By Wade Keller, Torch editor

WWE VENGEANCE PPV
JUNE 26, 2005
LIVE ON FROM LAS VEGAS, NEV.

-On Heat, Rosey & Hurricane beat The Heart Throbs to retain the World Tag Team Titles.

-The PPV broadcast began with a short video feature hyping John Cena's WWE Title defense and then a longer feature on Hell in a Cell. They played Jim Ross saying there's never been a Hell in a Cell without a casualty. J.R. is in for a double dose of three hours of annoyance (with a lot of lines likely fed to Coach or Lawler by Vince McMahon).

-Jim Ross, Jerry Lawler, and Coach introduced the show. Coach is joining the usual Raw broadcast duo making it a three-man team.

1 -- CARLITO vs. SHELTON BENJAMIN -- IC Title match

They began with a methodical pace, setting up the personalities and interplay between them. Carlito cheated to get some brief advantages in the opening minutes. Carlito had chants in his favor in the early minutes of the match. Benjamin leaped onto the top rope and came back with a surprise flying clothesline on Carlito. When Carlito took over control, the announcers wondered if Benjamin's back was still hurting. Carlito went to a chinlock at 6:30. When he scored only a two count and complained to the ref, Benjamin rolled him up for a near fall. Carlito went back to a chinlock. Every time Benjamin teased a comeback, he was unable to follow up on it fully. Benjamin made a full-fledged comeback at 9:30. There were quite a few boos for Benjamin's comeback. When Benjamin went to the top rope, Carlito chopped away at his chest. Benjamin leaped off the top rope and yanked Carlito's neck over the top rope at 10:30. Shelton then springboarded into the ring and hit Carlito with a bulldog for a near fall at 11:00. Carlito untied a top turnbuckle pad. A minute later Benjamin went for a Stinger splash, but Carlito moved and Benjamin KO'd himself on the top turnbuckle. Carlito then yanked on Benjamin's tights and scored a pin.

WINNER: Carlito at 12:45 to retain the IC Title.

STAR RATING: **1/2 -- Good opener.

-They went backstage and showed Triple H and Ric Flair arriving and entering their locker room.

2 -- CHRISTY HEMME vs. VICTORIA

Christy went after Victoria with a vengeance at the start. Victoria dropped Christy throat-first over the top rope at 0:45 to take control. Christy eventually countered a Widow's Peak. She scored some near falls. On a sunset flip attempt, Victoria sat down on Christy's shoulders and then held the ropes for leverage for the win.

WINNER: 5:09

STAR RATING: *

-Todd Grisham interviewed John Cena backstage. When asked about the last PPV where Cena beat JBL, Cena interrupted and said that's the past. "It don't matter where you're from, it's where you're at," Cena said. He said he feels like the new kid on the block. He asked Grisham if he was never a new kid in school. Grisham said he was the most popular kid in his class. Then he conceded he played tennis and soccer, but wasn't that athletic. He admitted he peed his pants in biology class in tenth grade and from then on he was nick-named Todd Piss-am. Cena said there was nothing wrong with that, but then made an "oh my god" look at the camera. Cena said in school he was the kid voted most likely to kick someone's ass. He showed good intensity and built to the crescendo well.

-They showed scenes of Las Vegas between matches including the Luxor and Bellagio.

-A video recap aired on the Kane-Edge-Lita storyline.

3 -- KANE vs. EDGE (w/Lita)

