WWE Raw 05/07
We are live in: Greensboro, North Carolina
Commentators: Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler
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John Laurinaitis comes out. He says that Cena embarrassed him last week and he lost his temper. At Over The Limit, he’ll continue where Lesnar stopped. He’s going to show everyone how skillful and dangerous he can be. He has asked the Board to not have Cena here tonight so he can rehabilitate his arm. He will, however, take part in a live interview later tonight with Michael Cole. He adds that anyone who makes fun of his voice will suffer severe consequences.
He shows pictures of his time in Japan where he was awarded titles and plaques. He was the Hulk Hogan, Austin, and Rock of Japan all rolled into one. At Over The Limit, one night only, it’ll be John Cena versus John Laurinaitis. God bless people power, and may God have mercy on John Cena.
WWE Champion CM Punk comes out and head into the ring.
He says he doesn’t know what the people want and don’t want. The people don’t want him. They don’t want him around. He tries to make himself look like a big deal, but this is all about John throwing his chips at Brock and losing. The only reason he went to Japan was because nobody wanted to see him wrestle. He was a joke then, and he’s a joke now.
Laurinaitis tells him to be careful.
He’ll be careful. He’ll also watch Cena beat him at the same pay per view where he’ll beat Daniel Bryan.
Laurinaitis asks if he’s finished.
Punk asks the fans if he’s finished. They say no, so he continues.
He’s stupid, he’s ugly, and he has no friends? Finished? NO! He’s also a gigantic toolbox. NOW he’s finished.
Laurinaitis says he’d pummel him down to the ground if he wasn’t in training. But he’s going to face somebody who know about respect. Tonight he faces Lord Tensai.
He had a feeling he was going to do that. To hide behind other big men. He looks forward to the challenge just like he looks forward to seeing Laurinaitis tap out to Cena.
Punk leaves the ring.
Up next, Big Show takes on Cody Rhodes in an Intercontinental Championship rematch.
-Commercial-
Laurinaitis is backstage when he bumps into Big Show. He yells at him to watch where he’s going and leaves. Show mocks Laurinaitis’ voice. Eve gives him a dirty look before he leaves for his match.
At ringside, Cody Rhodes and Big Show comes out for their match.
Match #1
WWE Intercontinental Championship Match
Cody Rhodes(c) vs. Big Show
Show starts off strong by tossing Cody around and slamming him. After awhile Cody grabs his title and goes to leave but Show grabs him and tosses him back in the ring. Cody exits the ring again and heads up the ramp. The referee counts to ten.
Winner via Count Out: Big Show
Time: 01:52
Show grabs a microphone and tells him to come on back to the ring. Don’t take the coward’s way out.
Cody leaves.
Show threatens to go after him, but then Eve shows up. She heads down to the ring. She tells Show to apologize. Apologize for what? For making fun of Mr. Laurinaitis’ voice. He says he was playing around, but Eve keeps telling him to apologize. He says he’s sorry. She didn’t say for him to say sorry. She said to apologize. She threatens to fire Show if he doesn’t. He apologizes for making fun of John Laurinaitis’ voice. Happy?
Show leaves the ring and heads to the back.
Later tonight, CM Punk takes on Lord Tensai. Also, Sheamus and Randy Orton take on Chris Jericho and Alberto Del Rio.
-Commercial-
The new WWE Tag Team Champions Kofi Kingston and R-Truth come out and head to the ring. Kofi will be in one on one action.
Vickie Guerrero comes out. She introduces Dolph Ziggler as his opponent. Jack Swagger comes out with them.
Match #2
Singles Match
Dolph Ziggler vs. Kofi Kingston
Primo, Epico, Rosa, and Abraham Washington watch the match from a monitor.
Ziggler has an early advantage over Kingston as he keeps the high flyer grounded with a submission.
Meanwhile, Mason Ryan approaches Abraham Washington backstage.
Kingston builds a comeback and takes down Ziggler with numerous clotheslines and chops. Boom Drop connects. Kingston goes for Trouble in Paradise, but Swagger distract. Ziggler goes for the Zig Zag but Kingston avoids it and hits the SOS for a two count. Kingston climbs a turnbuckle. A distraction by Vickie allows Swagger to pull Kofi off the turnbuckle and Ziggler hits Kofi with the Zig Zag for the pin.
Winner via Pinfall: Dolph Ziggler
Time: 02:37
Backstage, Cena is prepping for his interview with Cole.
