The Raw Report (10/30/06): John Cena vs. Coach; Triple H vs. Orton
Submitted by Chad Matthews on Monday, October 30, 2006 at 11:08 PM EST





The Raw Report (10/30/06)

The show opened with Edge and Randy Orton sitting in the ring. They played to the crowd as they got booed. Edge said that it was a sacred day (his birthday), but he was disappointed that he had to spend it with all the fans. He said he didn’t know if he could go through with this tonight, to which Orton reminded him that, last week, they took out Triple H. Orton introduced the footage of his win over the Game. Edge smiled and said that it got him fired up. He said that at Cyber Sunday, DX would suffer the most decisive loss of their lives at the hands of the Rated-R Superstar and the Legend Killer. Edge then introduced the first of three options that the fans could choose to referee the DX vs. Rated-RKO tag match, Eric Bischoff. Orton proceeded to introduce Coach. Finally, Edge welcomed Vince McMahon. Once all three potential guest refs were present in the ring, the special edition of the Cutting Edge continued. Edge gave them the opportunity to tell the fans why they should be chosen. Bischoff went first, hyped his booked, and said that controversy does indeed create cash. He mocked the idea that DX was controversial, and said that he was controversial before Hunter, Shawn, and even Vince knew what controversy was all about. Coach took the mic and said that since day one, DX has shown him no respect. He recalled how they undermined his authority and begged the fans to give him a chance to show DX that he is no joke. Then it was Vince’s turn. McMahon said that, if chosen, he’d show DX the same respect that they’d shown him. He turned his attention toward tonight’s show, and made Orton vs. Triple H (in the rubber match) w/ Edge as the special guest referee. He also mentioned that HBK would not be here tonight. Vince then had Edge, Orton, and Bischoff take off so that he could have a moment alone with Coach. Despite Coach’s plea that Vince didn’t need to thank him, McMahon wanted to know what Coach had in mind for a back-up in case Cena lost the WWE title at Cyber Sunday. Coach tried to offer suggestions, but Vince denied them and decided that the fans would get to choose Cena’s opponent for tonight: Booker, Show, or Coach. (CMV1 note- it started off fine w/ Edge and Orton letting the possible guest refs plead their cases, but the ploy that could lead us to Coach vs. Cena was long-winded and might ultimately give us a bad main-event. On a positive note, Orton vs. Trips might get some time as the mid-show main-event, and they might make up for potential Coach-Cena match)


Match 1: Johnny Nitro (w/ Melina) vs. Carlito vs. Shelton Benjamin
-(CMV1 note- IC Champ Jeff Hardy came to ringside to do some scouting). The two heels ganged up on Carlito to open the action. They tried to do a double back drop, but Carlito countered and tried for a springboard back elbow. Nitro and Benjamin caught him, though, and tossed him over the top rope. Johnny took control and connected on a head scissor into a side Russian leg sweep. Carlito came back and cleaned house, but when he moonsaulted over Nitro to surprise the former IC champ, the other former IC Champ Shelton Benjamin caught him with a springboard bulldog. Shelton would eventually head to the top rope for a flying clothesline, but Nitro drilled him in mid-air with a dropkick. The finish came when Carlito pinned Shelton following a Back Cracker at 2:46. (CMV1 rating- ¾ *) (CMV1 note- exciting while it lasted, but c’mon!!! Three-minutes?!?! That’s bullshit…give them 10 and let the actual sports fans of WWE get something they like)

Highlights of Show and Booker’s attack on Cena last week aired…

Backstage, Todd Grisham interviewed WWE Champion John Cena. Cena said he wasn’t worried about Cyber Sunday, saying that he preferred to think positive. He said he didn’t know who he’d face on Sunday, or who he’d face tonight, or what he’d eat for breakfast tomorrow. He said what he did know is that K-Fed’s album comes out tomorrow and that it was going to be used as a weapon against America’s enemies (who would listen to it and then kill themselves). Cena asked Grisham who he voted for, but Todd said he didn’t vote. Grisham said he was texting his g/f, to which Cena responded that Todd liked dudes. Cena eventually got Grisham to admit he voted for Booker. The champ said he wasn’t worried, and got fired up as he said that they should be worried about him, for they were staring down the barrel of a loaded weapon. (CMV1 note- that was the kind of promo that appeals to all sorts of fans. He got the kids with his goofy shit and he got a good portion of everyone else with the intensity that he often lacks, but we all know that he has)

Further backstage, Torrie caught up w/ Carlito and offered him someone to talk to. He tried to come across like he was sensitive, and in a round about way asked Torrie out. In the end, Carlito flashed a cocky smile and muttered to himself that getting together with Torrie was “cool.”


