Monday Night Raw (07/21/08): Punk’s Not Dead
Submitted by on Monday, July 21, 2008 at 11:37 PM EST





Monday Night Raw (07/21/08): Punk’s Not Dead

Welcome back to another RAW Report. Anytime they have a RAW at a casino it is always a good show. Let’s see if they can keep up the tradition.

Monday Night Raw (07/21/08)

Live from Uncasville, Connecticut

A recap is shown of the world title match at the Great American Bash. It shows Kane costing Batista the title by interfering in the match and causing a double DQ.

Batista is shown in the production truck watching the recap from last night. Batista heads to the ring as the opening theme for RAW kicks in.

Batista is in the ring as it cuts back. Batista says he planned on coming out as the new world heavyweight champion but because Kane interfered that is not the case. Batista says that since Shane and Stephanie both aren’t there tonight that he is putting himself in charge. He says is first order is making CM Punk defend his world championship against Batista. JBL cuts Batista off on the titan tron and asks who the hell does Batista think he is? JBL says that Batista isn’t in charge and he doesn’t care why he didn’t win. JBL says Batista isn’t special but JBL is special. He says he defeated Cena last night in a parking lot brawl and the next world title match will be his. Batista tells JBL to come to the ring so they can discuss this face to face. JBL says he doesn’t answer to Batista. People answer to JBL. He says the next title match is JBL vs CM Punk. JBL says that Batista won’t get a title match tonight and if he wants a match so bad to go find Kane. CM Punk’s music hits and he makes his way to the ring shaking his head at JBL. CM Punk says that JBL is right about one thing. This is the law of the jungle and since he is the champion that makes him the king. Last time he checked the king doesn’t have to answer to anybody. Punk tells Batista that Kane didn’t just mess up the match for Batista but also for Punk. Punk says he wants to prove to Batista that he can beat him. CM Punk says that if Batista wants Punk for the title tonight, let’s do it. ( Now that’s a very affective opening segment. It’s simple and makes sense. Set’s up the main event for the world title and gives Punk a chance to show off why he is the champion. 4 out of 5 .)

Cut to commercial...

Back from commercial and a promo with Jenny McCarthy comes on asking to help the fight against Autism at the next Saturday Night Main Event.

HBK’s music hits but he doesn’t come out. Lance Cade’s music cuts over it and Lance Cade makes his way to the ring. Lance Cade says that Shawn Michaels use to be his mentor but not anymore. Cade invites HBK to come out to the ring at anytime. During his match, after his match, even right now. Cade says that if HBK does choose to come out here that they are going to have the words they should have had along time ago.

Match 1: Lance Cade vs Paul London
Cade goes for a lockup but London goes underneath and wraps his arms around him. Cade tries to connect with some elbows but London ducks and connects with a few punches to Cade’s face. London tries to whip Cade to the turnbuckle but Cade reverses it. London jumps over Cade as Cade comes running at him. Cade tries to punch London but he ducks and jumps up to the top turnbuckle and goes for a moonsault but Cade moves out of the way. Cade nails London with a backbreaker. Cade starts laying knees into the back of London. Cade picks London up again and hits another back breaker. This time Cade leaves London on his knee and tries to break London’s back over his knee. London gets out of it after a few knee’s to Cades face. Cade whips London to the corner but London put his kicks Cade in his face and bounces to the outside. London jumps to the top rope and hits a springboard cross body. Cade kicks out at 2. London whips Cade into the ropes but Cade reverses it again. London jumps over Cade as he bounces off the ropes but Cade just runs over London. Cade throws London on the canvas into the turnbuckle ribs first.. Cade picks up London and hits a sick looking finisher. Looked like a Rock Bottom turned into a sitting powerbomb. Lance Cade gets the win over Paul London after a rock bottom powerbomb. ( A surprisingly decent match. The match wasn’t given a lot time but for the time it was given it served its purpose. Cade is starting to look like a credible mid-carder. 2.5 out of 5 )

Cade grabs the mic and tells Shawn that if that wasn’t enough to bring HBK out maybe this will be. Cade then introduces Chris Jericho.

Cut to commercial...