-Commercial-
Cole is in the ring. He introduces John Cena via satellite.
Cena says thanks for the concerns.
Cole wants to ask what the latest update from doctors are.
Cena says technically he’s medically cleared, but due to there being fluid in his arm he has to get his elbow drained twice a day because of what Laurinaitis did. Doctors have recommended that he doesn’t compete for the next few months. He strongly recommended that they have no idea who they’re dealing with. He can lose his arm, but it won’t stop him from facing Laurinaitis.
Cole asks if he was surprised Laurinaitis wasn’t reprimanded?
Cena says no. The Board contacted him, and Cena said to not give any fines or fire Laurinaitis until after Over The Limit.
Cole says he has been watching videotapes. He says he’s very accomplished with Mr. Laurinaitis, and deep down Cena might be scared of him.
Cena says he actually is scared. He’s scared that John will be so bad that he hurts himself before he gets his hands on him. He gets to do what everyone in the WWE Universe wants to do, and he’ll take advantage of that. In thirteen days, he’ll kick John Laurinaitis’ ass!
-Commercial-
Beth Phoenix is at commentary with Cole and Lawler for the next match.
Kelly Kelly comes out for her match. WWE Divas Champion Layla comes out as her partner.
Their opponents, Maxine and Natalyia Neidhart, are already in the ring.
Match #3
Divas Tag Team Match
Kelly Kelly and Layla vs. Maxine and Natalyia Neidhart.
Layla and Maxine start things off with some grapple moves. Kelly exits the ring and pulls Natalyia off the apron. Layla catches Maxine with a neckbreaker for the three count.
Winners via Pinfall: Kelly Kelly and Layla
Time: 00:47
Up next, Sheamus and Randy Orton take on Chris Jericho and Alberto Del Rio
-Commercial-
Back at ringside, Ricardo Rodriguez introduces Alberto Del Rio.
His partner, Chris Jericho, comes out next.
Orton and Sheamus come out as their opponents.
Match #4
Tag Team Match
Randy Orton and Sheamus vs. Chris Jericho and Alberto Del Rio
Orton and Alberto start off. Alberto and Orton start off evenly matched. Then Jericho comes in and pummels Orton down. Orton makes a comeback and tags in Sheamus. Sheamus and Jericho square off. Sheamus with clubbing blows to Jericho on the apron. Sheamus then hits Alberto by accident and Jericho shoves Sheamus into the turnbuckle. Jericho and Alberto work together on Sheamus’ injured shoulder.
-Commercial-
Back, and Sheamus is still down with Jericho in control. The Celtic Warrior fights back though, and soon both men are down. The hot tags are made and Orton takes down Del Rio with his trademark moves followed by a DDT on the apron. He goes for the RKO, but Jericho interferes and distracts Orton long enough for a kick to the back of the head for a two count. Now Orton is down as Del Rio and Jericho work him at the corner. Jericho mocks Sheamus as he takes control of Orton. Tag to Alberto and Del Rio works Orton’s arm. He goes for Cross Arm Breaker, but Orton counters with a neckbreaker. Another hot tag made by both sides. Sheamus comes in and decks Jericho. He hits a couple running moves and signals for the Celtic Cross. Countered. A few moves later, Alberto gets in the ring, but Orton hits him with the RKO. Sheamus then goes for a Brogue Kick to Jericho, but hits Orton by accident. Jericho catches Sheamus with The Codebreaker and gets the three count.
Winners via Pinfall: Chris Jericho and Alberto Del Rio
Time: 13:03
Sheamus, concerned with Orton, goes to check on him. He helps him up and Orton gives him the RKO as payback.
Tonight, we get an update on Triple H and the future status of Brock Lesnar. Also, Punk takes on Tensai.
-Commercial-
Jericho meets Laurinaitis backstage. He says he should face Sheamus cause he beat him. Alberto shows up and says he deserves a title shot cause he beat him last week. Orton then comes in and says he should get the shot. Alberto and Jericho team up on Orton. Sheamus comes in and makes the save as all four men battle it out in Laurinaitis’ office. As Jericho and Alberto retreat, Laurinaitis tells them to break it up. Orton and Sheamus argue with one another over the accidental kick. As Orton leaves, Laurinaitis says at Over The Limit, he’s making a Fatal Four Way match.
Brodus Clay comes out for a match.
The Miz comes out as his opponent. He has a microphone.
