By Wade Keller, PWTorch editor

KELLER'S WWE RAW REPORT
APRIL 13, 2009
ATLANTA, GA.
LIVE FROM USA NETWORK

[Q1]

-A long video package aired on last week's Legacy-McMahon angle with Batista's return.

-Michael Cole introduced the show with Jerry Lawler. Cole said he can speak from experience that the draft can change a life. He threw to Michael Cole and Jim Ross. Grisham said unlike in the NFL, the winners in WWE get a draft pick, not losers. Ross said: "This is the most powerfully pivotal night of the year for the WWE." Grisham threw to Josh Matthews and Matt Striker. Matthews broke out into a bloody nose on the air. It was caught on camera and he seemed a little freaked out by it. Lawler plugged that two draft picks would be at stake in a John Cena vs. Jack Swagger, plus a 15 man tri-branded battle royal would take place.

-Batista's ring intro music played. Haven't heard that in a long time. He looked the same, if not more muscular than ever. Nobody begins more interviews expressing love for the fans than Batista. I don't think he's entirely believable, but he makes as much of an effort as anyone being that total babyface. He almost seems like he's going to faint because he gets light-headed in the presence of his precious fans. "Uh! (nervous laughter) I can't tell you how good it feels to be back. I miss you guys way more than yo miss me. Heh." He said it took him almost four months to get back into the ring and the one thing that drove him was retribution.

A video clip aired of Legacy attacking him and Batista taking an Orton punt kick to the side of the head. He gave that Kobe Bryant intense look he has and said he's played that clip over and over and over and over and over again in his mind. He said the worst part was waiting, counting the days, counting the hours, counting the seconds, waiting to get his hands on Orton. He said he's tired of waiting and now he's back. He told Orton to stop being a little punk and face him like a man. He said if he doesn't, he will tear apart every inch of the arena to find him. After a pause, he said, "Fine, have it your way." Then as he was about to leave the ring, Shane McMahon walked out. The screen billed him as "WWE Executive Vice President." He danced onto the stage and strutted to the ring in his shiny workout suit.

Shane told Batista that Orton tried to separate his head from his shoulders, and he also went after his father and sister. "So if anybody's getting retribution tonight, Dave, it's me." How does a late-30s office worker with no fighting training expect to do that against the top heel in his prime, exactly? Oh, that's right, he's Super Shane-o-Mac. Triple H's music then played and he walked to the ring his music. Smile check: Nope.

He took the mic and told Shane he has to understand that the reason for all of this stuff with Orton, his dad, and him, it's all because of him (Triple H). He said it's because Orton is trying to get to him and his title. He told "Dave" that with all due respect and everything Orton has done to him, Orton "tried to take out my wife, the mother of my kids, while I watched." A fan could be heard yelling during a pause, "Hey, Triple H, suck it!" Triple H told Batista, "I'm not asking you, I'm telling you, Randy Orton is mine."

[Q2]

Chavo Guerrero wheeled out Vickie Guerrero, the new Raw G.M., yelling, "Excuse me! Excuse me!" She said the only person who will determine if and when anyone will face Orton, it'll be her, the G.M. of Raw. She said the three of them will have their chance against Orton at Backlash. She reminded them of the rules of the six-man tag match. She said if they get counted out or disqualified at Backlash, Orton could become the new WWE Champion. She the said if the three of them want a match against Orton, she has an opportunity, but only for one of them. She said Orton is there tonight, but she's given him "a well-deserved night off." She announced instead the three of them in the ring would face Cody Rhodes & Ted DiBiase. She said whomever scored the winning pinfall, if they should beat Rhodes & DiBiase, will get a one-on-one match against Orton next week.

-Cole plugged Rey Mysterio vs. Evan Bourne was up next with a draft pick at stake.

[Commercial Break]

1 -- REY MYSTERIO vs. EVAN BOURNE

Cole, Lawler, Matthews, and Striker all called this match. Striker said they are both well seasoned in both lucha libre (Mexico) and puroresu (Japan) styles. At 3:00 Rey connected with a 619 and then hit a top rope splash for the win. That was sad. Way too short. Lawler said he could watch them wrestle for a hour or two or three. Yeah, good point. I think a lot of people could stand to watch more. Not a lot to this one, either, as it was just getting warmed up. I just don't know where wrestling bookers disconnected from the concept that wrestlers who are being pushed who lose matches in three minutes are hard to draw money with.

