WWE RAW report for 02/16/04

Hello again everyone and welcome BACK to your RajahWWF.com RAW report. I am your host Jason (Jason_of_RajahWWF on Yahoo Messenger). Let's go.

We begin with footage from last week of Shawn Michaels inserting himself into the WrestleMania XX contract signing between Triple H and Chris Benoit.

The music plays, the pyro blazes and we are LIVE from Bakersfield, California. Jim Ross and Jerry "The King" Lawler will have the call as toNIGHT Chris Benoit will go one-on-one with Shawn Michaels and Ric Flair & Batista will defend the World Tag Team titles against Booker T & Rob Van Dam. But FIRST...

Triple H Interview
-The World Heavyweight Champion makes his way to the ring and takes the stick. The Game has come from the general manager's office, but Eric Bischoff has still not sorted out whom Triple H will be facing at WrestleMania. Chris Benoit won the shot at the Royal Rumble, but Shawn Michaels' name is on the contract, so the lawyers haven't been able to come to an agreement yet. Triple H is not going to suffer Yokozuna's fate at WM X, when the champion had to defend the title twice and ended up losing it. Triple H demands that Eric Bischoff come to ring. Bischoff comes on down without benefit of music. Triple H is right, he shouldn't have to defend the title twice in one night at WrestleMania. Triple H wants an answer and he wants one right now. What if Bischoff were to cancel tonight's Benoit/Michaels and replace it with a World Heavyweight Championship Match with Triple H picking his opponent? The winner of that match will go on to defend the title at WrestleMania. Do the people want to see Triple H defend the title? The crowd cheers in the affirmative. Is that what the crowd really wants? Well, that's nice, but Bischoff has mistaken Hunter for someone who gives a crap what the people want. The crowd boos as Triple H demands an answer once and for all from Bischoff. Music hits and here come Chris Benoit. Hold on, Benoit, Triple H knows you're upset, but he's not the one who...Benoit snatches the mic from Hunter's hand. This is about Benoit and he's got one thing to say. Benoit sucker punches Triple H and it's on as Bischoff flees. Hunter gets the advantage in the corner, but Benoit soon hooks in the Crossface. The balance of Evolution storm the ring and Benoit bails to the outside.

COMMERCIAL

In the back, Evolution rallies around Triple H. They vow to get Chris Benoit before the night is over. Randy Orton promises Triple H that everything is under control.

Booker T & Rob Van Dam Vs. Ric Flair & Batista w/Randy Orton for the World Tag Team Championship
-Footage from last week shows Orton stealing the victory in an Intercontinental Triple Threat Match with Booker and RVD. Flair and Booker start up against the ropes and referee Mike Chioda gets the clean break. Some basics lead to a Booker body slam and a tag to RVD. Van Dam with kicks in the corner, but Flair gets the elbow up in the corner and tags Batista. Batista manhandles Van Dam in the ropes as Orton taunts from the floor. Van Dam with a heel kick off the whip and a rolling senton off the second rope. Van Dam cleans Flair off the apron and goes after Batista, but Orton is up on the apron. Flair enters the ring and gets kicked by Van Dam. RVD tosses Batista out, but the Dave and Orton dodge the attempted plancha as we go to...

COMMERCIAL

..We come back to find Batista in control of Van Dam on the mat with a reverse chinlock. RVD fights up, but he walks right into a Batista powerslam for a near fall. Tag to Flair. Van Dam blocks the hip toss and works a backslide for two. Dropkick by Van Dam, followed by a step-over heel kick. Both men are down. Referee Chioda gets to four before Van Dam makes the tag. Booker cleans house on both opponents, dropping Flair with a kick for a near fall that's broken up by Batista. Van Dam and Batista battle to the outside as Booker chases Orton off the apron. Booker drops Flair with a sidekick. Spineroonie! Booker looks for the ax kick, but Orton snags his leg from the floor and drives Booker's knee into the steel steps. Batista regains the ring and powerbombs Booker. 1-2-Booker kicks out. Here comes MICK FOLEY. Foley and Orton go at each other on the floor before spilling into the crowd with Batista in pursuit. Meanwhile in the ring, Flair has the Figure Four hooked in on Booker when RVD comes off the top and nails Naitch with the Five Star Frog Splash. The referee chases Van Dam from the ring as Booker crawls over for the cover. Chioda tolls the 1-2-3 and that's that at 9:40.
-HERE are YOUR Winners and NEW World Tag Team Champions: Booker T & Rob Van Dam

