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WWE RAW FLASHBACK - 5 yrs. ago: Three-hour format for WM Rewind - Flair's retirement match set, Cena vs. HBK main event, Jericho vs. Hardy, Casket match

Mar 11, 2013 - 11:02:11 AM
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WWE Raw Flashback - 5 years ago
March 10, 2008
Report by Wade Keller, PWTorch editor


THE BIG NEWS: FLAIR AND MICHAELS AGREE TO FIGHT

Ric Flair continued his stretch of getting more mic time than he has in years on this edition of Raw. With three hours to work with, Flair was one of the beneficiaries with an early-show segment given plenty of time to play out. It also gave him a chance to really show off what made him a money-promo for decades. Michaels was also at his best here with his tone, mixing determination, bravado, and humor in just the right ratio.

Flair walked out in a suit and strutted to the ring. He said last week Shawn Michaels looked him in the eye and said he didn't want to face him at WrestleMania and be the one to end his career. He said "he had the audacity" to say the Showstopper would stop his show. He said he respects Michaels, and he has something to tell him face to face. Four second pause (for realism). Then Michaels's music started and out popped Michaels with cowboy hat, a big belt buckle, cowboy boots, and his latest t-shirt tucked in like a product of being a teenager in the '70s.

Flair faced Michaels and said the words "sympathy" didn't exist when he started in the business and the word "pity" doesn't exist now. Flair let loose with an, "I'm the Nature Boy, whoo!" He said if he can't compete with the best, and he is the best, he doesn't want his career to continue. He said he wants to be a flagship player and stand on his own two feet, earning respect - not sympathy or pity. He said he expects the same from him. He said if he wins at WrestleMania, "it's because I'm the man." If you beat me at WrestleMania, you have beaten The Man." He said he knows his career could come to an end, but he also feels that on a real good day, he could catch one on him and his career go on forever.

Michaels said he's been part of some of the greatest WrestleMania moments in history. He said at WrestleMania, "I am the man, and you need to understand something, Naitch. I don't have any control over it. When that day rolls around, I don't have any control over it." He said it just happens. He said at WrestleMania, the show will be stolen. "Let's do it!" They briefly hugged. Michaels turned to walk away, then turned back. He brought up that on Friday Night Smackdown, he was involved in a three-on-one steel cage match against "Edge and his two, duh, Edge guys." (laughs from the crowd). He said his Fridays are usually reserved for "Dora the Explorer," but for him he'll do anything. So, he said, the least he can do is make sure it's "three against the both of us."

Suddenly, Randy Orton walked out to his music. He reminded Michaels he was in charge last week. He announced that Triple H would face Kane and Michaels would face John Cena later, and that would show that Michaels can be beat. It's nice to see Orton show such faith in rival Cena. Good segment that managed to hype WrestleMania, the next edition of Smackdown, and the Raw main event.

KELLER'S RAW RAMBLINGS

There's usually more to write about with a two hour show than this letdown of a show. A PWTorch.com Poll asked whether this Raw lived up to the hype. 44 percent voted for "Not even close!" 30 percent said "Not quite." 16 percent said "Pretty much." Only 5 percent said "Definitely so." A mere 4 percent said "Exceeded the hype!" In other words, I wasn't alone in being disappointed in this production. Besides the broken promises of featuring all WrestleMania rematches - and boy was that pushed hard as the theme - but the wrestling was pretty flat other than Jeff Hardy vs. Chris Jericho... There was no Mr. McMahon on the show, which a lot of weeks would be a plug because it'd give the wrestlers more time in the spotlight, but for a supposedly special three-hour edition that came in below expectations, McMahon's absence made the show seem even less important...

The non-wrestling highlight was in the opening 15 minutes with the Michaels-Flair exchange. PWTorch.com readers voted Big Show the MVP of the program. I wouldn't disagree with that. He quietly became a really good promo guy during his ECW stint, but few noticed. He's at the top of his game again, and more confidence now that he's lost weight and probably in general feels better overall. Second place voting went to Chris Jericho followed by Ric Flair, Shawn Michaels, and Floyd Mayweather, all reasonable votes. Despite being in the main event, John Cena received only one vote in our poll... I was disappointed Rotunda didn't wrestle because my over/under on how many times he'd adjust his waistband was 17. Now I'll never know... The announcement of next week's main event, as booked by Triple H who is in control of Orton and Cena, made Hunter out to be a lot smarter than Cena and Orton were. Orton had power on this show to book Cena and Hunter against anyone he wanted, with any stips he wanted, and he put them in singles matches without stips or any disadvantages. He came across as pretty dumb...