WINNER: Mysterio in 3:00.

STAR RATING: 3/4*

-They went to the big screen to show that the first "Draft Pick" for Raw was MVP. Cole and Lawler reacted with excitement. Maybe he'll finally officially turn babyface. He stepped out onto the stage. Cole said moving to Raw will boost his already big ego.

-They showed Kane backstage approaching the entrance set.

[Q3]

[Commercial Break]

-They showed Chief Jay Strongbow sitting in the front row. Cole said, "Maybe he'll get drafted!" Yeah, Cole, maybe he will! Ha ha ha. Maybe he will.

2 -- KANE vs. THE BRIAN KENDRICK (w/Ezekiel Jackson)

Kendrick slapped Kane at the bell. Kane chased after him. Kendrick is faster than Kane. Jackson confronted Kane at ringside. Kane kicked him. Kendrick went after Kane from behind, but Kane easily fended off his attack. Kendrick went for his Sliced Bread back in the ring, but Kane avoided it and chokeslammed Kendrick.

WINNER: Kane in 2:00.

-Raw thus earned another draft pick. It was The Big Show. He then walked out onto the stage. Kane nodded and snorted in the ring as he watched Show stand on the stage.

-Cole and Lawler plugged the three-on-two handicapped match main event.

[Commercial Break]

-WWE Recycled Fact: WWE is seen in more households in China than the NFL and MLB combined.

-Vickie told Chavo that this is a new start for her, and she's thrilled she has the support of the WWE Board. Orton walked in and told Chavo Guerrero to leave. Vickie said, "No, Chavo stays." Orton protested Vickie giving the winner of the main event a match against him next week. He said he's been around longer than her and the WWE Board will not be happy with her. She said she's been entrusted to make fair decisions, so if Rhodes and DiBiase win tonight, whomever they defeat will have to face Legacy in a three-on-one match next week. Orton soaked that up for a few seconds, seemed satisfied, and walked away.

-They went backstage to John Cena who crossed paths with his opponent Jack Swagger. Swagger said tonight he'll show the entire world he's the future of the company. This is a historic TV moment as these two will probably draw money together within two or three years. Cena listened to Swagger, then introduced himself to him. They did an "Abbot and Costello" routine about Swagger's "All-American American" nickname. Cena said that's as ridiculous as him marching around saying, "The Champ is Here... Here." Or "You can't see me... me." Cena said what sounds better is "All-American Jackass." Swagger got in his face. Cena said he's a punk kid with a couple of wins under his belt who likes to mouth off. Cena said tonight he gets "a lesson in respect... respect." Lawler said that's going to be "good... good." I think "All-American American" sounds just fine. It's like saying Mike Modano is an "All-Star Star" (i.e. an All-Star game participant from the Dallas Stars). All-American is a term unto itself, and Swagger is American, so it's not entirely redundant. Cena was kinda dorky here, but not overbearing. Overall a good build-up for their match, but it'd be nice if the ECW World Title were universally treated as something other than a joke by the other brands. It's tough to increase that ECW rating on SciFi when the brand and its championship are treated as a joke.

[Q4]

[Commercial Break]

3 -- KELLY KELLY & MICKIE JAMES & MELINA vs. NATALYA & MICHELLE MCCOOL & MARYSE

Ross, Grisham, Cole, and Lawler called the match. Grisham said Smackdown needed to get its act together. The Smackdown heel trio's reaction to Melina doing the splits was pretty funny. McCool was the only wrestler from her team to even participate in the ridiculously short match. McCool caught Mickie diving off the top rope and hit her in the chest with a boot for the win

WINNERS: McCool & Maryse & Mickie in 2:00.

-Smackdown drew Melina as their draft pick. Lawler said he's going to really miss her entrance.

-They showed Cena heading toward the entrance tunnel backstage.

[Commercial Break]

-An ECW commercial hyped Finlay vs. Christian vs. Tommy Dreamer.

-A clip aired of the John Cena-Edge intense promo confrontation on Smackdown on Friday.

-They showed Cole and Lawler on camera. They recapped the draft so far.

-John Cena's ring entrance took place as the first hour came to an end.

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