By Wade Keller, Torch editor

RAW REPORT
APRIL 18, 2005
LIVE FROM NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. AT MSG

-Eric Bischoff told Jim Ross that he has every right to be scared since he was challenged by Triple H. He said he is sure Ross would like him to "cancel" the match, but the match just intrigues him too much. He added that announcers are a dime a dozen. He made the match a no-DQ match. He said he would let Ric Flair be in Hunter's corner, but Batista would be in Ross's corner. Well, they sort of addressed the absurd situation of Hunter just making a match out of the blue last week, although Bischoff's character has no constitution at this point, going from sorta babyface straight-shooter to a smarmy heel from week to week these days. Ross didn't say a word, but his face told the story. Remember, last week Bischoff didn't feel it was fair to allow Michaels to get himself into a two-on-one situation, so he forced him to get a partner. This week, Bischoff finds it intriguing to see a top wrestler beat up an announcer.

-The Raw opening montage then aired as the camera panned the MSG arena. There is no arena that has the same aura as MSG. Coach and Jerry Lawler introduced the show. Coach said he feels Ross's career is over tonight. Lawler said he feels better about it knowing that Batista will be in his corner.

1 -- CHRIS BENOIT vs. EDGE

Edge entered the ring with his "Money in the Bank" briefcase. He jump-started the match by attacking Benoit as he entered the ring. Benoit came back quickly with a series of unreleased German suplexes in the opening minute. Edge came back and applied a mat hold. Benoit came back quickly and applied the Crippler Crossface at 3:00 in a match. When Edge escaped, Benoit followed him to ringside where the two brawled. Benoit reversed Edge into the security barrier and then clotheslined him into the crowd. Benoit followed Edge over the barrier and dragged him underneath the MSG bleachers. Coach talked about the danger back there with all of the live cables. They worked their way backstage where people scattered. They cut to a break.

WINNER: No contest.

STAR RATING: *3/4 -- Good while it lasted.

[Commercial Break]

-A group of divas were giggling backstage when Edge and Benoit brawled into their area. They screamed and scattered. Bischoff stepped between them and ordered them to stop fighting. He said he would book them in a rematch, a Last Man Standing match. He threatened to suspend Edge "for the rest of the year" if he didn't back down.

-Trish Stratus walked out. She told the fans, "Please sit, it's not necessary." She said it's time for a fresh start for her relationship with Lita. She asked Lita to come to the ring. After a few seconds, Lita's music played and she walked out with a crutch and her left knee wrapped. Trish implored the fans to be quiet because they were trying to have a conversation. When the crowd chanted "slut, slut," Trish told the crowd not to call Lita a slut. Lita just laughed. A very loud "You Screwed Matt" chant began. Trish threatened to walk out if the people didn't quiet down. The chant stopped and the crowd cheered. Trish said she respects Lita and said, "You're like a sister to me." A chant of "We Want Matt" began. Trish asked Lita if she accepts her apology. Lita grabbed the mic and began to boo. Lita said her apology feels empty after she tried to make her life a living hell for the past year. Lita said she doesn't believe a word coming out of her mouth. Lita said she doesn't accept her apology. The crowd booed. Lita said, "Payback's a bitch." Kane's music then played. Lita then hit Trish from behind with her crutch. Trish ran away and fell. Kane grabbed Trish and lifted her for a chokeslam Then Viscera made the save, attacking Kane. The crowd chanted "Let's Go Mabel." Viscera left Kane lying inside the ring. Viscera lifted Trish and carried her to the back. Trish didn't seem to be into Viscera being her knight in shining armor.

[Commercial Break]

-Trish giggled with Viscera backstage and thanked him for beating up Kane. Viscera said he is glad that she's thankful, but he'll be even more thankful when she services him. Trish got uncomfortable and asked what he meant by that. Viscera said, "I do something for you, you do something for me." Trish said she wanted to stick to business. Viscera said he likes to "mix business with (glances at her ass) a whole lot of pleasure." When she rebuffed him, he wondered if she wanted to battle Kane and Lita on her own. Trish said no, she didn't want that, so maybe they could just take it slow. Viscera said he'd take it slow, "like, all night long slow." Trish tried to walk away, but Viscera grabbed her by the hair and forced a kiss on her. She wiped her mouth as Viscera walked away. Coach said, "I've wanted to do that for six years."

