection tonight. Oh my, they ran the spot where the referee didn't see a hot tag, except it was for the heels. Change of pace. Jeff took advantage by nailing the Swanton Bomb on MVP behind the ref's back as the ref was arguing with Kendrick, then Matt made the easy cover for the pin and the win.
WINNERS: Hardys in 4:00.
2 -- IC TITLE #1 CONTENDER BATTLE ROYALE
Some standard battle royale action started things off, then Manu and Cody DiBiase teamed up to dump Snitsky over the top rope. Suddenly, DiBiase snuck up behind Cody and Manu to dump them over the top rope. Cody and Manu could not believe their tag partner dumped them. Suddenly, Noble and Regal were on the outside. Apparently it was only Noble eliminated. Shad and JTG were left with DiBiase, who dumped JTG over the top rope to the floor. DiBiase then stalked Shad. They had an exchange while Santino said he could beat either one of those chumps. Shad then got hung up to dry on the top rope and DiBiase dumped him to the floor. Regal, who was not eliminated earlier, then snuck up behind DiBiase and dumped him to the outside to pick up the win. Santino remained confident he could take Regal while Regal celebrated with Layla in the ring. They showed a replay of the finish and Santino said Regal a cheated. But he's not scared, even with Raw in the U.K. next week.
WINNER: Regal in 3:00. Well, that was a quick battle royale. They really teased a DiBiase IC Title reign for about three seconds there, but now we'll get the tension between Priceless instead of re-focusing on the tag titles they lost last week. (1/2*)
3 -- KOSLOV vs. BRET HAAS
Koslov with a quick victory via the big boot, belly-to-belly suplex, and giant headbutt to the sternum for the win. Cole plugged Smackdown this Friday where Koslov gets a World Title shot if he beats The Undertaker.
WINNER: Koslov in 1:00. Squash. Not particularly amusing with the line for Koslov about Koslov screwing Koslov. Vince must have been reminiscing this week. (n/a)
4 -- THE MIZ & JOHN MORRISON vs. DX (SHAWN MICHAELS & WWE champion TRIPLE H)
We joined the action in progress with Hunter exploding into a clothesline on Morrison out of the corner. Shawn took a tag, then he worked on Miz before nailing a top rope elbow smash. Michaels wanted to end it, but Morrison held him back allowing Miz to nail a clothesline that turned Michaels inside out. Miz, by the way, with a crazy new Mohawk tonight. Miz tried to end it at 4:00 with the Reality Check, but Michaels blocked into a backslide for a nearfall. Miz then hopped up and nailed a clothesline. Morrison tagged in and wanted the rolling neckbreaker, but Michaels escaped and hit a kick to the head before tagging in Hunter. Hunter cleaned house with the traditional combo of moves, then he wanted the Pedigree on Morrison, but Miz broke it up, only to take a spinebuster. In the confusion, Morrison hit a springboard smash on Hunter for a two count when Michaels broke up the pin.
Morrison went back at Hunter and nailed a flying fist before kipping up like Michaels. He then tuned up the band in the corner like Michaels, which drew plenty of boos. Michaels then creamed Hunter with the superkick before tagging in Miz, who slowly entered the ring. Miz and Morrison did crotch chops over Hunter's fallen body before Miz went for the Pedigree. He took forever, so Hunter turned it into a back drop. Michaels then pulled Morrison to the outside. You see this coming. Michaels with the superkick on Miz, then Hunter with the Pedigree for the win.
Afterward, Cole tried to keep Miz and Morrison in the game by saying they gave DX a good fight, but Lawler countered that their egos got the best of them. Hunter and Michaels sold post-match injuries while celebrating. Miz and Morrison regrouped on the floor while DX stood tall in the ring, then Hunter posed over Michaels while they stared down at them.
WINNERS: DX in 8:00. Well, kind of went how you expected. Miz and Morrison with a very basic, no-harm-no-foul attack on Hunter and Michaels on ECW last week because they couldn't go for the jugular, then DX pretty much buries Miz and Morrison on the mic before giving them a slight amount of offense before finishing it off easily. Just the usual Spirit Squad formula here. (**)
5 -- Women's champion BETH PHOENIX & vs. KELLY KELLY & CANDICE MICHELLE & Divas champion MICHELLE MCCOOL & BRIE BELLA & MAE YOUNG & MICKIE JAMES & TIFFANY vs. Women's champion BETH PHOENIX & LAYLA & VICTORIA & JILLIAN HALL & NATALYA & MARYSE & KATIE LEA & LENA YADA
WINNERS: Team Beth in 2:00. As expected, this was a very short match. They flew in a whole lot of folks for a whole lot of nothing. (n/a)
6 -- RANDY ORTON vs. C.M. PUNK
Cole dropped the most over-used word of the political campaign, Maverick, in reference to Punk's in-ring style. At least he didn't call him a swashbuckling wrestler. Orton stalked Punk for the RKO at 2:00, but suddenly, Ted DiBiase stormed the ring and tackled Punk for a DQ. DiBiase pounded on Punk while Manu and Cody Rhodes stood on the apron, but Orton stepped into a punt to the head on DiBiase. He didn't get much of DiBiase, but DiBiase sold it as if he were dead. Cody and Manu stepped into the ring as if they were going to try something, but Orton stared them down before leaving the ring. Manu and Cody just stood over DiBiase while referees checked on DiBiase.