Jericho says that as much as Lance Cade wants HBK to be there tonight, the fact is he is not coming. Jericho says he is going to show footage from last night which will explain why he isn’t here and might never wrestle again. A replay is shown of HBK bleeding big time out of his eye from last night. Jericho says that everything that happened last night is all of the fans fault. Jericho says there is no blood on his hand. He says the fans inspired him to wrestle last night and now he is paying for their sins. Jericho says when he came back to the WWE he came back to save all of them but he realized they didn’t deserve to be saved. Jericho says Shawn Michael’s career is probably over. Jericho says he has no remorse whatsoever for what he did last night. Jericho says by closing HBK’s eye he opened Jericho’s eyes as well. We say he realizes he doesn’t need to play for the fans. He says the fans wanted the wild and crazy guy who told the jokes but Jericho isn’t that man anymore. Jericho says he has grown up and matured. Something HBK has never done. Jericho says that he is proud of what he did to Shawn Michaels last night. He says after doing what he did last night, he now considers himself saved. ( Another awesome promo from Jericho which has been the standard ever since he went heel. This feud needs to continue and it will. Hopefully we will have a big match at Summerslam between these two. Jericho was sporting the Brett Farve beard tonight. 4 out of 5. )

Cut to commercial...

A replay is shown of Beth Phoenix defeating Santino last week.

Match 2: Kelly Kelly vs Beth Phoenix
Beth pushes Kelly Kelly into the corner. Beth goes for a punch but Kelly Kelly rolls behind Beth. Kelly then jumps over Beth and kicks her in the stomach. Kelly Kelly hits Beth in the knee and then connects with a dropkick. Beth runs at Kelly but Kelly moves and Beth hits the corner. Kelly tries to roll up Beth but she holds onto the ropes and pulls Kelly to her feet. Kelly Kelly tries to throw some punches at Beth but she shakes them off and picks Kelly up and runs into the other corner with her. Beth then body slams Kelly. Beth throws Kelly Kelly back down to the mat by her hair. Beth puts Kelly in a abdominal stretch but Kelly fights out and whips Beth into the corner. Kelly runs at Beth but Beth connects with a elbow. Beth goes for a clothesline but Kelly ducks and hits Beth with a enziguri. Kelly tries to whip Beth into the ropes but Beth counters. Kelly Kelly catches Beth with a spinning headscissors. Kelly connects with a dropkick to Beth who falls into the corner. Kelly does her moonsault flips into the corner but Beth catches in the air. Beth holds Kelly up in the air by her arms. Kelly counters it with a roll up but Beth rolls threw and picks Kelly Kelly back up and gives her a facebuster. Beth covers Kelly and gets a easy 3 count. Beth Phoenix defeats Kelly Kelly with a facebuster.( I would say this wasn’t a bad match for the Divas. Kelly Kelly is improving each week and Beth is solid as usual. 2 out of 5 )

Up next is a rematch from last week between CTC vs JBL and Priceless.

Cut to commercial...

Back from commercial and Hacksaw is standing in the ring in street clothes. Hacksaw says that he just wanted to come out here and say that he’s thinking about retiring. Hacksaw says it’s been a great 30 year run. He says in 30 years he has won the first Battle Royal and defeated kidney cancer. Hacksaw says he thought about what Rhodes/DiBiase said last week and that they may be right. It might be time for Hacksaw to hang up the boots. Hacksaw says he just wanted to say thanks. Jerry Lawler interrupts Hacksaw and steps into the ring. Lawler says he knows it isn’t his business but incase Hacksaw didn’t know there isn’t any age limit in the WWE. As long as you’re passionate about what you do, you can do it as long as you want to do it. Lawler says that Hacksaw can do what Obama and McCain both can’t do which is have thousands of people stand up and chant “USA, USA, USA” Lawler asks Jim if he wants to give that up and Jim says honestly no he doesn’t. Priceless theme music hits and they make their way to the ring. DiBiase wants to know if he has this strait. Jerry Lawler is giving career advice to Hacksaw Jim Duggan. DiBiase tells Jerry that just because he likes to date girls younger then he doesn’t mean that he can relate to them in anyway. He says they both need to retire. Rhodes says that when Jim won the first Royal Rumble he was only 2 years old and when Lawler slapped Kaufman on Letterman that they weren’t even alive yet. Lawler then slaps Rhodes. DiBiase grabs the mic and says that they will continue this another night and tells the old timers to get out of the ring. JBL’s music hits and he makes his way to the ring. ( Another great segment from Priceless. Quickly becoming a great tag team. 3.5 out of 5 )

Cut to commercial...

