PWTorch.com - RAW RETRO 4/23 - Cena vs. HBK goes nearly 60 minutes in London

Torch Flashbacks
RAW RETRO 4/23 - Cena vs. HBK goes nearly 60 minutes in London

Apr 23, 2015 - 12:32:11 AM

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WWE Raw Flashback
April 23, 2007
Taped in London, England
Originally Published PWTorch Newsletter #965
Report by PWTorch editor Wade Keller

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TOP NEWS FROM THE SHOW

- Shawn Michaels pined John Cena in a 56 minute Raw classic.

WHAT HAPPENED: 1ST HOUR

The show opened with Shane McMahon dancing his way to the ring as Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler introduced the show. Ross said they were “live” from London, England. The picture was goofy as usual for anything being transmitted from England due to whatever video conversion they have to go through. Shane, who seemed jet–lagged and forcing it, said Bobby Lashley wouldn’t be there. He threw to a clip of last week’s Umaga–Santino Marella–Lashley angle. Shane said one of the fans in the crowd would have the opportunity to slay a dragon—“the meanest, the baddest, the most vicious dragon of them all - that dragon is me,” he said. “So who’s it gonna be.”

The fans waved their arms. He said he was making it a no–DQ match, then looked at the fans. He told one fan, “You wouldn’t last four seconds.” Shane pointed out Jose Mourino, the Chelsea Football Team head coach. He said he didn’t “want any of this.” He said since no one was qualified, he scouted the U.K. for the toughest wrestler the country can offer. He introduced Robbie Brookside.

(1) Shane McMahon & Umaga & Vince McMahon defeated Robbie Brookside in 8:00. (1/2*)

A music video aired of the Shawn Michaels vs. John Cena match at WrestleMania 23. Then Lawler and Ross plugged the rematch as Raw’s main event.

(2) Matt Hardy (w/Jeff Hardy) defeated Trevor Murdoch (w/Lance Cade) in 5:00. In the opening minute there was a one count, which you don’t see often in WWE matches. After a distraction by Cade, Murdoch threw Hardy into the ringpost and then gave him a Canadian Destroyer variation for the win. (*1/4)

(3) Melina pinned Maria in 1:00. After a head scissors and clothesline by Maria, Melina came back with a face smash into the mat with a handful of hair for the win. Not much to it, but it was okay for the minute it lasted.

Ric Flair approached Carlito backstage as he taped his forearm. Carlito sneered at Flair wanting to help him, then headed toward the entrance tunnel without him.

(4) The Great Khali defeated Carlito. Khali no–sold Carlito’s early attempts at hurting him. Khali didn’t move much out of the center of the ring as he no–sold Carlito for two minutes, then tossed him to the mat and stood on his chest for the win. Ross said, “Khali is a man–beast.” So is Carlito in the dog house this bad or are they that committed to investing this much in a giant who can’t work a lick? (1/4*)

Flair approached Carlito afterward in the ring, looking to console him. Carlito looked up and yelled at him, “Are we a team or not?!” He then went on a rant. Flair looked stunned and headed to the back. ”There and Back Again” by Chris Daughtry is the official theme of Backlash.

Mick Foley stood in front of several British flags and said he dressed up in a sports jacket because he doesn’t get to be on Raw very often. He talked about Michael Pena’s booking of Backlash. Edge approached Foley. They high–fived each other as if they were good, close pals. Edge thanked Foley for bringing Pena to Raw and making the Backlash main event a Fatal Four–way. He said that means he gets to go through three people to win his third WWE Title. He said tonight he gets to face Randy Orton after watching John Cena and Shawn Michaels tear each other apart.

A video preview aired for “The Condemned.”

WHAT HAPPENED: 2ND HOUR

Cena approached Michaels backstage. He said he can hear that he’s earned the fans’ support as the Showstopper. He said he’s just John Cena, The Camp. He held the belt up to Michaels’s face. Michaels’s intro music began, so he headed to the ring. That was a neat touch having his music start as they showed him backstage. They rarely do that.