COMMERCIAL

A President's Day clip shows us part of Franklin Roosevelt's 1933 inaugural address.

Ross and Lawler congratulate Eddie Guerrero on his WWE Championship win last night at No Way Out and a clip shows Goldberg's roll in that particular affair.

In the general manager's office, Sheriff Austin and Eric Bischoff finish watching the clip. Austin demands an answer for Triple H's WrestleMania opponent. If Bischoff doesn't have an answer for Austin by the end of the night, Austin will do the usual stomping and walking of mud holes. Bischoff leaves the office and doesn't get two steps when Randy Orton rushes up and demands a match with Mick Foley for tonight. Distracted, Bischoff says fine...but it's not WWE sanctioned.

Elsewhere, Chris Jericho prepares for his match with Kane when Christian enters. Tonight, Jericho is planning to tell Trish Stratus how he really feels about her by giving her a rose as a belated Valentine's Day gift. Christian's not so sure that's a good idea because there are probably a lot of guys interested in Trish and Jericho needs to concentrate on Kane. Jericho dismisses Christian's concerns but leaves the rose with him before heading for the ring.

COMMERCIAL

WWE Sting of the Night: Two weeks ago, Chris Jericho saves Trish Stratus from a Kane chokeslam.

Chris Jericho Vs. Kane
-Referee Jack Doen calls for the bell and we're off. Jericho goes to the knee with kicks immediately, but Kane shoves him away. Jericho floats out of a slam and looks for The Walls, but Kane powers out and scores an elevated flapjack. Kane pulls Jericho's kneepad off and attacks Chris's injured knee, driving it into the mat. Kane drags Jericho to the corner and slams Chris's knee into the ring post from the floor. Kane torques Jericho's knee around the post and only breaks on the referee's four count. Kane returns to the ring and scores a knee breaker. Jericho counters a back suplex, but his knee won't take any weight and he collapses. Kane whips Jericho to the corner and Chris collapses into a heap before he can hit the corner. Referee Doen has seen enough and he calls for the bell at 2:56.
-The referee has ruled that Chris Jericho cannot continue, therefore your winner by forfeit: Kane

Not happy with the damage he's already done, Kane grabs Jericho up and throws him legs first over the top. The referee goes out to try to see to Jericho, but Kane goes out, tosses him aside and then drives Jericho's knee into the ring post. Kane returns to the ring and gets on the mic. Kane doesn't know who's been playing these supposedly supernatural mind games with him, but he knows it's not The Undertaker because his brother is dead, Dead, DEAD! Kane lights the posts and heads up the ramp, but here comes another blackout and TitanTron video. "In 27 days, the dead will rise again." The blue spotlight finds Kane once again and, complete with thunder and lightning, it begins to rain on the Big Red Machine.

COMMERCIAL

"Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall," said Ronald Reagan in 1987 in another President's Day moment.