Match 3: JBL and Priceless vs John Cena and Cryme Tyme
John Cena and JBL start the match up off. JBL backs up and tags in Code Rhodes. Rhodes locks up with Cena and puts him in a headlock. Cena whips Rhodes into the ropes and connects with a armdrag. Cena covers Rhodes for a 1 count. Cena connects with a punch that has Rhodes reeling back to the turnbuckle. Cena whips Rhodes into the corner and connects with a running bulldog when Rhodes comes out of the corner. Cena goes for the pin but only gets a 2 count. Cena whips Rhodes into the ropes and hits a big back body drop. Cena tags in Shad. Shad hits a elbow drop and goes for a quick pin but only gets a 2. Shad whips Rhodes into the corner and hits Rhodes with a huge splash. Shad whips Rhodes into another corner and goes for another splash but Rhodes gets his feet up in time. Rhodes tags in DiBiase who gives Shad a kick to the gut. DiBiase tries to whip Shad but Shad counters with a T-Bone suplex! Shad goes for a quick cover but only gets a 2. Shad throws DiBiase into his corner and tags in JTG. JTG uses Shad to leapfrog over and splash DiBiase in the corner. JTG goes for the cover but DiBiase kicks out at 2 again. JTG goes for a irish whip but DiBiase counters and puts his head down for a back body drop. JTG connects with a big uppercut and then runs at DiBiase who picks JTG up and drops him on the ropes. DiBiase tags in JBL. Bradshaw starts throwing really stiff left’s and rights at JTG. Bradshaw whips JTG into the ropes and hits a hard body block. Bradshaw tags in Rhodes. Rhodes hits JTG with some knee’s to the stomach. Rhodes puts JTG in a bearhug. JTG breaks it up with a few elbows and knocks Rhodes onto his butt but Rhodes hits JTG with a punch to the stomach. Rhodes tags in DiBiase and they both twist JTG’s arms and hit 2 punch’s to the stomach. DiBiase goes for a ping but JTG kicks out at 2. DiBiase slams JTG near the corner and DiBiase goes to the 2nd turnbuckle. DiBiase hits a double foot stomp on JTG and goes for a pin but only gets a 2 count. DiBiase whips JTG into the corner and tags in Bradshaw. Bradshaw starts giving JTG some knees. Bradshaw punches JTG in the back of the head and connects with a elbow drop. Bradshaw tags in Rhodes who jumps off the top rope onto JTG. Rhodes locks in another bearhug this time on the mat. JTG fights his way back to his feet and breaks the hold by countering with a rollup but Rhodes kicks out at 2. Rhodes quickly gets up and gives JTG a punt to the midsection. Rhodes tags in DiBiase who goes to work on JTG’s midsection with kicks. Bradshaw gets a few shots in for good measure. DiBiase hits some of his trademark punches while JTG is on the ground. DiBiase wraps his legs around the midsection of JTG and applies pressure. JTG gets out of the hold and back to his feet. JTG hits a dropkick on DiBiase. DiBiase tags in Rhodes who stops JTG from making the tag with a elbow drop. Rhodes goes for a pin but only a 1 count. Rhodes connects with a punch to the face. Rhodes hits some shoulder blocks to JTG in the corner. Rhodes goes for a running shoulder block and JTG moves out of the way and Rhodes connects with the steel. JTG tags in Cena and Rhodes tag in DiBiase. Cena hits a diving shoulder block on DiBiase. Followed by another one. Cena hits a big back body drop on DiBiase. Bradshaw runs into the ring but Cena spears him down and JBL rolls out of the ring. JBL runs threw the crowd. DiBiase tries to cheap shot Cena but Cena clotheslines DiBiase. Rhodes makes his way into the ring and throws him into the corner. Cena then whips Rhodes into the corner on top of DiBiase. Cena then picks up both men for the F-U! Cena hits a double F-U on both men and pins DiBiase for the win. John Cena and Cryme Tyme defeat JBL and Priceless when Cena pins DiBiase after a F-U.( Really good rematch from last week. Slightly better then last week but mostly the same. I was going to give it about a 3 out of 5 but the double F-U brought it up to a 3.5 out of 5. )

Jericho and Cade are shown talking in the backstage walking out of the arena but when they open the door they run into Kane. Kane walks by them with that bag in his hand.

Cut to commercial...