Jim Ross wasn't feeling well, and that didn't help the overall drab feeling of the overly long show... It really diminished the prestige of Smackdown in general and Edge in particular to be such a small part of a supposedly big show... This show just had no soul. They could have had some fun with Colin Delaney showing up and being totally overwhelmed and nervous about being at his first Raw ever. The show was humorless and felt thrown together without any enthusiasm. The WrestleMania hype in some ways has been by-the-numbers strong, but in other ways it's been predictable and mundane from a spectator standpoint... A post-victory interview with Chris Jericho would have been a nice touch to cement his IC Title win as being a big deal. He could use the momentum boost...

Box Score Basics by Wade Keller

Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler introduced the show as pyro blasted.

Ric Flair walked out to address Shawn Michaels. They each agreed that they'd wrestle at WM24.

(1) Undertaker beat Mark Henry in 4:00 in a casket match. (1/2*)

Floyd Mayweather was shown backstage hanging out with his buddies. Then a video played of various luminaries talking about the big fight, including Bert Sugar, Michael Buffer, and Antonio Tarver.

A soundbite aired with Triple H hyping his WM24 main event three-way. He was all serious.

(2) Mr. Kennedy beat Finlay via DQ in 0:03. Kennedy was taunted on the big screen by JBL, leading to Finlay snapping and attacking Kennedy with his shillelagh.

A video aired on WWE's participation with Make-a-Wish. John Cena was featured.

(3) Chris Jericho pinned Jeff Hardy to capture the Intercontinental Title in 10:00. Really good ten minute match. All-out and realistic. (***1/4)

(4) Iron Sheik & Nikolai Volkoff vs. Mike Rotunda & Barry Windham was scheduled next. Jillian Hall came out and sang (poorly) the Rotunda & Windham theme song of "Born in the USA." Then the match was called off for absolutely no reason.

Mike Adamle introduced a video announcing Jack & Jerry Brisco would be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

A Mayweather-Show video montage aired.

Randy Orton gave Kane a pep talk about facing Triple H later. Kane said he needed no pep talk.

(5) Triple H pinned Kane in 6:00 after a sloppy Pedigree. Not pretty. (1/2*)

A soundbite aired with Cena hying his WM24 match against Triple H and Orton.

(6) Melina (w/Jillian Hall) beat Maria (w/Candice Michelle). This was supposed to be a WrestleMania Rematch of some sort, but Melina said Ashley was injured so they were having a WrestleMania Preview match.

A video feature aired on Floyd Mayweather at home playing with shoes and cash.

The official weigh-in took place with Big Show and Floyd Mayweather. Shane McMahon MC'd. Both cut promos on each other, with Show turning the crowd against Mayweather and bringing out dozens of wrestlers to surround the ring and show support for him.

A soundbite aired with Orton saying he is everything that Hunter and Cena are, plus the champion.

(7) Edge (w/Curt Hawkins, Zach Ryder) beat C.M. Punk in 4:00. Too short to be much good, but not bad while it lasted. It seemed Edge was diminished by being thrown into such a forgettable segment.

William Regal introduced Umaga as the Raw rep at WM24 against Batista. Batista then came out. They brawled for a minute, with Batista knocking Umaga out of the ring. They're pretty limited in what they can do to hype this match since they're on separate brands and Umaga doesn't talk (and Batista barely does).

They announced Mr. McMahon would be honored on Friday with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Fans were invited to attend.

(8) John Cena fought Shawn Michaels to a no contest in 12:00. Slow build to start with a lot of mat wrestling. It ended with Orton interfering. Flat finish to a flat show. (**1/2)

Afterward, Triple H announced that Cena & Orton would be forced to team next week in a match against the rest of the entire Raw roster. He sounded totally like Raven. It was strange.


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ROH FLASHBACK: The aftermath of Joe vs. Kobashi 10 years ago today
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