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This week the meandering road to WrestleMania took Raw to the Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. This was the first Raw from Indianapolis in three years.

The show began with a moment of silence for the late Arnold Skaaland.

Jim Ross and Jerry "The King" Lawler welcomed viewers to the show. It's WrestleMania Reversal Night, they told viewers.

Are you ready? Well, ready or not, out came Shawn Michaels for his WrestleMania Reversal Match with JBL.

(1) JBL vs. HBK in a Who-Can-Outtalk the Other Match. JBL came out in his Hook 'em Horns limousine and his $8,000 custom suit. It didn't make the fans like him any better, though. They told him he sucked. JBL was angry about being called out of retirement and away from more pressing matters on Wall Street in New York City. He got a little carried away with his diatribe, calling HBK a "prick" and getting bleeped.

Michaels said he hadn't counted on a "verbal spat" with JBL. Shawn said nobody told him what to do, either. Then he super kicked JBL (and his $8,000 suit) and left him laying. HBK headed up the ramp wearing JBL's cowboy hat.

(Commercial break)

Edge was reading a magazine featuring his very own self when Randy Orton stormed into the locker room, still upset about his ECW match with Bobby Lashley that Edge had instigated. He was quite intense. Orton said he had arranged for Edge to have to win his spot back tonight. It was Edge's turn to become intense.

(2) Master Lock Challenge: Bobby Lashley vs. Chris Masters. Mark this date on your calendars. Bobby Lashley was the first person to break the Master Lock (except for that sergeant in Iraq, of course.) Masters was livid. This gimmick had been his for two years (and it had grown stale, not to mention silly at times).

(Commercial break)

Ashley explained what she was trying to "accomplish" by posing nude in "Playboy" as a clip aired of her posing. (Accomplish? It's a girly magazine for goodness sake, not rocket science or the key to world peace.)

Backstage, Mister McMahon "applauded" Lashley on breaking the Master Lock. As a reward, security would escort him to the parking lot where he could pick up his gear that had so thoughtfully been tossed outside.

McMahon greeted Maria, then ran into Eugene--literally--who spilled a beverage all over his suit and tie. For his boo-boo, Eugene would be facing Umaga.

Ron Simmons took a look at McMahon's wet tie and said DAMN. It really wasn't a DAMN moment, though.

A video tribute aired about the life and career of Hall of Famer Arnold Skaaland.

(Commercial break)

(3) Over-the-top-rope Battle Royal for the last spot in the Money-in-the-Bank Ladder Match at WM: Ric Flair vs. Carlito vs. Johnny Nitro vs. Edge vs. Super Crazy vs. Val Venis vs. Viscera vs. Charlie Haas vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. Kenny Dykstra. Big Vis was the first one out, since everyone teamed up to assist him over the ropes and out of contention.

(Commercial break)

During the break the numbers inside the ring had dwindled, eventually coming down to just Flair vs. Carlito. They traded chops, then Carlito nearly had Flair over the ropes. Flair hung on to the ropes and pulled himself back into the ring. Flair tossed Carlito over the side and began to celebrate. Suddenly Edge (who had crawled under the bottom rope earlier and had been feigning an injury) jumped into the ring and tossed Flair out. Edge recaptured his spot in the Money in the Bank Ladder Match.

Mister McMahon's music hit and he came out with some burly movers who toted the portable barber shop from the stage to ringside.

(Commercial break)

McMahon introduced Bobby Lashley (didn't he just kick him out of the building?) and U-u-u-u-u-maga (with Juan Armando Valdez).

(4) Eugene vs. Umaga. Squash, stomp, crush. Eugene won. Just kidding. Umaga walked right through Eric Bischoff's hapless nephew.

After the match, Umaga tossed Eugene into the barber chair so that McMahon could demonstrate his hair cutting technique. As Umaga choked Eugene, McMahon shaved Eugene's head, missing a few spots. Then he practiced his Billionaire Bitch Slap on Eugene and pushed over the barber chair. Eugene was reduced to tears. (That was just plain cruel.)

(Commercial break)

Candice Michelle was in the ring with a mic. Ugh! She said she'd been reading Melina's blogs putting down "Playboy" cover girls. She challenged Melina to come out do something about it.

Melina came out and mocked Candice Michelle's Go Daddy.com dance. She said there was a reason she had not been a Playboy cover girl. She said it was beneath her; furthermore, she had turned "Playboy" down each time they'd asked.

Candice Michelle said she'd heard that Melina never turned anything down. Wink, wink. She challenged Melina to a bra and panties match.

(5) Bra 'n Panties Match: Melina vs. Candice Michelle. This epic match had started during the break. Melina won. Enough said.

Ashley came out and headed to the ring. Push came to shove and Ashley pulled off Melina's top.

The Great Khali headed to the ring, too, and Melina left Ashley to the mercy of Kahli, who picked her up by the neck, much like a chicken. Lawler jumped into the ring to make the save and got choke slammed for his trouble. Khali then lumbered back up the ramp.

(Commercial break)

Todd Grisham had hustled out and joined J.R. on commentary to replace Lawler.

(6) Jeff Hardy vs. Randy Orton. After weeks of matches against Umaga and Khali, Jeff finally had an opponent his own size. He got a good start, but Orton was in one of his mean moods and stomped and stretched Hardy. Hardy rallied and got a near fall. Whisper On the Wind and both were on the mat.

Edge ran out, pulled a ladder out from under the ring. He slid it inside, and when Orton rammed the ladder into Hardy, the ref called for the bell. Hardy climbed up the ladder and dropped an elbow onto Orton. Edge was very pleased with the outcome.

(Commercial break)

Ring announcer Justin Roberts introduced a preview of Steve Austin's new movie, "The Condemned." In a nutshell, it looked like an episode of "Survivor: Hades."

Mister McMahon and Coach were in his office. McMahon was on the phone and said he was going to drop a bomb on the crowd--next week VKM vs. Bobby Lashley. The person on the phone apparently had an equally momentous announcement.

"Yes man" Coach told McMahon he could not condone the match. McMahon guaran-damn-teed Coach that he would beat Lashley.

(Commercial break)

Shawn Michaels came out and joined J.R. and Grish on commentary.

Eugene was backstage bawling. "Why me?" he kept asking through his tears. Actually, he looked pretty good bald.

(7) U.S. Champion Chris Benoit vs. John Cena. As soon as Cena's music started, the crowd went nuts. J.R. said Benoit was a "walking weapon." He certainly wasn't giving Cena an inch. They were on the outside and Cena almost clotheslined HBK at ringside. What is HBK really up to?

Benoit got Cena in a Sharpshooter. Cena tried to reach the ropes and nearly tapped out. He finally reached the ropes and broke the hold. Three German suplexes by Benoit, who signaled the end for Cena. He went up top, but when he landed, nobody was home. The ref started counting them both out, but they bounced back and Cena gave Benoit the five knuckle shuffle. STFU on Benoit, who held on as long as he could before tapping out. Cena won the match.

When Cena had his back turned, HBK started to tune up the Chin Music. Would he have gone through with it? They started to shake on it, then Cena put HBK over his shoudlers.

JBL came out and said next week's Raw would be the biggest show in Raw history. Two main events: McMahon & Lashley, and HBK and Cena would team up to take on Batista and the Undertaker.

As the show ended, the Undertaker's bell was tolling.

* * *

Good show with lots of surprises. I hope the string of good shows continues after WrestleMania.