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The following report originally published 20 years ago this week here at PWTorch.com.
WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW REPORT
NOVEMBER 7, 2005
FORT WAYNE, IND.
REPORT BY WADE KELLER, EDITOR
-As pyro exploded and the camera panned the crowd, Coach and Jerry Lawler introduced the show. Joey Styles was with them. They plugged Shawn Michaels & John Cena vs. Kurt Angle & Chris Masters. Coach noted that the ring was surrounded by almost the entire Raw roster.
They went to a shot of the announcers, including a diminutive Joey Styles. “On behalf of myself, Coach, and a convalescing J.R., I want to welcome Joey Styles to Raw.” Coach said he was going to step aside from play-by-play this week out of the goodness of his heart, but referred to him as a temporary replacement. That would imply that Ross is slated to return if Styles is just “filling in.” When did Ross get rehired? Or did he? Or haven’t they made up their mind yet and they’re just trying to confuse everyone? Or is it a negotiating ploy to get Styles to think he doesn’t have as much leverage as he would if Ross were not even referred to?
-Eric Bischoff entered the ring. He announced the first three participants in the Raw five-man team at Survivor Series – the tag champs Big Show & Kane and the team captain Shawn Michaels. He said he sees a lot of hunger in the eyes of everyone else. Carlito stepped up and said he would be the best choice. Shelton Benjamin asked Carlito, “Are you high? You lost at Taboo Tuesday.” He then made a case for himself as the best athlete on Raw.
Bischoff said he is feeling might generous. He said the winner of Carlito vs. Shelton would get a Survivor Series team spot. He then asked for someone else volunteer. Trevor Murdoch asked for a tag title rematch. Bischoff granted it to him. Gregory Helms, the former Hurricane, said he wanted to face Rosey. Mickie James said that everyone should give the winner of the Taboo Tuesday women’s battle royal should get a round of applause. She managed to out-shout Bischoff with her excitement; Bischoff was yelling everything he said during this segment to the point that he almost lost his voice which was hoarse to begin with. Bischoff announced the main event tag, then he said he had something to say to Edge and Lita. He said he almost forgot the were there, then asked them to step into the ring.
Bischoff had a clip played of Edge saying at Taboo Tuesday that he doesn’t care about Raw, he only cares about himself. Bischoff told Edge and Lita to cancel their dinner plans because they’re going to Smackdown to compete against Batista in a street fight. Bischoff sternly yelled at Edge, telling him to get out of his ring until he gets the job done at Survivor Series. Bischoff then led the crowd in singing “na na na, hey hey hey, good bye.”
Coach said Styles “picked a hell of a night to fill in.” They showed Michaels, looking rather bored, singing along. Am I the only one who thinks that wrestling never looks sillier than when all of the wrestlers on a roster gather in one place? It just looks like a strange costume show or circus when they’re all there at once. There’s something about everyone being there at once that makes it different than when it’s just one or two or four at a time. It’s a glimpse at what wrestling in general looks like to non-fans who aren’t conditioned to accept these outfits that we don’t even think twice about.
[Commercial Break]
1 — SHELTON BENJAMIN vs. CARLITO COOL
Coach said Carlito will be able to better concentrate on his wrestling now that he’s not hosting the Cabana. Lawler mistaken said that this would be the 27th Survivor Series. That didn’t sound right, and Coach corrected Lawler a few seconds later. He pointed out that the Survivor Series is on Nov. 27, but it’s actually the 21st. The first Survivor Series was on pay-per-view in 1987, which would make this the 19th annual. Carlito avoided a Benjamin wheel kick, then dropkicked his knees, and went for a half Boston crap. Shelton fought it. Shelton rolled through and went for a cover. Carlito reversed it and used the ropes for leverage.
WINNER: Carlito at 6:45.
STAR RATING: ** — Good TV match.
-Mickie James tried to psych up Trish Stratus for their tag match. Trish wanted to talk to her about her, shall we say, enthusiasm for her, but Mickie was too excited to stop talking and pepping her up for the match. Trish rolled her eyes.
-An ad aired for the WrestleMania Anthology DVD.
[Commercial Break]
2 — MICKIE JAMES & TRISH STRATUS vs. CANDICE MICHELE & VICTORIA
Mickie took a beating the first couple of minutes. Mickie went for a victoria roll, but Victoria collapsed under the weight to her knees and turned it into an apparent impromptu hotshot. When Victoria had Mickie pinned, Trish broke it up. Candice handed Victoria a foreign object which she was going to use against Trish. Mickie, though, stepped in the way to take a bullet like Trish. She’d make a good Secret Service Agent.
