By Mallory
Mahling
November 7, 2005
Live from Fort Wayne, Indiana
Aired on the USA Network
Raw was live tonight from the Allen County War Memorial
Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Indiana. It's been nine long
years since Fort Wayne has hosted a Monday Night Raw.
WWE encouraged those coming to the show to bring signs
to "be part of TV history." "History"
as in neglecting Fort Wayne for nine years?
(The USA commercial immediately preceding
Raw pondered whether Batista's win at Taboo Tuesday
would bring J.R. back to Raw. Hmmmm. Weren't they told
to pull that earlier today?)
Taboo Tuesday was high on tonight's list
of beefs and bragging.
Jonathan Coachman (Ugh!) and Jerry "The
King" Lawler welcomed viewers to the show. Then
they welcomed Joey Styles to Raw (Yesssss!).
The entire Raw locker room was standing
on the ring apron, awaiting something. It turned out
to be Eric Bischoff (who was either dressed for a funeral
or a mob event).
Bischoff was already pitching Survivor
Series and said Triple H and Ric Flair would face off
in a last man standing match at the upcoming pay-per-view;
Kurt Angle and John Cena would also have a match at
Survivor Series, and the new tag champs, Big Show and
Kane, and HBK would be part of the five-man team to
face five of Smackdown's finest. Carlito volunteered;
he said no more cabanas, he was a wrestler.
"Are you high?" asked Shelton
Benjamin. Benjamin wanted to be on the team, too. To
settle who would get the slot on Team Raw, Bischoff
said Benjamin and Carlito would have a determining match
tonight.
Murdoch said he and Cade had been screwed
at Taboo Tuesday, so Bischoff said they'd get a hardcore
tag team match against the current title holders, Kane
and Big Show tonight.
Gregory Helms had a bone to pick with
Rosey, so consider that match made, too, said the benevolent
Bischoff.
Mickie James piped up and screeched that
everyone should give Trish Stratus a cheer for retaining
the women's title. Yeah, whatever, said the G.M.
Bischoff suddenly noticed Edge and Lita
and invited them into the ring. They stepped in reluctantly.
(Lita seemed to be brushing Edge's hand off her shoulder.)
Anyway, Bischoff was miffed at Edge for his selfish
behavior at Taboo Tuesday. (Cue the "asshole"
chants.) Bischoff said Edge would be going to Smackdown
to participate in a street fight with Batista this week.
With that, he kicked Edge and Lita out of the ring and
told them not to come back until they get the job done.
Job? Odd choice of words.
Bischoff started singing "Na na na,
hey hey, goodbye," which caught on with the others
in the ring and with the audience to some extent.
(Commercial break)
(1) Shelton Benjamin vs. Carlito.
Returning from the break, the match was already underway.
I guess you could have logged onto WWE.com to catch
the beginning. Spectacular dive to the outside by Benjamin.
Back in the ring, Carlito tied Benjamin's legs up in
knots and was hoping for a tap out. Benjamin grabbed
Carlito's curls and pulled to get him to break the hold.
Benjamin launched Carlito with a big body drop. Benjamin
starting throwing punches that went unanswered, then
came off the top and missed the landing. Carlito went
for a pin, but Benjamin got a shoulder up. Benjamin's
knee was in bad shape and Carlito drop kicked it, and
put him in a leg lock. Benjamin reversed it, but Carlito
reversed it again and went for a cover with his hands
on the ropes for leverage.
Your winner: Carlito.
In the women's dressing room, Trish tried
to talk to Mickie, but Mickie started babbling and Trish
couldn't get a word in edgewise.
(Commercial break)
(2) Tag Team Match: Trish Stratus
& Mickie James vs. Victoria & Candice Michelle.
Mickie really ought to get herself a more
modest pair of panties, but, of course, the King loved
all the crotch shots. Not much to this match. Lots of
flailing around. Victoria teed off on Mickie with Candice's
magic wand, then pinned her for the win.
Your winners: Candice Michelle and Victoria.
(Commercial break)
The obligatory highlights of Taboo Tuesday
aired.
Kane was pacing in the dressing room.
Big Show approached him and said they should try to
work as a team tonight in their hardcore tag team match.
Kane said his strategy was pain, pain, and more pain.
"I'm with ya," said a fired-up Show.
(Commercial break)
(3) Gregory Helms vs. Rosey.
Helms is looking a lot like Robert Conway these days.
The match started with Rosey pummeling his former tag
team partner. Helms won it with a shining wizard, which
was about his only move during this short match.
Your winner: Gregory Helms.
Cade and Murdoch were on their way to
the ring with a buggy full of plunder. Styles quipped
that seeing all that hardcore stuff gave him extreme
goose bumps.