Match 2: Lita vs. Maria
-(CMV1 note- the winner meets Mickie James at Cyber Sunday to crown a new women’s champ. James joined for guest commentary, as the stips were announced for the women’s title bout: submission, no-DQ, and Diva Lumberjacks). A smoking hot Maria didn’t back down from the more experienced Lita, catching her with a roll-up and an inside cradle for a couple of quick near falls. Lita came back with a clothesline and a side Russian leg sweep into a pinning combo, but Maria kicked out. She continued to build momentum w/ a back breaker, but soon after got caught with an awkward boot to the chest and a running bulldog. Maria got fired up and hit a Bronco Buster, but Lita came back with a pinning combo w/ help from the ropes. The ref caught Lita’s cheating ways, but Lita still got the win with a spike DDT. Lita advanced to the finals at 2:16. Lita taunted Mickie after the match, but James shrugged it off. (CMV1 rating- ½ *) (CMV1 note- decent action from the ladies, setting up what should be a damn good women’s title match for the PPV)

The Marine is still out in theaters in case you forgot…

Backstage, Big Show was warming up in preparation for a potential match w/ Cena later tonight…


Match 3: Randy Orton vs. Triple H
-(CMV1 note- reminder that Edge was the special guest referee). During the usual pre-match DX schtick, Triple H nailed Edge w/ the microphone and gave him the Pedigree. He said he guessed Edge wasn’t ready and demanded that someone get the crap out of his ring. We then got a pre-match commercial break, but Orton hadn’t even come to the ring, yet. Back from the break, Orton made his entrance and Jack Doane took over as the ref for the match. Randy stalled, but then raced to the ring and started a mid-ring slugfest w/ the Game. Trips tried to end it early with a Pedigree, but Orton escaped and pitched a fit outside the ring. Once Randy got back in the ring, Trips just clotheslined him back out. Orton pulled Trips by the feet to the outside and connected on a European uppercut. He then slammed his face into the ring steps. He tried to slam his face into the announce table, but Trips countered. Back in the ring, Orton regained control and connected on another uppercut. He tried for a powerslam, but Triple H countered and caught him with a chop block. Remembering that Orton had injured his leg two weeks ago, Triple H focused in on the knee and rammed it repeatedly into the steel ring post. Another chop block followed, giving Trips complete control of the match. Trips then slammed Orton’s knee into the mat and played to the crowd. HHH dropped an elbow on the injured knee…and then dropped it again. He tried for a Figure Four (after a slight Woo), but Orton countered and pushed Trips into the ring-post, head-first. Orton then connected w/ his patented backbreaker and a DDT. He was none to thrilled when Trips kicked out of his pinning attempt, so he blasted Trips w/ several clubbing blows and taunted the crowd w/ his pose. A knee drop later and the Legend Killer was in total control, working over Triple H’s ankle and no selling his own injury. A “Randy Sucks” chant broke out, prompting Orton to lock in the dreaded chin lock of doom. He torqued it, as Trips attempted to fight off the drowsiness. Trips made it to his feet, but Orton yanked him down to the mat with a handful of hair. HHH stuck with it and kicked Orton in the gut. They traded blows toward the middle of the ring. Orton tried for a back drop, but HHH countered into a facebuster. Trips looked to get his comeback in full swing, but Edge came down and speared him, prompting a DQ. Rated-RKO proceeded to lay a nice little beat down on the DX member. HHH fought back, but Edge blasted him with a steel chair repeatedly. Orton tried to hit an RKO on the chair, but Triple H countered and slammed Orton on it, back-first. Edge drilled HHH with a Spear and retrieved the chair out from under Orton. Trips, meanwhile, rolled out of the ring and got his sledgehammer. Edge tried to hit Trips with the chair again, but Trips blocked it with the sledge and looked for a home-run shot of his own. The Rated-R Superstar rolled thru, but Trips still found a target in Randy Orton. HHH defeated Orton via DQ at 7:45. (CMV1 rating- * ¾) (CMV1 note- You know, this is why no one likes face Triple H. He’s unstoppable as a babyface. The two top heels on Raw couldn’t keep him down even after he’d gotten hit with two Spears and three chair shots! I mean, there’s something to be said for having a guy look strong, but not at the cost of making your top heels like weak! It defies all credibility when Trips makes a super human comeback like that. Damn, I feel the Triple H-hater in me coming back out. Edge and Orton better win at Cyber Sunday!)


Match 4: Umaga (w/ Armando Alejandro Estrada) vs. Eugene and Hacksaw Jim Duggan
-(CMV1 note- I recently came across a WWF Superstars cassette tape from 1993. It features original songs about the superstars, and one of them is for Duggan. It’s hilarious, w/ a chorus that goes a little something like this, “USA, U-U-U-USA. USA, HOOOOOO!). Umaga tossed Eugene around like he was nothing, and then did the same to Duggan. Eugene was scared, so he tucked himself away from the corner. Umaga, meanwhile, destroyed the aging Hacksaw. Umaga got the win at 1:06. (CMV1 rating- ¼ *) (CMV1 note- Umaga continues to dominate everyone)

Backstage, Bischoff approached a hyped up Coach, who said he’d beat up the next person who approached him to warm up for Cena. It was Ron Simmons…Coach scattered… “Damn!”