WINNER: Victoria & Mickie at 3:38.
STAR RATING: *
[Commercial Break]
-Coach, Styles, and Lawler talked about Taboo Tuesday. Styles said Coach may not remember the second half of the event, then broke into a cartoonish hysterical laughter at the memory of Coach getting beaten up. Then went to extended highlight clips from the PPV.
-Big Show told Kane backstage that even though they hadn’t asked to be tag partners, they have to work together to beat the former champs in a hardcore match. He asked what his strategy is. Kane went into a brutal gameplan. Show said, “That’s beautiful, that’s beautiful. I’m with you all the way.” He then began shaking with intensity. Pretty corny.
[Commercial Break]
3 — GREGORY HELMS vs. ROSEY
Rosey dominated the match including a brief fight at ringside. Helms won with the Shining Wizard. As Coach said he liked Helms’s new attitude, Lawler said he looked constipated.
WINNER: Helms at 2:11.
STAR RATING: 1/4* — It feels as if Rosey would be a good choice for the betting pool of who will be part of the next roster cutback. Helms’s gimmick is pretty undefined and he may be vulnerable, too. Removing a mask and looking stern is not a substitution for actual character development.
-They showed Murdoch & Cade backstage carting weapons toward the entrance. Styles said he feels very at home with hardcore.
[Commercial Break]
4 — BIG SHOW & KANE vs. LANCE CADE & TREVOR MURDOCH — World Tag Team Title match
After Show and Kane dominated early, Cade pulled down the top rope as Show bounced into the ropes, sending Show tumbling. They used a trash can lid against Kane and double-teamed him inside the ring. When Kane went for a chokeslam on both Murdoch and Cade, they kicked him low to break it up. Show entered the ring to help Kane regain control. Kane used a kendo stick to beat the heels. Show and Kane took turns bashing Murdoch with a trash can. They put the can over his head and kicked it. Cade retreated up the rampway. Show and Kane chased after him, ramming him into the entrance set wall. Kane cleared the announcers’ table of monitors (because he’s either budget conscious or in this hardcore match felt it would be a bit much to hurt them too badly). Kane then chokeslammed Cade through the bare table and scored the pin.
WINNERS: Show & Kane at 5:40.
STAR RATING: *1/4 – Basic garbage match. The way Cade & Murdoch have been destroyed, they have no credibility left as heels. WWE would draw better if they’d go back to the basics of what’s historically drawn, which building strong heels. Cade & Murdoch are the top heel tag team and they get thoughtlessly destroyed by an impromptu team of giants. There’s not much left for fans to feel toward Cade & Murdoch; they seem hapless and harmless.
[Commercial Break]
-Kurt Angle walked out to the ring to a chant of “You Suck.” He was upset with the chant and said it was disrespectful and unacceptable. He said he was leaving and would come back out. He wanted proper respect this time. He came out again and the fans chanted “You suck” again. Angle said they had one last chance and said if they were dumb enough to chant it again, they’d lose their main event.
Styles said, “Isn’t one of the three ‘I’s’ intelligence? Does he really think this will work.” Angle said the fans are hypocrites for letting their children chant that at an Olympic Gold Medalist. Angle then went into a rage about how he had several neck surgeries, his wife left him, and he missed his babies first words because he was wrestling for them, the fans. “And this is the thanks I get?” He concluded, “You and your main event can go right to hell.” Styles said he’s never seen Angle so angry.
[Commercial Break]
-Backstage, Bischoff told Angle he couldn’t quit the main event. Angle said he wanted two things from Bischoff – a special referee of his choice and the fans to stop chanting “You suck.” Bischoff said he could get him his ref, but he couldn’t control the fans. Angle said no deal. Bischoff then said he had a plan.
-Triple H came out with a bandage on his forehead and sat down to watch Ric Flair’s match in person.
[Commercial Break]
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
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5 — RIC FLAIR vs. ROB CONWAY
Coach tried to talk up Conway’s chances. Nobody bought it. Flair won with the figure-four. He used the crotch-grab to help weaken Conway; it seems to be a way to establish Flair as being a dirty player and also a courtesy on Flair’s part so his opponents don’t feel so bad doing the job to a near sixty year old. After the match, Hunter walked to ringside and brawled with Flair. Flair chopped him into the crowd. They fought through the arena.