2 -- WILLIAM REGAL & TAJIRI vs. THE HEART THROBS (Romeo & Antonio) -- World Tag Team Title match

The Heart Throbs came out to the ring doing a cross between Johnny B. Badd, "Gorgeous" Jimmy Garvin, and Billy & Chuck. Basically, their gimmick is a takeoff on the Ambiguously Gay Duo cartoons on Saturday Night Live. Regal and Tajiri didn't know what to make of them. Coach said he's partied with them in New York and that they're very charismatic and a lot of fun. Lawler said they looked "a little light in the loafers." Coach said, speaking from experience, they're anything but "light in the loafers." Does anyone still say "light in the loafers" anymore? Has anyone for 20 years? Lawler asked what kind of clubs they go to, but Coach said he couldn't give away their mojo. Coach said wherever they go, they get to the front of the line and right into the VIP section. The crowd began a "boring" chant. Tajiri hot-tagged in at 4:00 and came up short on a jump spin wheel kick. He threw a sidekick right afterward that connected. Coach said Tajiri figures if he throws enough kicks, some will eventually land. Tajiri scored the pin with a roll-up. The Heart Throbs attacked Tajiri & Regal after the match.

WINNERS: Tajiri & Regal at 4:40.

STAR RATING: * - The Heart Throbs is the type of derivative stereotype gimmick that might play in Kentucky, but New York is going to see right through it as a lame interpretation of a stereotype by someone who doesn't get out much. Debuting them the same month that MNM debuted also waters down both gimmicks.

-Coach and Lawler plugged Shawn Michaels vs. Muhammad Hassan.

[Commercial Break]

-Ross expressed concern to a ref backstage that he couldn't find Batista anywhere.

-Ric Flair asked Triple H what they're going to do about Batista being in Ross's corner. Hunter told Flair that Batista wouldn't be there. He said he had a feeling that Batista might try to get involved in the match, so he chatted with the limo company and arranged for Batista to be on the ride of his life right about now. Flair told Hunter, "You're my hero."

-Backstage Todd Grisham interviewed Muhammad Hassan, with Khosrow Daivari, complained that as he walks the streets of New York, people look at him with suspicion. Grisham asked them what they think about having to face Michaels and Hulk Hogan at Backlash. So that's how it's announced that Hogan is officially part of the match? Grisham announcing it? Hassan laughed and said from what he heard, Hogan isn't returning Michaels's calls. He said tonight nobody will save Michaels. That's not exactly a subtle foreshadowing of Hogan's scheduled appearance later. Daivari ranted briefly, then walked away.

[Commercial Break]

3 -- SHAWN MICHAELS vs. MUHAMMAD HASSAN (w/Khosrow Daivari)

The crowd chanted "Hogan, Hogan" and Lawler and Coach wondered if Hogan would accept Michaels's invitation. Apparently Grisham didn't choose the best wording, which would explain the awkward pause by Hassan and Daivari after he asked them about facing Michaels & Hogan as if it were an officially announced match. Michaels chased Daivari around the ring when he tried to interfere.

[Commercial Break]

Predictably, after Michaels hit a top rope elbow and appeared ready to hit Sweet Chin Music, Daivari attacked Michaels. The two heels stomped away at Michaels until Hulk Hogan's music played and came out to make the save. He got double-teamed for a minute, but then made a superman comeback. Michaels joined him in clearing the ring. Hogan got a huge pop. He and Michaels posed in the ring together. Hogan ripped off his t-shirt. There something about Hogan and Michaels in the ring together that just seems unnatural. Hogan encouraged Michaels to pose with him. They posed for several minutes. Coach said Hassan and Daivari will be ready in 13 days at Backlash and pull an upset of a lifetime. "I can feel it, mark my words," said Coach.

WINNER: Michaels via DQ at 10:02.

STAR RATING: *3/4

[Commercial Break]

Chris "The Masterpiece" Masters did his posing routine on the stage to zero crowd reaction. Coach and Lawler marvelled at how chiseled out of stone he appeared to be. He said he hears how tough New Yorkers are, so he issued an open challenge anyone to break his Masterlock full-nelson. He picked a guy in the crowd. The guy said his name was Roman. When asked if he thinks he's tough, he said, "Well, I am from New York." Everyone in Boston and New Jersey is hoping Masters kicks his ass. Masters made the guy sit in a chair. Masters applied the Masterlock and yanked the guy around the ring. The ref called for the bell. Lawler said that should be a lesson to everyone not to accept Masters's challenge. Coach said everyone who was standing is now sitting down. That was one of those segments where you say afterward, "That's it? That's all there is?"

