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WWE VENGEANCE PPV REPORT
JUNE 25, 2006
CHARLOTTE, N.C.

-Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler introduced the event.

1 -- RANDY ORTON vs. KURT ANGLE

Lawler compared Angle to some of the biggest turncoats in history. Angle worked Orton over with a hammerlock and matwork. Orton tried to suplex Orton off the ring apron at 2:00. Orton held on and elbowed Angle to the floor. Angle, though, immediately gave Orton a belly-to-back suplex. Lawler complained that Angle was already adapting to the ECW style with that suplex on the floor "because that's not wrestling." Angle slapped away at Orton's head from behind. Orton came back with a nice dropkick. Ross said, "If you're an ECW fan, you picked the right night to watch a WWE pay-per-view." Orton applied his required chinlock. Angle powered out and dropped Orton hard to the mat. The idea that this appears to be more of an ECW match than a WWE match is crazy. If Vince McMahon thinks he can pass of a suplex on the floor mixed with chinlocks and matwork as an "ECW-style match," he's going to turn off the core ECW crowd if they're not already. Ross said the chinlock is more painful than it looks. It's almost as if Ross was apologizing for Orton's antiquated, boring style. Orton went to a third chinlock at 8:00. The crowd was just dead. It's as if Orton decided to steal Mick Foley's thunder by dogging it against Angle. When Orton went to the top rope, Angle ran up and gave him a belly-to-belly suplex to the match. Angle followed with two more suplexes. Orton avoided an Angleslam and hit an inverted backbreaker for a two count. Angle hit eight belly-to-back suplexes in a row. Orton rolled out of the ring. Angle threw him back in and scored a near fall. Angle went for an anklelock, but Orton blocked it. Orton removed a top turnbuckle. Angle suplexed Orton from behind, then dropped his straps and applied the Anklelock. There was little suspense that Orton would tap since the exposed top turnbuckle hadn't come into play yet. Orton struggled, but finally reached the bottom rope to force a break. Orton yanked Angle toward the exposed turnbuckle and in a totally orchestrated looking sequence, went head-first into it. Orton then hit an RKO for the win.

WINNER: Orton in 13:00.

STAR RATING: *1/2 -- Really disappointing match. Eight suplexes in a row wasn't enough to make up for a really disappointing match otherwise, especially with those inexcusable chinlocks that took the crowd right out of the match.

-Vince McMahon was shown on the phone backstage. As he talked about getting revenge on DX, a boy in a DX shirt in a wheelchair entered his room. Vince acted nice. He said he wasn't expecting anyone. He started spazzing out at the kid about space aliens, gay male dancers, and other DX pranks. When the kid began to talk, Vince told him to shut up. He said DX took him on a ride, he's going to take the kid on a ride. He shoved the wheelchair into a side room where a big crashing noise could be heard. Coach walked in and said DX left a penis pump outside his door. Coach said he took the liberty of inviting a friend of the family for a visit. He said he's a young kid in a wheelchair. Vince tried to no-sell the situation.

2 -- UMAGA (w/Armando Alejandro Estrada) vs. EUGENE (w/Hacksaw Duggan, Doink, Kamala)

Doink squirted Umaga with a squirt gun in the opening minute. There was a "Eugene, Eugene" chant early. Eugene got in early offense, but Umaga quickly ended the flurry. The crowd chanted, "USA, USA." Umaga hit the Samoan Spike for a quick win. Duggan went for a tackle afterward, but Umaga clotheslined him. Umaga then gave Doink the Samoan Spike. That left Kamala. As Kamala slapped his tummy, Estrada talked him out of going after him.

WINNER: Umaga at 1:30.

STAR RATING: 1/4* -- They're saving Umaga vs. Kamala for Summerslam, apparently.

-Todd Grisham interviewed Mick Foley. Foley said he is going to have a public book reading "right here in Charlotte, North Carolina." He read an excerpt from Flair's autobiography, which Foley said was a novel. He read Flair ripping on Foley for falling off of ladders or onto thumbtacks. Foley said he is going to wipe the ring with Flair in his hometown with wrestling moves. He said his next book needs to include a chapter "How I was outwrestled by Mick Foley."

-They went to Ross and Lawler at ringside. Ross said he is confused because at one point Foley said he was going to tank it, but now he says he's going to outwrestle Flair. It's good that Ross acknowledged the apparent contradiction, although Orton tried to outwrestle Angle and in the process tanked it.