Kane went after Edge, chasing him around the ring to jump-start the match. At 1:30 a loud "We Want Matt" chant began. Kane clotheslined Edge over the top rope to the floor. When Kane stalked Lita at ringside, Edge tried to attack him from behind, but Edge knocked Edge down instead. Back in the ring, Kane stomped away at Edge's head. The crowd chanted "She's a crack whore" at Lita. Another "We Want Matt" chant rang out, as did a "You screwed Matt" chant. Edge dominated for a few minutes. Kane made a comeback including the sit-up no-sell at 7:15. Edge caught a charging Edge with an elbow. Kane, though, fired back by punching Edge as he leaped off the second rope toward him. A clothesline led to a two count by Kane. Coach asked if it was enough for Kane to win the match. Ross said he didn't think it was about winning or losing. Kane climbed to the top rope and dove at Edge. Edge caught Kane in mid-air with a dropkick. When Kane came back again, Gene Snitsky ran to the ring. Edge knocked him down. Then Lita entered the ring and began rubbing Kane's chest. Kane grabbed her by the hair and choked her to the mat. The crowd booed when he didn't actual chokeslam her. Kane then picked up a chair and put her head in it. Snitsky then gave Kane a big boot. Edge re-entered the ring and scored a two count at 10:30. Lita bailed out to ringside. Snitsky climbed to the top rope. Kane caught him by the throat. Edge swung at Kane with his briefcase, but Kane moved and Edge KO'd Snitsky. Kane then gave Edge a chokeslam for the win. Lita ran to the back as Kane laughed inside the ring with both Edge and Snitsky lying still by his feet.

WINNER: Kane at 11:19.

STAR RATING: ** -- Okay match.

-Grisham interviewed Shawn Michaels backstage who promised vengeance would be his. He bragged about being able to top his performance at WM21.

4 -- KURT ANGLE vs. SHAWN MICHAELS

Angle ended up with some sustained offense in the opening minutes. Michaels bailed out to ringside after a knee to his arm. Angle went for the anklelock early, but Michaels kicked out of it. They brawled at ringside at 7:00. Angle gave Michaels a back suplex onto the announcers' table - without removing the monitors first. The table didn't collapse. Back in the ring Angle scored a near fall at 7:45 - just seconds after Coach said, "Angle doesn't want to just pin him." Angle gave Michaels a kneelift. Coach and Lawler broke into occasional discussions with each other. Ross definitely got lost in the crowd periodically. Angle gave Michaels an uppercut. They showed a close-up of Michaels bleeding a little underneath his left eye. Angle powerbombed Michaels into the top turnbuckle in a nasty looking move. Angle scored a near fall. Angle continued to dominate several minutes. Both men were down at 16:30 for a near double countdown. Angle stood at eight. Michaels nipped up at nine. He punched away at Angle. Angle took three flatback bumps off of punches. Michaels followed with a clothesline. He slammed Angle and then went to the top rope. He sold the 15 minutes of a beating he had just taken on his way to the top rope, but then hit the top rope elbow and showed great fighting spirit. Angle made a comeback, cutting off Michaels telegraphed Sweet Chin Music with a hard clothesline. Michaels reversed Angle into a DDT. Michaels scored a couple of two counts. Angle bled from the mouth. Michaels caught a charging Angle with an elbow to the chin. It looked tight. Michaels surprised Angle as he went for an anklelock with an inside cradle for a two count. Angle came right back and locked on the anklelock at 20:30. Michaels flipped out of it and knocked Angle into the ref. Angle then backdropped Michaels to the floor. Michaels clutched his knee. Officials checked on his condition. Angle threw Michaels back into the ring. He dropped his straps at 22:00. Michaels went for a superkick, but Angle ducked and put Michaels into an anklelock again. Michaels reached for the bottom rope. He rolled over and kicked Angle, but Angle held his grip. Michaels again went for the bottom rope, and again attempted to flip out, but Angle kept it locked on. Michaels again struggled to reach the bottom rope. Angle dragged Michaels back to the center. Michaels held on, thought out tapping, and then flipped and knocked Angle shoulder-first into the ringpost. The crowd chanted "HBK, HBK." Ross lectured Coach on needing to watch more tape before calling a match. Michaels surprised Angle with Sweet Chin Music. Both men were down as the ref began counting again. Michaels draped his arm over Angle just before the ref reached nine, and then the ref counted a near three before Angle lifted his shoulder. The heel contingent chanted "Let's go Angle, Let's go Angle." Angle struggled to his feet and climbed to the top rope. Ross wondered aloud what he was thinking. Angle leaped at Michaels; Michaels caught him with Sweet Chin Music. Michaels then covered Angle for the pin. Ross said Michaels is "as good as any in-ring performer I have ever seen."