Match 4: Mickie James and Kofi Kingston vs Paul Burchill and Katie Lea
Katie Lea and Mickie James start it out. James pounces on Katie Lea and connects with punches to Katie Lea. Mickie hits some knee’s on Katie Lea. Katie Pushes Mickie into the corner but Mickie uses the corner to wrap her legs around Katie Lea and connect with a legscissors. Paul pushes Mickie from behind and Mickie pushes Paul back. Paul climbs into the ring but Kingston uses the ropes to spring board over Mickie and hit a huge cross body. The ref breaks both men up and Katie Lea tags in Paul and Mickie tags in Kingston. Paul comes running in and catches Kingston as he comes in. Paul hits a big clothesline on Kingston and follows it up with a big body slam. Burchill runs into the rope but Kingston hits a standing dropkick followed by another standing dropkick. Katie Lea comes into the ring and distracts Kingston. Burchill attacks Kingston from behind and grabs Kingston by the leg and this a elbow drop onto his knee. Burchill hits another elbow drop onto the knee of Kingston. Burchill slams Kingston’s leg into the ground. Burchill picks Kingston up and tries to hit a knee breaker but Kingston counters with a roll up. Burchill kicks out at 2 and kicks Kingston to the ropes. Burchill runs to the ropes but Kingston connects with a clothesline to Burchill. Kingston kicks Burchill to the ground. Burchill gets up and runs at Kingston but he moves out of the way and Burchill hits the corer hard. Kingston climbs up to the top rope and starts punching Burchill. Katie Lea tries to break it up but Mickie James drop kicks Katie Lea off the ring apron. Burchill throws Kingston off of him. Burchill goes outside the ring and pulls Mickie James off of Katie Lea. Kingston whips Burchill into the ring post and goes for a spin kick but Burchill moves out of the way and Kingston hits his leg on the steel steps. Burchill whips Kingston into the ring and hits Kingston with a kick to the knee. Burchill then nails Kingston with his reverse diamond cutter move. Burchill covers Kingston and gets the 3 count. Paul Burchill and Katie Lea defeat Kofi Kingston and Mickie James after a reverse diamond cutter to Kofi Kingston.( The match started off hot but fizzled out in the end. Another decent match that could have been a lot better from both men. 2 out of 5 )

Cut to the back and Noble is talking to Layla. Noble says what interests him is a beautiful women. Batista interrupts and asks Noble if he has seen Kane. Noble says he hasn’t but that he is about to take Layla up to the casino and shoot some crabs. He tells Batista to do some dumb dumb flys. Batista picks Noble up by his neck and tells him that if he sees Kane tell him that Batista is looking for him.

Cut to commercial...

Todd Grishim is backstage with CM Punk. Grishim asks Punk why he would have a rematch tonight with Batista. Punk says he would rather be a real champion then some champion who happened to hold onto the title due to technicalities. Punk says if he’s going down, he’s going down swinging. JBL interrupts the interview. JBL says at Summerslam he will wrestle for the heavyweight championship and he will win it at Summerslam. JBL says he doesn’t care if its Batista or CM Punk, he will take the title. JBL says goodnight tonight but you will be nothing but a transitional champion. Punk says that nobody knows that for sure but he does know his first title defense that was successful came against JBL.

Cut to commercial...

Santino makes his way to the ring as we come back from commercial. Santino says last week when he made his challenge he thought he was fighting a man. He doesn’t fight people with fallopian tubes. He says this week he is going to re-issue the same challenge as last week. He says he wants a man. HOLY D’LO BROWN SIGHTING!!!

Match 5: D’Lo Brown vs Santino Marella
Beth Phoenix makes her way to the ring as the bell rings. Santino puts D’Lo in a headlock and D’Lo whips Santino into the ropes and hits a shoulder block. D’Lo throws Santino into the corner and connects with a big punch. D’Lo hits some shoulder blocks on Santino followed by some clubs to the back. D’Lo whips Santino to the turnbuckle but Santino moves out of the way as D’Lo runs into the turnbuckle. Santino hits a few punches on D’Lo and goes for a whip but D’Lo counters it with a suplex. D’lo hits his trademark legdrop. D’Lo with a snapmere and then hits the sudden impact on Santino. D’Lo Brown with the LO DOWN! D’Lo covers Santino for the 3. D’Lo Brown defeats Santino Marella after the Lo Down Afterwards Beth rolls into the ring. She is starring Santino down. Beth clocks Santino. Santino grabs Beth and says no more punches please. Beth starts screaming lets go. Santino tells Beth to relax. Beth and Santino stare at each other in the middle of the ring. Santino grabs Beth and kisses her in the middle of the ring. Both act like they didn’t like it even though they did. Santino leaves with a confused look on his face. ( D’Lo Brown is back!!! Alright now that I marked out, I can calm down. I was always a huge D’Lo fan. Not the greatest match but not horrible either. Looks like Beth and Santino might be a item. 2.5 out of 5 because D’Lo did his headshake. )

Cut to commercial...