3 -- RIC FLAIR vs. MICK FOLEY

Ross said, "Michael Jordan is the second most popular man in Charlotte." Foley opened up with non-wrestling offense, such as a series of punches. He then pulled out a Flair-like Mr. Socko with a blond tuft of hair and pink boa robe. Flair countered it with a crotch grab, then a series of chops against Foley's chest. Flair hit Foley with an axe handle off the middle rope, but then sold a left knee injury. Foley worked over Flair's legs. They had to bleep Flair swearing aloud in pain. Flair surprised Foley with an inside cradle as Foley went for a figure-four in 4:00. Flair went for another inside cradle for a two count. Foley threw Flair to ringside and then into the ringside barrier. Flair reversed Foley into the ringside steps and Foley did a full flip bump. They brawled into the crowd at 6:00. The crowd chanted "Foley sucks!" Foley threw a trash can into the ring. Ross said if he uses it, he'll be DQ'd. Flair blocked it and put Foley in a figure-four. Foley used the trash can to break the hold. Foley attacked Flair with a barbed wire wrapped baseball bat; Flair bled heavily. Foley walked to the back holding up the barbed wire baseball bat. They showed fans (mostly women) in the crowd reacting in shock and concern to Foley's attack.

WINNER: Flair two falls to zero at 7:00.

STAR RATING: *1/2 -- Had Foley tanked it, it might have been more entertaining than this, which seemed to be a half-hearted attempt to get through a short match with a bad finish.

-Maria interviewed Carlito backstage. She asked Carlito about how the ones who want to be cool usually aren't, and those who don't try to be cool end up being cool, "which creates a paradox" which she asked him to explain. He said he didn't know what she just said, but he'd be cool if he become IC Champ. Torrie Wilson asked Maria if she'd help her rub baby oil all over her body. Carlito insisted the interview was over. Torrie asked Carlito to hold her puppies, then Torrie handed two actual puppies to him. They showed Torrie and Maria rubbing oil on each other. Carlito coached them on "working as a cohesive unit." His intro music began, and he looked frustrated that he had to head to the ring.

4 -- SHELTON BENJAMIN vs. CARLITO vs. JOHNNY NITRO (w/Melina) -- IC Title match

After some solid early three-way sequences, Carlito springboard flipped from the top rope onto Shelton and Nitro at 4:00. A surprisingly graceful, risky move from him. Nitro took over in the ring on Carlito, and kept Shelton from reentering the ring. At 6:00 Shelton returned to the ring and immediately took over on both Nitro and Carlito. Shelton leaped onto the top rope and set up Carlito for a superplex, but Nitro, who was hanging upside down in the corner, back suplexed Carlito and Shelton to the mat. That drew a "holy sh--" chant. Ross called it amazing. Carlito took over at 10:00 and scored a two count on Shelton with an inside cradle, broken up by Nitro. At 12:00 Carlito hit the back cracker on Shelton, but Nitro yanked Carlito out of the ring and covered Shelton to score the pin. Ross said anything can happen in these three-way matches, and Carlito did the heavy lifting while Nitro was opportunistic.

WINNER: Nitro at 12:00 to win the IC Title.

STAR RATING: **1/2 -- Average match. A little pokey at times, but some nice moves and sequences, too.

-Vince asked Spirit Squad if they were proud of themselves for what happened on Monday. He told them that nobody makes a fool out of Spirit Squad or Mr. McMahon. McMahon compared DX to a disease like the bird flu and vowed that they'd be the cure. As soon as Spirit Squad left the room, Vince picked up the penis pump box, read it, considered using it, then took off his jacket and tie and walked into the bathroom. The only problem with the whole segment was that he didn't acknowledge the camera was there, yet he was acting in a way he wouldn't likely act in front of a camera. Anyway, when he went into the bathroom, there was an explosion. He walked out with green mist all of his face and yelled, "Damn DX!" Lawler said, "That was a booby-trapped penis pump!"