[Commercial Break]

-Before the next match, Chris Jericho came out and taunted Shelton Benjamin - who was already inside the ring - by telling him he just left Eric Bischoff's office and it's officially on that they would face one another at Backlash. Benjamin shrugged his shoulders. Jericho then introduced his Fozzy guitarist and sang a song with lyrics as witty as, "Shelton, Shelton, is a little bitch. Shelton, Shelton, is a little bitch." Even Jericho fans were wondering if Jericho has been a geek all this time or he just became one recently. There were scattered boos, but mostly stunned silence because nobody was sure whether he was trying to be a funny Adam Sandler babyface doing a spoof on himself, or taking himself and his singing way too seriously with obliviously lame lyrics.

4 -- SHELTON BENJAMIN vs. SIMON DEAN

WINNER: Shelton at 3:20.

STAR RATING: 3/4*

-The Smackdown Rebound aired.

[Commercial Break]

-Christian said he felt his Peeps should have given him a bigger reaction. He said he heard the little reception they gave Hogan earlier. As he rambled on, Vince McMahon's "No Chance in Hell" music played and McMahon walked out. Everyone held their breath, wondering if he's try to dive into the ring. He didn't. He took the stairs. He said: "One thing I don't like is someone who comes out here and talks and talks and talks and doesn't say a damn thing." He asked Christian if he knows why he chose this moment to make his first public appearance since the Royal Rumble. Christian grabbed a second mic from ringside and told McMahon he figures he wanted to congratulate him for his win last week. McMahon said his nemesis was right when he labelled Christian a "Creepy Little Bastard." He threatened to make Christian unemployed if he kept yapping. Tomko quickly covered Christian's mouth. He said he had a monumental announcement. He said it was time to shake things up and hold the annual Roster Draft Lottery in about a month. Vince said nobody is exempt. Christian said that pleased him because he feels he's been overlooked on Raw. He said he'd gladly take Cena's title from him. Vince asked Christian if he felt he was a main eventer. Christian said yes. Vince said he'd be in the main event next week one-one-one against Batista. Christian was happy. Tyson Tomko seemed nervous at first.

[Commercial Break]

-Lawler and Coach talked about the draft lottery announcement. Then they talked about the Backlash line-up so far.

-Todd Grisham interviewed Triple H backstage. Grisham called it one of the biggest rematches in history. Hunter asked Grisham if he knew about the Pedigree. He said, "It's the end." He said tonight Jim Ross would find out and at Backlash Batista would find out. They went to a clip of a highlight video of Hunter's Pedigree. Afterward, Hunter said, "Need I say more, Todd." Then he walked away.

-Ross was shown looking dejected at Batista's absence and nervous about his upcoming match.

[Commercial Break]

5 -- TRIPLE H vs. JIM ROSS

Hunter offered a handshake early, then punched Ross in the gut. He methodically threw a few more punches. Ross surprised Hunter with a punch. Hunter took over and broke Ross's forehead open. Hunter ripped off Ross's football jersey and punched away at his bloody face. Ross's white Oklahoma t-shirt was covered in blood drippings. Coach said that's what happens when you sign your name on the dotted line, apparently not paying the least bit of attention to the show he was calling since it was clear Ross didn't sign anything. Lawler covered for him and said he'd have been fired if he didn't take the match. Lawler left the broadcast table and went to save Ross. Ric Flair entered the ring. Hunter gave Lawler the Pedigree. Flair stomped away at Lawler and knocked him to ringside. Hunter went back to punching away at Ross's face. Just on cue, Batista drove into the arena in a limo. He stormed out of the car and yanked off his jacket. He entered the arena and stormed the ring as his music played. He went after Hunter. Flair jumped Batista from behind. Batista knocked Flair to the mat. Batista nailed Hunter with a sharp clothesline in the corner. Batista didn't get a great pop by any means. He still needs to give that killer promo where he issues a mission statement that is something more than "I plan to beat Hunter." Hunter hit a posturing Batista's in the back with a chair, then set up a Pedigree. Batista backdropped Hunter and then nailed Hunter with a chair. He played to the crowd. A faint "Ba-ti-sta" chant finally began. It took a long time to gain any momentum, then it quickly faded. Batista dragged Ross on top of Hunter which got a pop. The ref counted to three, which did get a big pop. Batista had a big smile on his face. Batista then helped Ross to his feet. Ross immediately fell to the mat.

WINNER: Jim Ross at 11:30.

STAR RATING: n/a

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