Match 6: Batista vs CM Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship
Batista makes his way to the ring first. Before CM Punk can come out Kane’s music hits and Kane makes his way to the ring. Kane slides into the ring and Batista starts hitting Batista with rights and lefts. Kane counters with a uppercut. Kane nails a chokeslam on Batista! CM Punk comes running out and kicks Kane in the knee followed up by some rights. CM Punk clotheslines Kane out of the ring. Ref’s come running out and make Kane go to the back. Kane chases the camera man up the ramp. Batista pushes Punk and the match is on after we get back from commercial. For some odd reason when we come back from commercial we have to have ring introductions even though both wrestlers are in the ring. The match finally starts off. Punk puts Batista in a headlock. Batista tries to whip Punk off but Punk holds on to the headlock. Batista finally throws Punk off and hits a big shoulder block on Punk. Punk gets back up and both men circle each other. Punk connects with a few kicks and punches to Batista but Batista brushes Punk off and pushes Punk back. Punk runs again and hits a few punches and kicks to Batista but Batista hits a big boot and almost kicks Punks head off. Batista goes for a cover and gets a 2 count. Batista slams Punks head into the turnbuckle. Batista hits some knee’s and elbows in the corner. Batista whips Punk into the ropes and puts his head down but Punk counters with a neckbreaker. Punk kicks Batista in the back a few times and picks Batista up. Punk knocks him back down with some elbow sot the neck. Punk his a snapmere to Batista and hits a dropkick to the back of the head. Punk goes for a cover but Batista kicks out at one. Punk hits a kick again to the back and a elbow. Punk connects with a right to Batista. Punk with another right. Batista counters with a right of his own and follows it up with another. Batista goes for one more right but Punk counters with a drop toe hold. Punk jumps on Batista and starts pounding him with rights to the back of his head and neck. Punk puts Batista in a headlock submission. Batista counters it by picking up Punk and just throwing him on his stomach in the middle of the ring. Punk hits a legdrop to the back of Batista’s head. Punk goes for a cover but only gets a 2 count. Punk drives some knees into the back of Batista. Punk hits 2 quick legdrops on Batista. Punk puts Batista in a crossface. Batista finally fights out of it and just throws Punk over his head. Punk gets up in the corner and Batista comes charging in but Punk hits a elbow to the face of Batista. Punk hits another neckbreaker on Batista and goes for a pin but Batista kicks out again at 2. Punk wraps his legs around Batista in a legscissors submission. Punk breaks the hold and hits Batista with 3 big knees. Punk goes for a pin and Batista hits out again at 2. Punk with a kick to the ribs. Punk with 2 more kicks to the ribs of Batista. Punk whips Batista into the corner but Batista counters and sends Punk chest first into the turnbuckle. Batista whips Punk into the turnbuckle again but as Batista comes running in Punk connects with a drop toe hold and Batista slams his face into the 2nd turnbuckle. Batista gets to his face and Punk hits his knee to the face followed by the bulldog. Punk goes for another cover but Batista kicks out at 2. CM Punk goes to the top rope but Batista catches Punk in mid-air and gives Punk a spinebuster! Batista spears Punk into the corner and follows it up with 4 shoulders into the midsection. Batista whips Punk into the other corner and hits a big clothesline. Batista whips Punk into another corner but Punk catches Batista with a boot to the face. Punk jumps up to the top and goes for a moonsault but Batista rolls out of the way. Batista catches Punk with a spear when Punk gets to his feet! JBL runs to the ring and attacks Batista. The ref rings the bell. JBL connects with a clothesline from hell on Batista. Cena comes running out and starts unloading on Bradshaw. Cena throws a big right hand at Bradshaw but he ducks and it nails Batista. Batista snaps and attacks Cena. Both men start throwing haymakers at each other. The refs flood the ring and hold both men back as the show fades to black. CM Punk defeats Batista by DQ after JBL interferes in the match. ( The match was already awkward enough, throw in the shitty ending along with a slow paced match and this one was a dud. What would it hurt to let Punk go over clean in that match? Is that to much to ask? 1.5 out of 5 )

Well that does it for this weeks RAW. The RAW started off promising with a great opening segment followed by some solid midcard matches and a excellent promo by Jericho. It’s too bad that the main event couldn’t deliver like the rest of the show did. I think a 7.5 out of 10 is the best I can do tonight and really I shouldn’t even be giving it that high. I will just try to let the main event slide and go with a 7.5 out of 10.

As always feel free to e-mail me at MSN1983@yahoo.com or PM me on LOPforums.com. No columns to plug this week as I haven’t read anything that deserves it. Hopefully next week Kane sheds some light on what is going on in that bag of his or else this is going to go the Y2J route. See you guys next week.








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