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WWE Raw Live Report
April 7, 2008
Albany, N.Y.

The show started with Lillian Garcia in the ring to announce Raw G.M. William Regal. After the boos subsided, Regal introduced the announcement of the Backlash PPV main event. He brought out WWE champion Randy Orton first. Regal then announced the most-deserving #1 Contender, John...Bradshaw Layfield. Oh, you thought he was saying Cena. JBL and Orton had a stare down, then JBL extended his hand for a shake, but Orton simply stared at him. Regal hyped the match, but Triple H's music interrupted. Hunter walked out dressed to wrestle and he surveyed the appreciative crowd, which chanted "Triple H".

Hunter milked the pop, then asked Regal if he's completely nuts on booking this as the Backlash main event. He said he was a little busy last week with Flair, but now he's focused on this situation. Hunter said Orton was lucky at Mania by falling on top of Cena to get the win. He then asked how JBL is a contender when he's been on Smackdown the last two years, and his only claim to fame recently is slapping around a midget. Hunter said he found that funny, but it doesn't make him a #1 Contender. Regal then booked a handicap match for tonight with Hunter facing Orton and JBL. Hunter earns a slot in the Backlash title match if he wins. JBL and Orton screamed in disgust, while Hunter was non-reactional.

[Commercial Break]

[Q2]

1 -- UMAGA vs. VAL VENIS

Umaga dominated this one rather handily. He landed the running rear end splash in the corner, then smashed Venis with the Spike for the win.

WINNER: Umaga in 4:00. Picture every other Umaga squash extrapolated over four minutes. Just a chance to get Umaga back on the winning track after losing to Batista in the Mania stinker. (1/2*)

Announcers: Ross and Lawler plugged the text vote for Yes or No on whether Shawn Michaels did the right thing at WrestleMania by retiring Flair. ... They plugged Batista and Michaels as special guests on Jericho's highlight reel coming up tonight.

[Commercial Break]

2 -- MELINA & JILLIAN HALL vs. ASHLEY & MICKIE JAMES

Ross: "Ashley always has (pause) interesting combat attire." Yes, that's one way to put it. A lot of action to start with, then after the action broke down, Mickie finished off Melina with the lift-up DDT for the pin and the win.

WINNER: Mickie in 3:00. Nice seeing Mickie back in a strong position on TV. She should have been in the Mania picture, but that's neither here nor there. (1/2*)

Announcers: Ross and Lawler said they're going to re-live last week's Flair Farewell up next.

[Q3]

[Commercial Break]

Ross introduced a video package on Flair's final two days, starting with the superkick at WrestleMania and concluding with the Flair Farewell on Raw last week. The same video that aired on ECW and Smackdown last week. The emotion is still very raw and the moment still very poignant.

[Commercial Break]

Video package: They hyped WrestleMania 25 in Houston next year.

3 -- CADE & MURDOCH vs. KENDRICK & LONDON

Murdoch quickly dumped Kendrick to the outside, then Cade missed with an elbow smash on London. Murdoch tripped London from behind, allowing the heels to start working over London in their corner. Lawler questioned Murdoch's tan and wondered if his skin color is the product of a tanning bed. Ross said he doesn't mess with those rascals. Kendrick took the hot tag at 3:00, and the action kinda broke down. Suddenly, Kendrick rolled up Murdoch for the pin and the win after Kendrick played opossum on the mat. Afterward, Cade screamed and shouted at Murdoch for screwing up again.

WINNERS: Kendrick & London in 4:00. Back to the basic WWE TV tag match with the usual post-match argument between Cade and Murdoch. (1/2*)

[Q4]

Backstage: JBL stormed into Randy Orton's locker room for a word, but Orton cut him off and said he's beaten Triple H before and he'll beat him again. He told him just to stay out of his way. Orton grabbed his belt and left.

[Commercial Break]

ECW tomorrow night: Will C.M. Punk cash in the briefcase? They can keep that one in the can for the next 25 weeks or however long until Punk cashes in.