5 -- ROB VAN DAM vs. EDGE (w/Lita)

The placement of this match before Hunter's match and John Cena's match makes it clear where Edge, RVD, and the belts in general are compared to the top two Raw stars in the eyes of Vince McMahon. "The WWE Title being in ECW is just as ridiculous as the Stanley Cup being in North Carolina." Edge told the crowd before the match, "Nobody from North Carolina had anything to do with it. News flash. Canadians won it for you. And this Canadian is taking back his WWE Title." He said after winning, he and Lita would have celebration sex, "Just like all you people, only Lita and I aren't brother and sister." Once "the promo to be sure the fans didn't boo RVD from ECW" was over, RVD came out. Ross sent best wishes to Rock, whom he acknowledged was injured while shooting a movie last week. Ross said he was rooting for the best man to win. RVD wore both the ECW belt and WWE belt to the ring, and Ross said that only the WWE belt was on the line. Edge mocked RVD's thumb gestures. RVD chuckled. RVD hit a nice standing moonsault on Edge early. They fought at ringside at 4:00. The was pro-RVD seemingly 100 percent. Lita grabbed RVD's leg as he reentered the ring, giving Edge the chance to blindside him and take control. Edge sunset flipped RVD off the apron to the floor with a thud. Edge rolled RVD into the ring and scored a two count. RVD knocked Edge off the ring apron with a crossbody block to the floor at 9:00. That was a pretty rough looking landing for Edge. RVD followed up with a jump spin wheel kick, but Edge moved and RVD landed hard on the ringside barrier. Edge scored a two count in the ring. Edge powerbombed RVD hard into the side of the security wall. Back in the ring, Edge scored a two count. RVD made a comeback, but Edge cut it short with a boot to the face of a charging RVD. RVD came back at 13:00 with a string of offense and near falls. RVD went for Rolling Thunder, but Edge turned it into a powerslam for a near fall. RVD came back with a top rope sidekick, then he signalled for the Five-Star. Edge rolled out of the way, so RVD adjusted into a dive onto the mat into a Rolling Thunder. RVD followed with a split-legged moonsault for a near fall. RVD went for a jump spin wheel kick, but Edge ducked and the ref got knocked down. Lita grabbed the WWE belt from ringside (she reached for the ECW belt at first, but the bell ringer handed her the WWE belt to use instead). Lita then knocked RVD off the balance on the top rope. Ross said RVD's manhood just got abused by the top turnbuckle. Edge gave RVD a DDT off the top rope. The ref was KO'd and couldn't make the count at first. By the time he did, RVD kicked out. Edge, who was bleeding from his forehead at this point, set up a Spear. Lita held a chair in the opposite corner. RVD moved and Edge went head-first into the steel chair, knocking himself out and Lita to the floor. RVD then hit the Five-Star for the pin. Ross said a lot of people were expecting the WWE Title to end up back in WWE with RVD having to defend it on Raw soil, but it didn't happen.

WINNER: Rob Van Dam at 19:00.

STAR RATING: ***

-Backstage, Paul Heyman gave the ECW crew a pep talk about the lumberjack match coming up. Heyman said they're there to see Sabu prevail, Cena go down, and represent ECW.

6 -- KANE vs. IMPOSTER KANE

Kane threw the first punch. Ross said there are a lot of mindgames going on between these two that "we just aren't plugged into." Kane ripped at Imposter's mask at 1:00. A lumbering match in front of a silent crowd. When Kane went to the top rope, the Imposter caught him on the way down by the throat. The Imposter then a chokeslam for a clean pin out of nowhere.

WINNER: Imposter Kane in 7:00.

STAR RATING: 1/4* -- Anticlimactic finish to a bad match. The Imposter cannot pull off walking over the top rope to get in and out of the ring.

7 -- JOHN CENA vs. SABU -- Lumberjack Match

Lumberjacks for ECW were Al Snow, Stevie Richards, Amish Roadkill, Balls Mahoney, Tommy Dreamer, Justin Credible, Sandman, and Guido. The Raw lumberjacks were Val Venis, Rob Conway, Viscera, Snitsky, Lance Cade, and Matt Striker. At 3:00 Sabu hit an Arabian Facebuster. By 4:00 Cena went into the You Can't See Me routine. The ECW wrestlers teased interfering. Cena threw Justin to the floor and threw Richards into the crowd. Sabu then hit Cena with a chair. Snow did the same. The ECW gang dragged Cena onto a table at ringside. Viscera threw Sandman into the ringpost. Cena got up and hit Sabu with a cane as he dove at him. Cena threw a chair into Sabu's head. Cena then signalled for the FU. Sabu fought it. Cena then dumped Sabu over the top rope onto the table. The table broke. Viscera and Snitsky threw Sabu into the ring. Cena locked on the STFU for the tapout.

WINNER: Cena at 7:00.