Don’t forget about “The Marine”…

Ric Flair came to the ramp with a mic in hand and gave the crowd a “Woo.” He said that this Sunday he and his partner had a chance to make tag team history. Who is his partner, though? Flair reiterated that it was up to the fans to choose one of the three flagship legends of the industry to be his partner…Sgt. Slaughter, Roddy Piper, and Dusty Rhodes all came out and hugged the Nature Boy. They each had their chance to campaign for votes. Slaughter brought everyone to attention and asked the fans to choose him to face the slime, scum, maggots known as the Spirit Squad. He promised the combo of Flair and Slaughter would bring total annihilation to the Puke Squad. Piper then said he refuses to lose, and while the others were former champions and he had nothing, he’d kick ass at Cyber Sunday. Rhodes got his turn, and preached about respect and being put in the same ring as the 6-time World Champion, Ric Flair. Flair took the mic and declared he and his partner would become the new tag champs. (CMV1 note- Rhodes called Flair a 6-time World Champ three different times)

Backstage, Todd Grisham interviewed Cryme Tyme. Shad gave a bunch of shout outs. JTG distracted Todd, as Shad stole the TV hanging behind them.


Match 5: Cryme Tyme vs. Viscera and Charlie Haas
-(CMV1 note- I wonder if Haas regrets not going to TNA). Prior to the match, Cryme Tyme hooked up the big TV they had just stolen. JTG started against Haas, w/ Charlie gaining first strike points with a knee lift and several clubbing blows to the back of the head. The momentum didn’t last, as JTG came back with shoulder thrusts in the corner. Haas came right back with a running boot to the face and a running back elbow smash. A butterfly suplex followed for the former amateur wrestling all-American. Viscera and Haas then connected on a drop toe-hold and leg drop combo. Big Viscera slammed JTG, as the crowd tried to get behind the newcomers. Viscera slapped on a bear hug, hoisting JTG high in the air. Haas eventually held JTG for a Viscera corner splash, but JTG escaped and made the tag to Shad. Shad hit a gorilla press slam on Haas (sloppy) and a running big boot on Viscera. Although the boot didn’t knock the 500-pounder down, the double (double) axe handle did. The finish came when Cryme Tyme got the win with their finisher at 3:56. After the match, Cryme Tyme watched the finish to their match several times on the TV they stole. (CMV1 rating- *) (CMV1 note- solid, formulaic, and short tag team action)

Backstage, Triple H (Superman) said he wasn’t worried about the special ref for DX’s match at Cyber Sunday. He said the fact is that Edge and Orton need to come to terms with the idea that no matter what they bring, DX will bring it better and stronger.

Further backstage, Booker, Show, and Coach had a little 3-way argument over who should face Cena. Essentially, they made it seem as if Coach would face Cena (in a pitiful excuse for a Raw main-event).


World Heavyweight Champion King Booker (w/ Sharmell), ECW Champion Big Show, and the Coach came to the ring to find out who’d face WWE Champion John Cena. Of course, the WWE fans chose Coach…(sheep)…


Match 6: WWE Champion John Cena vs. Coach
-Coach tried to run up the ramp, but Cena caught up with him. Booker and Show beat the hell out of Cena, at that point. The crowd chanted for Cena, as the ECW and World Champions tossed him into the ring. Coach made a quick cover, but Cena kicked out. The puny assault continued, as Show and Book joined for guest commentary. Book did his usual entertaining schtick, until Show interrupted and the two argued back and forth. Coach’s offense eventually did nothing, as Cena took him to the mat and beat the crap out of him. The champ hit his usual comeback move set, capped off by the Five Knuckle Shuffle, the FU, and the STFU for the submission victory. Cena defeated Coach at an estimated 3:21. (CMV1 rating- ¼ *) (CMV1 note- the commentary was fun, and the pre-match beatdown effectively hyped the Cyber Sunday main-event)




All in all…The whole idea of Coach being in the main-event put a bad taste in my mouth that I could never get rid of. The lack of time given to the Trips-Orton match and triple threat didn’t help, and I walked away not getting my wrestling fix. I guess I’ll have to wait until Sunday to get that…This show was decent at best at hyping Cyber Sunday and I guess on the bright side they didn’t do anything to make me want to NOT watch the PPV. Still, there were a lot of things fundamentally wrong w/ tonight’s show. From Coach to Superman HHH to Attitude-era booking of the wrestling…it was an off night. Well, more off than usual. Thus, I’m giving this show a 4/10 and calling it a night …





Become a part of the United Wrestling Front:

United Wrestling Front Forums

Email me for details…



If you have any feedback for me, please email me at magicirish10@hotmail.com









*NEW GALLERY* Wow! Very Rare but AMAZING Natalya Neidhart Bedroom Photos!

• Quick Links -
  [Back to LOP] [News Archives] [Results] [Columns] [Forums]