Randy Orton Vs. Mick Foley in an Unsanctioned Match
-Ross tells us that Chris Jericho has been taken to the hospital for an MRI on his knee. The Intercontinental Champion comes on down, takes the stick and calls out Mick Foley for their unsanctioned match. Orton doesn't want a match with Foley at WrestleMania, it just wouldn't be fair. Orton is only 29 and in top shape, Foley is a fat, has been glory hound that doesn't know his day is over. Mick may have been the Hardcore Legend in his day, but tonight he's just Randy Orton's bitch. The car crashes and here comes Mick. They brawl in the corner for a while before Foley scores a modified bulldog. Double arm DDT by Mick and here comes RIC FLAIR and BATISTA. Foley takes on all comers, but an Orton low blow puts him on the mat. Evolution goes to work on Mick en masse, capping it off with an RKO. Mick tries to get up, but Orton stomps him back to the mat. Although this is unsanctioned, senior referee Earl Hebner comes down to try to warn Evolution off, but Orton won't hear of it. Evolution continues to beat on Foley until finally ending it with a three-man powerbomb. I guess Orton wins.

COMMERCIAL

During the commercial, Mick Foley's carcass was carted out of the arena.

In the back, Shawn Michaels is taping up, when Chris Benoit gets right in his face. Shawn has no idea what Benoit wants to do to him, but he will later tonight.

In the general manager's office, Stacy Keibler and Miss Jackie complain to Eric Bischoff about not being picked for the cover of Playboy. If the girls think they can sell more issues of Playboy than Torrie Wilson and Sable, why don't they go call Hugh Hefner right now? The girls go off to do that when Sheriff Austin comes in. Austin checks on the progress of the negotiations for WrestleMania, but there's nothing to report. Austin has a copy of the new Monday Night Wars DVD, and he asks Bischoff about the time Eric challenged Vince McMahon to a fight in Nitro. Bischoff think it's funny and says most people have kicked Vince's ass, Eric's sure he could too. Vince McMahon is, of course, standing right behind Bischoff. Vince said it would be Eric's ass if Goldberg showed up at No Way Out but instead; McMahon will wait until next week when he'll be making a huge WrestleMania XX announcement. After Vince makes that announcement, THEN we'll see if Bischoff can kick McMahon's ass.

COMMERCIAL

Another President's Day moment shows us the "Ask not what your country can do for you..." line from John F. Kennedy's 1961 inaugural address.

Trish Stratus & Victoria w/Steven Richards Vs. Molly Holly & Jazz w/Theodore Long
-Trish and Jazz start things off with Jazz in control with power. Jazz kicks away at Trish's belly in the corner, but Stratus dodges the corner splash and rolls Jazz up from two from referee Chad Patton. Clothesline by Trish for a near fall. Tag to Molly. Snap suplex by Molly for a one count. Molly rips away at Trish's face on the mat and whips her into the corner for another boot to the stomach. Mr. Perfect snapmare by Molly, but Trish floats over in the corner and scores a headscissors takeover. Tag to Victoria. Molly controls the arm, but Victoria athletically escapes. Vicky wrings the arm, but Molly escapes the same way. Molly walks right into a Victoria clothesline for two, but Jazz scores a cheap shot from the apron. Victoria drives Jazz off the apron and seizes Molly up for the Widow's Peak and the 1-2-3 at 3:33.
-HERE are YOUR Winners: Victoria & Trish Stratus

Steven Richards is delighted with the win and gets into the ring to celebrate with the girls, but Test charges in and nails Richards from behind. Victoria takes a shot at Test, but he pie-faces her to the mat. Test lords it over Victoria, but Trish jumps on his back. Test flips Trish to the mat and looks to powerbomb her, but here comes Christian. Christian drives Test from the ring and sees to Trish, who looks confused but appreciative.

COMMERCIAL

WrestleMania Recall: At WM X-Seven, Mean Gene Okerlund and Bobby "The Brain" Heenan had the call for the Gimmick Battle Royal. The Iron Sheik was victorious.

In the back, Trish Stratus catches up with Christian to thank him for what happened. They agree to go see Chris Jericho at the hospital together, but not before Christian gives Trish the rose Jericho wanted to give her.