STAR RATING: * -- Vince McMahon continues to show that 99 percent of his concern is utilizing whatever clout the ECW brand has to elevate Cena's toughness. Having the Raw C-crew counteract ECW's lumberjacks really sets the tone for where McMahon perceives ECW's core group.

-A commercial aired for Summerslam which included Boogeyman, Chris Benoit, and "the old" Kurt Angle.

-They showed Cena walking backstage, crossing paths with RVD. RVD told Cena, "At ease, soldier. I want to talk to you about something." He told Cena he impressed him and proved he had balls when he walked into the ECW locker room last week. "That takes something I admire," said RVD. He told Cena he knows he feels slighted for not getting a rematch. RVD said he is the champion, though, and he will back it up, so he suggested they wrestle one-on-one on Raw for the WWE Championship. Cena said he didn't come into his house and beg him for a rematch. He said he took everything from him. "That's not the John Cena spinner belt; that's my life," said Cena. He told RVD he accepted the rematch and told him to pack all he's got. They shook hands and smiled.

-A recap aired of the Vince McMahon-Shawn Michaels/Triple H storyline leading to the DX reunion.

8 -- DX (Shawn Michaels & Triple H) vs. SPIRIT SQUAD

Ross said, "For the first time since the Attitude Era of WWE, The Game and Michaels officially back in the match here tonight on Vengeance." Ross acknowledged that WWE.com had reported that Shawn Michaels needs knee surgery based on a messy MRI. Before the match, Triple H asked, "So, are you ready?" He then went into the pre-match DX routine ending with, "Let's get ready to suck it!" Michaels said, "If you're not down with that, we've got two words for you." The crowd finished with "Suck it!" Ross noted that President Bush was a cheerleader. Ross also noted it was a non-title match. Spirit Squad got in some early offense on Michaels, but Michaels with Hunter's help cleared the ring of all five. Johnny had a bloody nose early. Johnny tied a headband around his head and did a bunch of mock martial arts. Michaels tagged out to Hunter, who beat up Johnny. After Michaels yanked Mikey into the ringpost, Ross said, "His package is bruised." Johnny did a rubber legged routine in the ring afterward. Spirit Squad managed to take control on Triple H with a five-on-one attack. Hunter tagged in Michaels at 9:00. He immediately fought off a swarm from Spirit Squad, then hit a top rope flying elbow on Mikey. When Michaels signalled for Sweet Chin Music, Spirit Squad swarmed, Hunter evened the odds, and Johnny nailed Michaels with a 360 degree roundhouse kick. Kenny hit Michaels with a stiff chairshot at ringside at 11:00. Mikey ran down the ramp and launched off the trampoline with a flying bulldog on Michaels leading to a near fall. Spirit Squad isolated Michaels for a while. At 16:00 Michaels hot-tagged Hunter into the ring. He cleaned house with a high knee and some spinebusters. He set up a Pedigree on Nicky, but Kenny broke it up. Mikey sprung off the trampoline toward Michaels, but Michaels ducked and instead the rest of the Squaders went down. In the ring, Hunter set up Kenny for a Pedigree. Michaels then hit Mikey with Sweet Chin Music as he ran in. Hunter then hit the Pedigree leading to a double pin. DX took out all five members of the Squad afterward. Ross asked if the Attitude Era was back.

WINNERS: DX at 18:00

STAR RATING: **3/4 -- Okay action since everyone involved are good athletes. Too familiar with all of the matches on Raw lately that resembled this.

-After the match, Hunter whispered something to Michaels. Michaels smiled. Hunter and Michaels rolled everyone out of the ring except for Mitch. Hunter dropped his trunks and Mitch got shoved into his bare ass by Michaels, who looked away as he did it. "Has DX started a new club?" asked Ross. "I know one particular chairman who isn't going to be pleased with tonight's outcome and especially the exclamation added at the end." Vince McMahon walked out onto the stage during the DX celebration. Ross asked, "Now what?" Vince congratulated them and said he'd see them tomorrow night. Anti-climactic.

We welcome your 1-10 score and comments on this show for a "PPV Reax" feature in the Torch Feedback section of PWTorch.com. To contribute your thoughts on Royal Rumble, click here.

As always after PPVs, the Torch Roundtable Reviews will be sent out via email to Torch VIP ESub members and posted exclusively at the ad-free VIP version of PWTorch.com. There will also be VIP Audio Analysis of the event featuring Torch staffer roundtable discussions.

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