Event: WWE Monday Night RAW
Airdate: Monday, June 2nd, 2008 (USA Network)
Location: The Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield Calif.
Results by 411Mania.com
PROMO TIME â” Triple H. While he’s walking out here we get clips of Randy Orton breaking his collarbone last night. H’s spends a while posing and pointing at the crowd before talking. He says the Age of Orton is officially broken. He says Orton is watching this show from hospital. He’s beat up too but he’s still WWE champion. He doesn’t care who’s nextâ¦cue JOHN CENA. He gets the usual mixed reaction. He says he doesn’t need to be Nostradamus or Dr Emmett Brown to know the future because the future is now. Cena says they see eye to eye about a lot of things apart from the WWE title. And H’s hasn’t beaten him with the title on the line. He says with the draft coming up this match might never happen again. “â¦are ya ready?” H’s replies with “if ya want some, come get some”. But out comes JEFF HARDY. He says he won last night too and deserves a shot as much as Cena does. H’s doesn’t care which guy he “beats” and wants them to sort it out amongst themselves. Hardy challenges Cena to a number one contender’s match here tonight. Before we book that VINCE MCMAHON interrupts on the Titantron. He thinks people want more details on the million dollar giveaway. He says Jeff’s idea isn’t bad but he has another one; Cena v Hardy. Erm, that’s the same idea. So regardless that’s the main event tonight. Also Jericho v JBL for the IC title later.
MR KENNEDY v PAUL BURCHILL w/Katie Lea
Kennedy gets the mic to say Regal cried like a “little British pansy” on his way out of the door. Burchill gets the mic himself but Katie has a match so he has to help her prepare and he’s found a replacement.
MR KENNEDY v UMAGA
Umaga has tape on his ribs. Umaga starts fast but runs into the buckles and Kennedy kicks him repeatedly in the injured ribs. That gets him Samoan dropped and Umaga shows some weakness by staying down holding his midsection. Kennedy punches away at the ribs but still can’t get an Irish whip even. Umaga tries to splash Kennedy on the announce table but misses and ribs meet table. Crowd buys into the count out early and that’s the match.
Winner: Mr Kennedy via count out
POST MATCH Burchill runs out here and jumps Kennedy from behind. Hey, actual heat for Paul the former Pirate!
BACKSTAGE a bunch of people in suits walk around with the million dollars in cash. They walk past some guys from the locker room. Ron Simmons provides the usual.
PROMO TIME â” Vince McMahon. Vince is calling his million dollar giveaway Mr McMahon’s Million Dollar Mania. Vince gets somewhat excited. “It smells like money”. He has armed security on hand. The crowd reactions aren’t terribly positive. Probably not what Vince was gunning for. He says he’s giving away the million over a number of weeks chunks at a time. By the end of next week he’ll have given away the whole million. Here’s the details; register on WWE.com. He’ll then call people during Raw next week. You have to be a resident of the USA, which is a concern for some folks here in California. Heh. He says he wants to attract more people to enjoy what everyone enjoys every week; Raw. Bring back the old fans, bring in new fans. He calls people who dislike wrestling “elitist and snobs”. He says the WWE fans represent every facet of American society. He wishes everyone good luck and says next week on Raw is all about the money.
SANTINO MARELLA/CARLITO v HARDCORE HOLLY/CODY RHODES
Cody looks interested in that million dollars. Tag titles not on the line. Cody says there’s no timekeeper because there was a special one assigned for this match; RODDY PIPER. He looks fairly nuts this evening with the no shirt/leather jacket combo. Cody gets a high crossbody on Santino early for 2 but Santino takes over with his judo. Carlito gets a tag and sits out on a spinebuster. Santino back in but his SALUTING HEADBUTT misses off the the middle buckle. Holly gets a hot tag and punts Santino in the stomach. Roddy goes to trip Santino but the distraction is enough for Holly to set up the finish. BUT Carlito runs in to boot him over and Santino gets the pin.
Winners: Santino & Carlito via pinfall
ELSEWHERE Holly gets pissy with Cody for not letting him know Piper would be out here. He’s the leader of this team! In comes Ted DiBiase Jr. He says he’s 3 weeks away from selecting a partner to win the tag titles.
ELSEWHERE Chris Jericho talks to JR. He says he respects HBK and tried to push him to victory. He says he’s not defended the title enough. He says he’ll now defend it whenever he can starting right here, right now. He dedicates his match tonight to Shawn Michaels.