Really? Instead of having a title match, he has to face…this? He has to face Brodus Clay? If he wanted to see King Hippo dance, he’d play Mike Tyson’s Punch Out. After this match, he wants him to call his mama and tell her that he’s The Miz and he’s awesome!
He gets in the ring.
Match #5
Singles Match
Brodus Clay vs. The Miz
Miz tries to gain an early advantage, but Brodus knocks him out of the ring. Brodus’ girls laugh at Miz. Brodus goes after Miz and Miz cheap shots him down. Miz is on the offensive as he goes up high with a double axe handle. Miz with a DDT for a two count. Miz continues to go to work on Brodus. Brodus fights back though, and he counters a diving attack with a T-Bone suplex followed by a splash for the pin.
Winner via Pinfall: Brodus Clay
Time: 04:11
-Commercial Break-
A recap of last week is shown with Lesnar breaking Triple H’s arm and leaving.
Cole says that not only is the arm broken, there are tendon and ligament injuries requiring him to wear a mechanical brace. He’ll have to have surgery as well. However, he’s still doing his job as COO. Next week, Triple H will speak live. Also, WWE had invited Lesnar to come back on, but Brock sent a legal adviser instead.
Brock’s entrance plays, and Paul Heyman comes out.
He introduces himself, and says he is the representative of Brock Lesnar, the most decorated and dominate athlete in the history of WWE. He has been under-appreciated since day one. Today’s WWE is so much different than it was ten years ago. It’s image conscious. Regardless, it was Laurinaitis who signed Brock to a legitimate contract. Brock made a few reasonable verbal demands on air which were agreed upon in front of everyone. Lesnar feels betrayed by the WWE Universe. He should not have to feel that way. He’s the only man in history to hold the NCAA, WWE Undisputed, and UFC Undisputed Heavyweight Championships. Lesnar is an honest man. He said he was going to hurt people, and Brock Lesnar hurt people. Tonight, Brock asked him to come down and read his official statement.
Heyman takes out a piece of paper.
He came back to bring legitimacy to WWE. That’s exactly what he did. And how was he rewarded? With the same corporate BS and politics that made him leave eight years ago? He embarrassed Cena. Another man he embarrassed was Triple H. He was always jealous of him. He could last nearly an hour in Hell in a Cell, but not a minute with him. He had an agreement and Triple H broke it, so he broke his arm. He doesn’t care about the corporate suits at WWE because he is never coming back because he quits!”
Heyman exits the ring.
Up next, Punk faces Tensai
-Commercial-
Big Show is backstage talking with the two stars of USA’s Common Law. They make fun of Laurinaitis’s voice and Show gets in trouble with Eve again.
CM Punk comes out for his match, but Laurinaitis interrupts.
He says tonight he’ll in a handicap match as he faces both Lord Tensai and Daniel Bryan.
-Commercial-
Back, and the match starts right away with everybody in the ring.
Match #6
Handicap Match
CM Punk vs. Lord Tensai and Daniel Bryan
Tensai overpowers Punk and slams him down with some power moves. He then tags Bryan in and Bryan takes advantage of it. Punk fights back though until they hit each other with double cross body blocks. Bryan tags Tensai in and Tensai goes right back to dominating over Punk. He tosses Punk outside. Punk tries to fight back with punches, but Tensai slams him into a turnbuckle before tossing him back inside. Tensai drops a senton slam before tagging back in an eager Bryan. Bryan misses an elbow drop. Bryan tries to tag Tensai back in, but Punk stops him. Punk now back with a second wind as he hits the running knee/bulldog combination. Punk goes for GTS, but Bryan wiggles out and Tensai tags in. Punk doesn’t realize it and Tensai knocks him down. Punk goes for GTS to Tensai, but Tensai gets out of it. Punk kicks Tensai in the jaw knocking him down. He climbs up for an elbow drop, but Bryan pulls him down. Tensai grabs Punk and drops him with a two handed choke bomb. He waits for Punk to get up, sprays green mist, and applies The Claw. He slams Punk to the ground and gets the three count.
Winners via Pinfall: Lord Tensai and Daniel Bryan
Time: 06:53
Bryan celebrates on the outside while Tensai leaves the ring. Bryan gets back in the ring and stomps on Punk before applying the Yes Lock. The referee breaks the submission, but Bryan reapplies it for a few more seconds. Bryan stands over Punk victorious as the show comes to an end.