WINNER: Flair at 4:10.
STAR RATING: 3/4*
-Smackdown Rebound aired.
[Commercial Break]
-They replayed Bischoff kicked Edge and Lita out of arena, then plugged the Batista vs. Edge street fight on Smackdown this week.
-Backstage, Bischoff instructed someone on the phone to hit the censor button when he shouts “Now!” later. Lita then entered the room and asked Bischoff if he thought it was smart to send one of his top stars to Smackdown to face Batista in a street fight. Lita came on to Bischoff and flashed him. Bischoff smiled, but told her to put those things back where they belong. Bischoff said: “You can put an eye out with one of those. Get the hell out of my building. Slut!” Lawler said, “I can’t believe my eyes. I wish I had his eyes.”
6 — KURT ANGLE & CHRIS MASTERS vs. SHAWN MICHAELS & JOHN CENA
Masters came out first. As Angle walked out, they beeped every time the fans chanted “You suck.” I don’t get it, though. How did Angle not hear the fans if he was in the arena? It’s not as if the beeps drowned out the sound of the fans chanting in the arena just because the viewers on TV couldn’t hear it. But Angle smiled and seemed satisfied. Michaels then came out. Styles said he doesn’t see how Cena and Michaels can coexist when Michaels wants to be WWE Champion once again. Angle’s special hand-picked referee was the long-lost Daivari who came out to remix of his old music.
[Commercial Break]
The match was joined in progress after the break. Daivari made fast-counts against Michaels and Cena, but slow counts for Michaels and Cena. The heels isolated Michaels. Styles blew a gasket over Daivari’s favoritism toward the heels. Michaels DDT’d out of an Angle suplex at 6:00. Daivari encouraged Angle to get up as he counted toward ten. Michaels hot-tagged Cena, who showed great fire as he worked over Angle and Masters. He lifted Angle for an FU, but Masters gave Cena a low blow from behind. Daivari turned his back conveniently and scolded Michaels for nothing. Styles was late in pointing that out and may have been prompted over the headset to bring that up.
Angle and Masters isolated Cena. Michaels got a hot-tag at 9:30 and went to work on both heels with a high-energy attack. The crowd ate it up. Angle snuck a chair from ringside and slid it to Masters. It blocked Michaels from hitting the top rope elbow. Daivari let it happen. Masters then hit Michaels with the chair. Michaels took the chair and swung it at Masters. Daivari grabbed it and DQ’d Michaels. Michaels gave a superkick to Masters. Angle clotheslined Michaels over the top rope, then hit Cena across the back with a chair. The crowd chanted “You suck” to Angle’s music.
Styles mistakenly said that the fans at home couldn’t hear it, which needlessly drew attention to the fact that Angle could hear the chants before the match, too. Even worse, the chants weren’t being bleeped on TV, which was pointed out by Lawler. Styles screamed regarding the finish, “This sucks! This sucks! Styles did all right. What you’d expect from him. He’s not as good as Ross overall, but added to the show compared to Coach. Of course, Andy Rooney might be better than Coach at play-by-play. It’s just not Coach’s thing.
WINNERS: Angle & Masters via DQ at 10:20.
STAR RATING: **1/2 — Solid, above-average, formula TV main event tag match. It was what it needed to be.haels with the chair. Michaels took the chair and swung it at Masters. Daivari grabbed it and DQ’d Michaels. Michaels gave a superkick to Masters. Angle clotheslined Michaels over the top rope, then hit Cena across the back with a chair. The crowd chanted “You suck” to Angle’s music. Styles mistakenly said that the fans at home couldn’t hear it, which needlessly drew attention to the fact that Angle could hear the chants before the match, too. Even worse, the chants weren’t being bleeped on TV, which was pointed out by Lawler. Styles screamed regarding the finish, “This sucks! This sucks! Styles did all right.” What you’d expect from him. He’s not as good as Ross overall, but added to the show compared to Coach. Of course, Andy Rooney might be better than Coach at play-by-play. It’s just not Coach’s thing.
WINNERS: Angle & Masters via DQ at 10:20.
STAR RATING: **1/2 — Solid, above-average, formula TV main event tag match. It was what it needed to be.
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