WINNER: Michaels at 26:09.

STAR RATING: ****1/2 -- Another excellent match between these two. Very much comparable to their WM21 match. They did a good job playing off of the finish at WM21. Two pros at work, putting on a clinic for young wrestlers.

-Coach interviewed Batista backstage. When Coach suggested Batista looked "scared spitless," Batista called him an ass kissing son of a bitch and said Hunter will have to kill him to take the title from him. He said they're going to hell, and he's the only one walking out. Hunter walked up to Batista and said, "You're walking out, all right. But without the World Heavyweight Championship." They shoved each other and had to be pulled apart.

-They brought a black leather couch into the ring, Lilian Garcia came out. She said it had been a whirlwind several weeks all because of Viscera. She introduced Viscera. He walked out in a silky robe. Ross said he was lucky enough to get married in Vegas and it worked for him. Lilian said at first Viscera scared her, but over time he showed her what a truly sweet man he can be. "What a wonderful, loving man you can be and what a sexy man you can be," she added. Lilian sang him a song that wouldn't have gotten her to the final 12 in American Idol, but might have been good enough to get her on the show in the first place. Not her best performance. Lilian asked Viscera to stand. It wasn't easy for him to stand since the couch sat so low. Lilian then got on her knees and said, "Will you marry me?" Viscera smiled, looked at the crowd, and said, "Lilian, I got to give it to you, baby. That's heavy. That's real heavy. I mean, you want me to marrry you You're asking for my hand in marriage." There was a mix of boos and cheers from the fans. "I think I'll take that into consideration," he said. Godfather's music then began. He walked out with a group of hos. Lilian demanded to know what was going on.

Godfather asked Viscera if he really wants to spend his time with just one woman for the rest of his life, or maybe he'd like to take a ride on the Ho Train instead. A tearful Lilian begged Viscera to choose her. Viscera admired the women Godfather brought to the ring, giving each a good once over. He moaned and groaned as Lilian frowned. Viscera said, "Well, there's only one thing I gots to say. All aboard the Ho Train!" He danced with the Godfather's hos. Lilian cried as Viscera gyrated and rubbed up against the other women. Viscera left the ring with the hos, not looking back at Lilian once.

5 -- JOHN CENA vs. CHRISTIAN (w/Tyson Tomko) vs. CHRIS JERICHO

Jericho and Christian went after Cena early. After a legitimately botch sequence by Tomko when trying to interfere, the ref sent him to the back. Cena went for an FU on a dismayed Christian. Christian grabbed the top rope, so Cena tossed him to the floor. Jericho then jumped Cena. Cena caught a charging Jericho with a boot to the face at 4:45. They fought at ringside, with jericho on offense, ramming Cena's head into a chair. Jericho then disassembled the Spanish announcing table. An "ECW" chant broke out. Jericho went for a suplex, but Cena blocked it and DDT'd Jericho onto the belt on the floor. The camera missed the angle, but the replay showed it clearly. Christian managed to capitalize and scored a two count on Cena inside the ring. Christian went to his obligatory chinlock, then did the "You can't see me" at Cena. Cena fired up and came back with a flying shoulder tackle and a back suplex. Cena then leaned over and gave Christian the You Can't See Me signal. Jericho yanked Cena out of the ring. Jericho whipped Cena into the ringside stairs. Christian then slidekicked Jericho and the ref. Jericho attempted to put Christian in the Walls of Jericho, but Christian kicked out and shoved Cena off the apron. Christian then rolled up Jericho for a near fall. When Christian went to the top rope, Jericho punched away at him. Cena then powerbombed Jericho as Jericho suplexed Christian to the mat at 10:00. Cena gave Christian a drop toe hold, sending Christian head-first into Jericho's face. Cena then did a double You Can't See me bit, then a double five knuckle shuffle. They went into a three way series of spots. Cena knocked Christian into Jericho on the top rope, then cradled Christian for a near fall. Cena followed up with an FU attempt, but Christian gave Cena an eye rake. Christian then gave Cena an Unprettier for a near fall. Christian rolled to ringside and tried to bring the title belt into the ring. Tomko returned to the ring and clotheslined Cena. Christian made the cover and scored a believable near fall at 13:45. Christian threw a fit that he didn't score the pin. Jericho re-entered the match, knocked Christian out of the ring, and then applied the Walls of Jericho. Cena struggled to escape. When Christian stepped onto the ring apron, Jericho released the hold and dropkicked Christian to the floor. Jericho then applied the Walls of Jericho again. Christian snuck into the ring and rolled up Jericho for a near fall. Jericho then shoved Christian into Cena's arms. Cena swung Christian into Jericho, then gave Christian his FU for the win.