4 -- WWE champion RANDY ORTON & JBL vs. TRIPLE H

Stips: Hunter qualifies for Backlash main event title match if he wins this match. Orton and Hunter started things off, with Orton taking early control. JBL then tagged in and he took Hunter to the corner. The ref called for a break, and JBL slowly backed away from Hunter with neither man taking his eyes off the other man. Nicely done. Orton and JBL then double-teamed Hunter in their corner to set up Orton's methodical attack on Hunter. Hunter tried to make his comeback at 6:00, but Orton caught him off the ropes with a nice spinebuster for a nearfall. At 8:00, JBL had Hunter lined up for the Clothesline from Hell, but Orton blind-tagged himself into the ring. JBL was indignant, but Orton said he had it. Orton then went for the RKO, but Hunter shoved Orton into JBL. Orton then rebounded into the Pedigree from Hunter for the pin and the win.

WINNER: Hunter in 8:00. Decent handicap match with the heels stumbling and bumbling into a loss. (*1/2)

[Q5 -- second-hour]

After the match, Regal booked a triple threat match for the WWE Title at Backlash. But, someone's been left out of the picture. John Cena's music hit and Cena walked out on stage and congratulated Triple H. He said comes with songs of praise and a proposition. Cena said that since Hunter wants to play the excuses game, Cena said he beat Hunter the Rumble, beat Hunter at WM 22, beat JBL at WM 21, and beat Orton at last year's Backlash. Cena bombed with some poorly-written jokes about Orton beating people off. He then asked Regal to be included in the WWE Title match with a fatal four-way. Regal paused to let the audience react, then Regal said Cena has given him a fantastic idea. He said the Backlash main event should be the greatest it can possibly be, so he'll offer Cena the same deal he gave Hunter. It will be Cena vs. JBL and Hunter tonight, with Cena into the main event if he wins.

[Commercial Break]

5 -- World tag champs HARDCORE HOLLY & CODY RHODES vs. SANTINO MARELLA & CARLITO -- non-title match

The match started with Ross talking about Carlito being the son of Carlos Colon. Lawler asked who Santino's father is. After a pause, Ross said he's the son of Mr. Marella. A minute into the match, Holly had Santino set up for the Alabama Slam, but Carlito broke it up. They had some confusion over who was the legal man, then the heels worked over Holly. Rhodes took the hot tag at 4:00 and crotched Santino. Santino knocked Cody to the mat, though, and nailed his "patriotic salute" diving elbow from the top rope for the pin and the win.

WINNERS: Carlito & Santino in 5:00. Another basic WWE TV tag match. Santino's salute elbow smash is stellar, but I'd rather hear him on the mic than see him in the ring. (*)

[Q6]

[Commercial Break]

Backstage: They showed Cryme Tyme standing backstage. They're having a WrestleMania clearance sale with deep-discount prices. Shad pulled out a Rocky Johnson Soulshaker and poured some on J.T.G. to get a dance in his step. Shad then pulled out Maria's Playboy autograph signed by Maria and they checked out the photos. For the next item, JTG pulled out Kim Kardashian's thong from the Hall of Fame. Shad said she wasn't at the Hall. JTG tried to play it off like she was, but Shad said that's not Kim's, but Mae Young's. JTG stopped and tossed the thong away, then CT did their catchphrase to close the segment.

Video package: Ross and Lawler narrated clips from the recent confrontations between Big Show and Khali.

Backstage: Triple H was taping up his wrists in the locker room area when JBL walked in and cut a promo about not liking this anymore than he does. JBL said he needs to listen to him. Hunter then pulled out his headphones and asked JBL if he was saying something. JBL huffed and asked why no one listens to him. He stormed off, then Hunter shouted after him, "Pretty much because you're an ass."

[Commercial Break]

[Q7]

6 -- Women's champ BETH PHOENIX vs. MARIA -- non-title match

Maria charged Beth to start things off, and she fired up with some slaps to the face. She tried that handstand spot, but Beth was like, "no way" and shoved her to the mat. Beth then applied a sort of Texas Cloverleaf/Liontamer into a back-bending backbreaker. Goodness, that was awesome. Suddenly, Maria went for a roll-up, but Beth kicked out just before two. Maria made her comeback, and landed a reverse DDT after blocking a fireman's carry move. Beth hung out Maria across the top rope, then landed the fisherman buster suplex for the pin and the win.

WINNER: Beth in 4:00. That was a decent TV match. Maria showed good fire and Beth pulled out the victory with power offense. (*)

Backstage: They showed Shawn Michaels and Batista walking to the ring on a split screen. Highlight Reel is next.

[Commercial Break]

ECW tomorrow night: Kane and Chavo in a contract-signing for their ECW Title match at Backlash.