IC title â” CHRIS JERICHO (c) v JBL
JBL starts out in control with a headlock. Jericho gets out and gets an armdrag. JBL retorts with punches in the corner and the ref has to drag him off. Swinging neckbreaker and elbow drops gets 2. I can’t tell if the crowd is chanting for “Y-2-J” or “J-B-L”. JBL gets the full nelson and there’s a much clearer “Y-2-J” chant. Jericho gets attacked again in the corner but comes out with a swinging DDT. Jericho picks the legs but JBL has too much strength left to get turned. JBL is tripped into the ropes for the Rope Ride. Jericho has been aiming for JBL’s throat quite frequently. JBL catches Jericho coming off the top into the Last Call. He wants the finish but Jericho ducks the Clothesline and dropkicks JBL onto the apron. Then dropkicks him off it. JBL baits Jericho outside and boots him in the face but he grabs a chair provoking the DQ.
Winner: Chris Jericho via DQ.
POST MATCH Jericho trips JBL up and he lands on the chair thus f*cking up his throat again. JBL begs off as Jericho goes to nail him with the chair and JBL is bleeding from the mouth.
BETH PHOENIX/KATIE LEA v MELINA PEREZ/MICKIE JAMES
Babyface Melina will take some getting used to. She has a bad back courtesy of Beth’s submission from last night. Katie jumps Mickie and gets an arm ringer. They counter a little standing and Mickie gets the Mickiecanrana out of the corner. Melina is too distracted by Beth across the ring to get a tag. Beth gets a tag. Melina is channelling some bad memory over there. She DEMANDS a tag and Mickie gets her in there. Melina goes NUTS wildly striking at Beth until they fall out of the ring. She tries to get some more of Beth but gets laid out with a huge clothesline on the floor. Melina gets bounced back first off the apron. Katie boots Melina in the gut and the crowd is getting a “Melina” chant going. She rolls over and tags Mickie who cleans house and dropkicks Beth off the apron. HUGE neckbreaker on Katie. Flying Thesz Press with fists of fire. Katie kicks her in the tits but Mickie comes back looking for the Primal Scream. Beth lays her out blindside though and Katie gets the pin in her first womens match.
Winners: Beth & Katie via pinfall.
POST MATCH Paul strolls out here to applaud the win but Mr Kennedy runs in to get a measure of revenge. Burchill runs away.
Cryme Tyme take an interest in the millions of dollars on display. JTG has to be dragged away. Jerry Lawler tries to register on WWE.com for the cash giveaway but the website has crashed.
LANCE CADE v TREVOR MURDOCH
Murdoch gets the mic and tells Cade he embarrassed him in front of millions. He sings his promo. We start with a brawl that Murdoch wins. It spills outside quickly where Murdoch accidentally forearms the ring post. Cade backdrops him on the floor then POSTS HIS HEAD with a knee strike. Murdoch comes back after a jawbreaker out of a chinlock. Big boot sets up crossface punches. Cade covers up so Murdoch kicks him in the face again. Murdoch up top but he drops into a punch. Cade nails him with the sit out spinebuster for the win.
Winner: Lance Cade via pinfall
We are shown the footage from the TLC World Heavyweight Championship match from last night. Undertaker is now âbanishedâ from the WWE.
J.R. talks about the Undertakerâs career, fans chant âUndertakerâ. J.R. also says Undertaker will NOT be eligible for the Draft. Apparently the situation will be followed up this week on SmackDown.
Backstage John Cena apologizes to Mickie James for everyone saying that they are an item and for everyone thinking they are up to something. Mickie says itâs cool. Cena then follows this up by saying Mickie forgot something last night, and hands her a pair of panties. Mickie gets embarrassed, leaves and Cena takes a swig of JBLâs energy drink.
J.R. and King note you can now carry on registering for McMahonâs Million Dollar Mania. King tries to register but J.R. reminds him employees arenât eligible.
(6) #1 Contenders match for the WWE Championship at Night of Champions â” Jeff Hardy vs. John Cena.
Early into the match a fan jumped the rail and actually managed to briefly get in the ring, he was soon thrown out by security. Fans were a lot more interested in this than what was happening in the ring. fans are mostly behind Hardy. The match is very back and forth with loads of near finishes. Cena gets the win with the FU, so yet again we are asked to pay to see Cena vs. Hunter.