WINNER: Cena at 15:19 to retain the WWE Hvt. Title.

STAR RATING: ***1/2 -- Good three-way match. The final five minutes were especially well done with well-timed sequences and convincing near falls.

-Coach definitely shared the main announcing duties including handling the sponsor plugs, something Ross usually does.

6 -- BATISTA vs. TRIPLE H -- Hell in a Cell World Hvt. Title match

Coach said if Triple H doesn't beat Batista, he may not get another title match in a very long time. Ross said the stakes couldn't be higher. Batista clothesined Hunter over the top rope to the floor at 1:30, then whipped him into the side of the cage. Hunter took over at 2:15 and rammed Batista shoulder-first into the ringpost. The crowd chanted "Ba-ti-sta, Ba-ti-sta." When Batista climbed to the ring apron, Hunter charged him and knocked him off the apron and into the side of the cage. Hunter took Batista down with a clothesilne at ringside at 3:45. Back in the ring Hunter whipped Batista's back with a chain several times. Hunter then wrapped the chain around Batista's throat. Batista punched Hunter, but Hunter held on and hanged Batista. Batista climbed back onto the apron to relieve the pressure. He dropped down and took Hunter throat-first across the top rope. Batista then used the chain as a weapon. Batista picked up Hunter and rammed him back-first into the side of the cage several times. Hunter came up bleeding from the forehead. Hunter took a barbed wire wrapped chair and used it as a weapon against Batista. Batista got a hold of the barbed wire wrapped chair and bashed Hunter in the forehead with it. Then he scraped it across Hunter's bloody face. Then he rubbed Hunter's face against the side of the cage. Hunter came back and set up a Pedigree on the barbed wire chair. Batista backdropped out of it and then powerslammed Hunter onto it at 14:00 for a near fall. Batista finally began bleeding from the forehead at 15:30 after a Hunter DDT. Hunter rubbed Batista's face into the side of the cage. Hunter hit Batista with the sledgehammer at 17:45. Ross said, "It's over." That meant a kickout was coming. Sure enough, Batista kicked out. Batista blocked a second sledgehammer shot with a low blow. Batista charged at Hunter with the sledgehammer, but Hunter blocked it and punched Batista with a fist wrapped in a chain. Hunter went for a pin and scored a near fall at 19:45. Hunter wrapped his fist in the chain again and came off the second rop ewith a fistdrop. Batista, though, caught Hunter in the chin with the butt of the sldgehammer. Hunter spit blood into the air, then collapsed face-first to the mat. Batista was slow to be able to make the cover. Batista rammed Hunter with the ringside steps at ringside, then he whipped Hunter into them inside the ring. Batista signalled for the Batista Bomb, but Hunter escaped and hit the Pedigree. Batista kicked out. Ross sold the kickout big time. Hunter was the first to stand and he set up the steps in center ring. Hunter set up a Pedigree, but Batista hit Hunter with a spinebuster on the steps. Batista ste up a Batista Bomb, but Hunter was going to hit Batista with the sledge hammer. He couldn't swing it, though, and Batista executed the finisher and scored the three count.

WINNER: Batista at 26:58 to retain the World Hvt. Title.

STAR RATING: ****1/4 -- They did a really good job with the match format. The finishing sequence was predictable if you really thought everything through, yet perfect for the circumstances. Now we'll see this week if Batista is headed to Smackdown, which would separate these two until perhaps a WrestleMania rematch later (Hunter wins Royal Rumble, chooses to face Batista at WM22 in the main event).

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