WWE Raw HOLT Report

May 26, 2008

Denver, Col. at Pepsi Center

Report by Curtis Shanks of Casper, Wy., PWTorch.com reader

After an all night drive we just arrived in Casper, WY from Raw in Denver, Col.  That's a sacrafice you've got to make if you live in the wrestling abyss that is Wyoming.  My first Raw show ever, so here's some quick results.

DARK MATCH

(1) Ron Killings defeated Nick the Natural (Nick Nemeth).  Killings was over with the crowd.  Lots of "Truth" chants.  Killings intro music was the same music he used in TNA.  It's his own song he sang, so I'm sure there's no copyright issues.
 
HEAT TAPING
 
(1) Snitsky defeated Super Crazy.  Not much to it.  Just a prolonged squash.  A few brush your teeth chats could be heard.
 
(2) Santino defeated Duggan.  Santino was hillarious on the mic.  He refereed to Duggan as "Hacksaw Jim Dunkin' Donuts".  After USA chants for Hacksaw, Santino tried to start some "I-tal-y" chants.  Santino wins in an entertaining match.
 
(3) Lance Cade defeated Jeff McAllister?.  Quick win for Cade's new singles push.
 
(4) Charlie Haas defeated Robbie McAllister.  Haas was thrown to the outside and disappeared under the ring, returning with the luchadore mask.  Haas with the pin and various old-school poses in his mask that did not get over with the live crowd.
RAW NOTES
Raw opening pyro was LOUD.  You could feel the heat from the pyro explosions.
 
The face off between Randy Orton and Triple H was hot with the live crowd, but nothing special if you ask me.
 
Jillian Hall's singing is even worse in person.  Just terrible.  Melina got a strong babyface reaction to my surprise.
 
The tag title match was good live.  London and Kendrick were more over than Holly & Rhodes were.  Good pop for DiBiase as well.  Ted DiBiase, Jr. sounded good on the mic and should be fun to watch.
 
The Piper and Sal skit did not get much reaction from the live crowd.
 
Two biggest pops of the night go to John Cena and Jeff Hardy.  This was a 90 percent pro-Cena crowd tonight from my vanatage point.  Very, very loud reaction.  Jeff Hardy's pyro is something that needs to be seen live.
 
Segue into Mr. Kennedy.  He is great live as well.  Why not go for the trifecta.  Katie Lea Burchill is also something to see live.  Post match angle with Paul Burchill did not get much reaction.
 
Jericho vs. Michaels was a very good match.  More HBK supporters than for Jericho.
 
The Vince McMahon announcement was a dud.  The crowd seemed to eat it up thinking they were going to get free money, but most of us knew better.
 
Post-Raw dark match saw DX defeat Umaga & Randy Orton.  DX was way over with the crowd.  They started off with Triple H doing the usual "For the thousands in attendence, and for the millions watching at home..."  HBK then corrected him that the time was 9:15.  Triple H rephrased it to "For the thousands in attendance, and for the millions no longer watching at home...".  Match itself was good.   The memorable moment came when HBK yanked on the tights of Orton, revealing his entire backside for a good 5 seconds.  We're talking tights to the tops of the knee caps.  Crowd got a kick out of that.  Finish saw Triple H win with the pedigree to send the fans home happy.
 
A little disappointing as we were hoping to see a new G.M. named, but all in all a good show for my first live experience.

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