(Commercial break)
(4) Tag Team Championship Match
(Hardcore Division): Kane & Big Show vs. Lance Cade
& Trevor Murdoch. While Big Show occupied
the former champs, Kane went through their buggy to
see what sort of plunder they'd brought with them. Needless
to say, they dominated the early part of the match.
Cade pulled down the ropes when Show leaned on them
and Big Show fell through. Suddenly the big guys were
getting their butts kicked with trash can lids and kendo
sticks. Swinging neckbreaker by Cade to Kane. Kane stood
and attempted to grab them for dual chokeslams, but
they escaped. Kane caned Cade with the kendo stick (say
that three times fast), then Show bashed him with the
trash can. Murdoch had the trash can placed over his
head and Kane and Show rang his bell. The three battled
up the ramp to the announce table, where Kane cleared
the monitors off the table and he and Show slammed Cade
through it to retain the tag titles.
Your winners: Kane and Big Show.
We're told the main event is coming up
next. But, but...there is nearly an hour left in the
show.
(Commercial break)
The announcers had improvised an announce
table during the break.
As Angle came out, he got the usual chorus
of "You suck." He grabbed a mic and said how
much he hated that chant, which, of course, started
it up again. Angle said he was going to the back to
make his entrance again. And this time he didn't want
to hear any chanting. And if he doesn't get respect,
he'll do it over and over again until he gets some.
The crowd immediately started chanting, even before
the music started.
When the music did start again, so did
the chants. Angle began ranting and said he'd give the
audience one last chance. If he didn't get respect,
the crowd would not get a main event. It's true, it's
true.
The music started for a third time, and
the chanting started right along with it. Angle was
livid, saying his wife had left him and he'd lost his
family because of wrestling. He'd suffered through multiple
neck surgeries for the fans. As a matter of fact, he
said he thought the crowd sucked. Angle threw down the
mic and stomped off.
The crowd gave him a "Na na na na,
hey hey, goodbye" chant, too.
(Commercial break)
In the locker room, Angle was angrily
changing clothes and Eric Bischoff demanded to know
what he was doing.
Angle said he'd make a deal and stay if
Bischoff made the crowd stop chanting that sucky thing.
And he wanted a special guest referee, too.
Bischoff said he could provide the special
ref but he wasn't sure he could make the crowd stop
chanting. Ultimately, he was able to persuade Angle
to stay for the main event.
Triple H, with his forehead bandaged,
came out and sat down in a big black leather chair set
up on the stage. It was the best seat in the house to
watch the next match.
(5) Intercontinental Championship
Match: Ric Flair vs. Rob Conway. Flair
came out and strutted past Triple H. The match started
and he was styling and profiling. The chops are being
served, said Styles. Hangman's neckbreaker by Conway
on Flair and he went for a cover. Flair got a shoulder
up. Then Flair grabbed a handful of you-know-what and
resumed control of the match. Figure Four on Conway,
who tapped out.
Your winner: Ric Flair to retain the IC
title.
After the match, Triple H headed down
the ramp. To offer his congratulations? Of course not.
He picked a fight with Flair and they brawled until
referees and agents swarmed out and broke it up.
(Commercial break)
Earlier tonight, Edge and Lita had been
ejected from the arena by Eric Bischoff. This Friday
night on Smackdown, Edge and Batista will go one-on-one
in a street fight.
Bischoff was on the phone in his office
when Lita snuck back in and tried to change the G.M.'s
mind. She even offered him a peek at her...um...enhancements.
Eric told her to put her girls back in--they could put
an eye out.
Time for Masterpiece Theatre. Where's
Alistair Cooke when you really need him?
Kurt Angle's entrance music started again,
and this time the "you sucks" were bleeped.
Coach thought that was an innovative way to deal with
it, but Styles was outraged that a live crowd would
be censored.
After everyone had made their entrances,
some familiar Middle Eastern music started. Was Hassan
back? No, it was Shawn Daivari, the special guest referee.
(Commercial break)
(6) Kurt Angle & Chris
Masters vs. Shawn Michaels & John Cena. Naturally,
the match had started during the break and the announcers
tried to describe what had happened during the commercial.
It's just not the same as watching it--this isn't radio.
Daivari was making slow counts for the
good guys, and quick ones for the bad guys. Michaels
did most of the heavy lifting, so to speak, for his
team. Cena finally tagged and was on fire. Michaels
tagged back in for the flashy finish, or so he thought.
Angle introduced a chair to the mix, but it was HBK
got DQ'ed for it. Go figure. When Cena didn't like that
decision, Daivari waffled him across the back with the
chair.
Your winners: Angle and Masters via disqualification.
Daivari celebrated in the ring with the
winners as the show went off the air.
***
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