COMMERCIAL

Shawn Michaels Vs. Chris Benoit
-Michaels taunts Benoit with the Sweet Chin Music stomp before the bell and Chris slaps the taste out of his mouth and tackles him to the mat. Snap suplex by Benoit followed by stomps in the corner. Benoit whips Shawn to the corner and Michaels Flair flips over the top to the apron. Michaels comes back in and Benoit goes for the Crossface, but HBK slides to the outside. They return to the ring for chops in the corner and Michaels scores a neckbreaker. Benoit takes a Bret bump on the corner and gets clobbered in the back of the head on the rebound. Benoit is slow to get up and Shawn hammers away on his surgically repaired neck. Chops in the corner by Michaels. Benoit fires back with right hands, but HBK gets the boot up on a corner charge. Benoit reverses a whip, but Michaels scores the flying forearm on the rebound. Slam by Michaels and he goes to the top, but Benoit dodges the flying elbow. Both men are down. Referee Earl Hebner gets to three before they rise. Benoit looks for the German suplex, but Michaels hooks the top rope to stop it. Benoit tries to wrench Shawn over anyway, but nothing doing, so he settles for backdropping Michaels over the top and to the floor as we go to our last...

COMMERCIAL

..We return to find Benoit with a neck vise hooked in on Michaels on the mat. Michaels fights out, but Benoit buries the knee to the gut and gets a near fall. Another knee by Benoit gets two. Snap suplex by Benoit. 1-2-Michaels kicks out. High-angle back suplex by Benoit. 1-2-Shawn gets the shoulder up. Side slam by Benoit gets another near fall before Chris works the chops against the ropes. They exchange chops before Benoit hook in an abdominal stretch off the whip. Referee Hebner checks in, but Shawn won't quit. Michaels works his way toward the ropes and manages to hip toss out of the stretch, but Benoit dodges the elbow drop. Michaels cinches in a sleeper off the whip and Benoit starts to fade. Hebner checks in, but Benoit starts to surge back. He reverses things into a back suplex and both men are down. The referee gets to eight before they slowly rise and chop it out. Benoit gets the better of things and then looks for a sleeper of his own, but Shawn jaw jacks out. Both men are down again. Hebner gets to seven before Shawn makes the cover, but Benoit's out at two. Chops against the ropes by Michaels, but Benoit fires back. Shawn fires Benoit into the ropes, drops down and they collide head-on on the rebound. The referee counts to eight this time before they get back up. Michaels with an inverted atomic drop, but Benoit shakes it off and scores a backslide for a near fall. Inside cradle by Benoit. 1-2-Michaels kicks out. Benoit looks for a suplex, but Shawn counters it into a cross body for a near fall. Benoit puts Shawn on top and looks for the superplex, but Michaels counters him back to the mat and this time scores the flying elbow. Michaels to his feet and he signals for Sweet Chin Music. He goes for it, but Benoit ducks and tries for the Crossface. Michaels manages to struggle out of it, but Benoit turns things into a Sharpshooter. How cool is that? Michaels is in agony, but he manages to claw his way to the ropes. Hebner tries to break the hold, but Benoit pulls him back to the center of the ring. Shawn slowly makes his way back to the ropes and just barely is able to grab the bottom strand. Benoit releases the hold. Michaels tries for the superkick again, but Benoit ducks and drills Shawn with three German suplexes. Benoit signals for the end, but here comes TRIPLE H. Benoit turns his attention to Hunter as Triple H comes down the ramp. Chris turns around and is blasted by Sweet Chin Music for the 1-2-3 at 21:10, but I think we all know Benoit had Shawn beat.
-HERE is YOUR Winner: Shawn Michaels

Triple H climbs into the ring after the match and helps Shawn up, only to Pedigree him back down. Triple H heads up the ramp, but here comes Sheriff Austin. Eric Bischoff has made a decision, but he was too afraid of what Hunter's reaction would be, so Austin's here to deliver the message. At WrestleMania XX, it'll be Triple H versus Shawn Michaels versus Chris Benoit in a Triple Threat Match for the World Heavyweight Championship. And that's the bottom line...

END OF SHOW