WINNER: Punk via DQ in 2:00. Well, that was disappointingly short. (n/a)
7 -- THE UNDERTAKER vs. JBL
At 3:00, Taker and JBL bumped heads in the ring, causing JBL to slip to the outside. JBL started to re-enter the ring, but he saw Taker sit up in the ring. JBL then decided he would take a powder for a count-out loss. He smiled it up and pointed to his head, but unfortunately for him, Shawn Michaels didn't break much of a sweat tonight. Michaels ran to ringside and threw JBL back into the ring where Taker finished him off with a Tombstone Piledriver.
WINNER: Taker via DQ in 4:00. That was a match designed for Taker to get an appearance in on Raw, but for a Taker who is about to embark on another grueling international tour with a banged up body. Looks like HBK vs. JBL at Survivor Series. (*)
8 -- MARK HENRY (w/Tony Atlas) & KANE vs. REY MYSTERIO & KOFI KINGSTON
Kofi looked pretty good here, but then he went to the well once too often in the high-risk department, allowing Henry to catch him in mid-air. Rey tried to dropkick Kofi on top of Henry, but Henry stood firm and Kane clotheslined Rey. Henry then delivered the World's Strongest Slam on Kofi for the pin and the win in 2:00. Afterward, Kane flung Rey through the ropes. Great Khali's music hit, then Khali came out to silence. Crowd isn't aware of the babyface push. He then chopped Kane, stepped into the ring, and then chopped Henry down to size to set up the 619 for Rey, who had no idea what to make of this. Rey hit the 619 anyways, then Khali chopped Henry down to the mat one more time. Rey and Khali shared a moment, if you can call it that.
WINNERS: Henry & Kane in 2:00. Another short match, then Khali's babyface push was brought to Raw. Just fine. (1/2*)
9 -- World Hvt. champion BATISTA vs. CHRIS JERICHO -- Steel Cage match for World Hvt. Title
Jericho tried to escape in the opening seconds, but Batista yanked him off the cage wall to bring him back inside the ring for a beating. Batista continued to dominate by stretching Jericho against the cage wall leading to a break.
Back from break, Jericho had Batista locked in the Walls of Jericho in center cage. Batista refused to give out, though. Jericho then demanded the door be opened. Batista read the strategy and grabbed Jericho's leg before propelling Jericho away and into the cage door. Jericho almost fell out of the cage on accident, which would have given him the World Title, but Batista lunged out and pulled Jericho back inside the cage. Batista fought Jericho near the door, then Jericho slammed the cage door on Batista's left leg to begin his attack. Batista tried to muster an attack with a spear on Jericho, but Jericho moved and Batista ate the cage wall.
Jericho then tried to climb out, but Batista opened the cage door and grabbed Jericho as he climbed down. Batista hugged him, then pulled him back into the ring for a nice spinebuster. Batista wanted the Bomb, but Jericho grabbed the cage wall to avoid and start climbing again. Suddenly, Jericho bounced to the mat and Batista crotched himself on the top rope. Jericho was the first one up, so he started climbing again.
Batista got up, though, and grabbed Jericho for a Batistabomb from the top rope. However, Jericho held onto the cage cable and took a weapon from the corner. He then smashed Batista repeatedly in the forehead to knock him out and draw blood. (Wait, isn't it kid-friendly now?) Batista tried to grab Jericho one more time, but Jericho kicked Batista in the knees and then fell to the ground to win the match and become new champ.
Afterward, Batista slumped to the mat inside the cage in shock. Jericho then collected himself and took possession of the title belt. He grinned slightly, then slowly walked down the entrance ramp. They showed Batista slumped down in the corner, exasperated, with blood trickling down his forehead.
WINNER: Jericho in 15:00 to win the World Hvt. Title. Typical WWE cage match with a lot of teases for wrestlers trying to escape the cage. Quite the surprising finish.