(1) Shawn Michaels pinned John Cena in 56:00. The match began at 10:05 p.m. Lawler said if it’s even a fraction as good as their WM23 match, it’ll be considered a classic. The first five minutes consisted of a very slow build with headlocks for the most part and mind–games with Cena gloating about staying a step ahead of Michaels. They jawed at each other, Michaels slapped Cena, Cena punched Michaels to the mat, and they cut to a break. After the break, they were getting ready to hook up again. Cena settled into another headlock; the match began as some strange attempt to prove headlocks are still relevant in 2007.

With all due respect, if the headlock hurt as much as it should when someone with Cena’s biceps is squeezing it, any conscious human would be working a lot harder to get out of it than Michaels was; he just lay there and winced for 20 seconds before trying to get up and then elbow out of it. At 13:00, the offense remained a combination of chinlocks and headlocks by Cena with a punch, slap, and clothesline thrown in every five minutes for “variety.” At 15:00, Michaels went for a surprise chin music after a couple of shoulder tackles. Cena held onto the top rope and then tried to surprise Michaels with an FU. Michaels pulled himself over the top rope and retreated to ringside to, as Ross said, “regroup.” They cut to a break.

After the break, Cena had Michaels in (guess...) a headlock. At 21:00 Cena caught Michaels diving at him and turned it into a powerslam for a two count. Cena hit a powerslam for a two count to conclude a flurry of offense at 21:00. He followed with a suplex for another two count. The match officially began at this point, and the crowd woke up to the series of continuing near falls after offense by Cena. After a chop fest, Michaels bounced off the ropes and hit Cena with a flying forearm. He nipped up at six while Cena was slower to get up.

Michaels climbed to the top rope and nailed the elbowdrop to Cena’s chest. Michaels stomped the mat ten times. Cena recovered and swung a silly looking punch at Michaels, but Michaels ducked and scored a two count with a backslide. Cena went for a shoulderblock right away, but Michaels ducked. Cena rolled to the floor. Michaels dove over the top rope at Cena, but Cena caught Michaels. Michaels slipped out and shoved Cena into the steel steps. Both men were down as they cut to a third break at 36:00.

Cena hit a series of shoulderblocks after the break leading to his finishing routine. The crowd booed. After Michaels avoided it the first time, Cena hit the FU, but Michaels kicked out before three. Ross and Lawler reacted with shock at the kickout. After another break, Cena remained on offense, tossing Michaels to the floor at 39:00. Cena scored more two counts on Michaels, then applied a bearhug. Ross said that’s the first time he remembered Cena applying a bear hug. Cena whipped Michaels into the corner and Michaels flipped to the floor. Cena lifted Michaels for an FU on the top rope, but Michaels wiggled out of Cena’s grip and executed a powerbomb. Both men were down at 44:00. Michaels knocked Cena off the ring apron and into the announcers’ table. The ref stopped Michaels from going after Cena, but Michaels took a different route to ringside. He went for a piledriver on Cena on the base of the steps, but Cena backdropped Michaels instead.

After the break, Cena applied an STFU in mid–ring at 51:00. After a minute, Michaels reached the bottom rope. Cena blocked a superkick and went for an FU. Michaels avoided the FU and hit the superkick. Both were down again at 54:00. Michaels made the cover, but Cena grabbed the bottom rope. Ross declared it one of the best one–on–one matches in the history of Raw and a “true classic.” An exhausted Michaels threw a couple chops. Cena reversed him into the corner for a Flair flip, then another FU, but Michaels flipped out of it and superkicked Cena and scored a three count clean.

Michaels celebrated, then clutched Cena’s title and trash talked the KO’d Cena briefly. Ross closed by asking if the WWE Title has ever been in more jeopardy. He asked whether he would survive Backlash. (****1/2)

WHAT WORKED

- The final 35 minutes of Michaels–Cena definitely worked, as did the finish just as the 60 minute draw seemed inevitable (although they didn’t talk at all about there being a time limit).

WHAT DIDN’T WORK

- The first hour felt like half–hearted filler, but they were obviously doing just that - filling an hour leading to the main event. A daring and different approach to a final PPV push.

[Torch art credit Grant Gould (c) PWTorch.com]