Highlight Reel: IC champ Chris Jericho came out first for the big segment. Jericho brought out Batista first. He then talked about Shawn Michaels having the new name of the man who ended Ric Flair's career, and he brought him out. Michaels walked out looking very stern while Batista shook his head. The text messaging poll has Michaels at 65 percent for doing the right at WrestleMania. Jericho said the three of them shed tears with Flair last week, but those tears didn't have to be shed... Michaels cut him off and said Flair challenged him to the match and asked for him to be Mr. WrestleMania. Jericho then went to the Jeritron to show Michaels nearly busting his ribs with the moonsault spot onto the announce table.

Jericho said his sources have it on good authority that Michaels has broken ribs, and he was willing to do anything to end Flair's career. Jericho repeated Michaels's line: "I'm sorry, I love you" and asked Michaels if he was ever truly sorry. Michaels said he is sorry. Batista cut him off and said Michaels is only sorry about people calling him out on his crap. He cut a promo on Michaels, and Jericho cut him off and asked Batista if he would have done the same thing. Batista said he wouldn't have. Michaels cut him off and said Batista must be some high and mighty guy now. He asked Batista where his friendship was weeks prior to the WrestleMania match. Michaels asked where was Batista's friendship when he could have talked Flair into not having the match before the match.

[Q8]

Michaels cut right to the chase and said Flair didn't ask Batista to be his opponent at Mania because there was only one man he could trust to carry the burden the rest of his life. "And you are looking at him," Michaels firmly told Batista. He told Batista to look at his hands because there is so much blood on his hands - some of it good and some of it bad. Michaels said WrestleMania was the hardest night of his career. Batista said that because of all that blood on his hands, he trusted Michaels to do the right thing. Michaels said he did do the right thing. Michaels said he's sick and tired of going back and forth with him, so do something about it. Michaels dropped the mic and Batista dropped his shades. Batista smirked, then said, "I already have." Batista slowly turned and walked away from Michaels while giving him a smile. The fans booed Batista as he walked out of the ring, leaving Michaels in the ring by himself with a sad look on his face. In-ter-esting.

Backstage: They showed Cena walking backstage for the main event.

[Commercial Break]

Backstage: Regal got off the phone with Vickie Guerrero when Randy Orton walked in to interrupt. He said it's Michaels vs. Batista at Backlash. Orton didn't care, as he was concerned about Regal over-stepping his bounds with the title situation. Regal said as champion, he used to take on all-comers. In fact, with Raw from London, England next week, Orton's opponent next week will be...me! Orton stared at his opponent next week, then walked away.

7 -- JOHN CENA vs. TRIPLE H & JBL

Stips: Cena qualifies for Backlash main event title match if he wins this match. The bell sounded and Randy Orton walked to ringside for a closer look at the action. Orton also served as a distraction against Cena, allowing JBL to tee off on Cena. And JBL kept nailing Cena while teasing Hunter with a tag. Cena fought back and the males booed his comeback. JBL then walked over to his corner for a tag, but he just teased Hunter again. JBL knocked Cena to the floor at 4:00 and smashed him into the guardrail before taking Cena back into the ring for a nearfall.

[Q9 -- over-run]

Cena made his full comeback at 7:00 and JBL tried to stumble over to his corner to make a tag, but Hunter pulled his hand away to give JBL a taste of his own medicine. Cena then dropped JBL with the Five Knuckle Shuffle as the males booed like mad. JBL tried made another tag, but Hunter pulled away again. Cena then went for the FU, but JBL escaped and nailed a big boot to the face. JBL came up to one knee and stared a hole in Hunter, who told him to get back on the offensive. Suddenly, JBL and Hunter broke out into a brawl, which spilled to the outside. JBL accidentally nailed Orton, then Orton jumped into the ring and gave JBL an RKO out of frustration. Cena dumped Orton to the outside, then he pinned JBL in center ring while Hunter watched from the apron.

Post-match: Hunter and Cena stared at each other while standing over JBL's fallen body. Orton hobbled on one good leg on the floor before holding up his WWE Title belt to close the show.

WINNER: Cena in 9:00. Eventful match to set up the dynamic for the four-way match at Backlash. Right now, it doesn't make much sense for Hunter to allow Cena into the match to reduce his own odds of winning the WWE Title, but I'm sure we'll get an explanation. Well, maybe. (*1/2)

We welcome your 1-10 score and comments on this show for a "Raw Reax" feature in the Torch Feedback section of PWTorch.com. To contribute your thoughts on Raw, click here.

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