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KELLER'S WWE RAW TAKE
JUNE 22, 2009
LIVE FROM GREEN BAY, WISC.

ANNOUNCEMENT: Coming tonight, a special PWTorch VIP/ProWrestling.net Membership post-Raw audio simulcast with a special guest analyst Sean "X-Pac" Waltman. The post-Raw audio show will be available exclusively for PWTorch VIP members and Dot Net Members. Powell, Become a PWTorch VIP member here.

BOX SCORE BASICS

-After highlights of last week's show focused in part on the Donald Trump announcement, they went live to the arena and Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler introduced the show. They had a couple buckets of KFC grilled chicken in front of them, a product placement deal. Donald Trump stepped out onto the stage and announced he is a man of the people who recognized that Raw is about the fans. So he reiterated that the main event of the show would be a PPV main event caliber match, plus no commercials and everyone in the arena after the show was over could cash in their tickets for a full refund. He stressed "after the show is over."

-John Cena came out. Jerry Lawler said the pop for Trump offering the refund got a huge pop, but Cena topped that. Cena thanked Trump and then called out The Miz. Miz stepped onto the stage. Cena said he's a coward for not coming to the ring. Miz walked to the ring and got in his face. They exchanged words in a lengthy promo which led to Cena agreeing to face Miz at the Bash. Miz took a cheapshot punch at Cena to close the segment.

-They went to a segment taped earlier of Vince McMahon's limo stalled about a mile from the arena. He chewed out his limo driver after he suggested he just walk to the arena. McMahon actually jumped on his back and told him to carry him to the arena. That didn't work so well.

(1) Jeff Hardy & Rey Mysterio & The Great Khali beat Chris Jericho & Edge & Dolph Ziggler when Hardy pinned... guess who?... Yep, Ziggler in 5:00. Punk was on commentary, but didn't have much time to talk because there was so much non-stop action in the match early. (*1/4)

McMahon walked up to Trump's backstage office and pounded on the door. Santina walked up to him and said he and Trump should share their office and call it "McDonald." Trump stepped out and acted annoyed with the interruption and fired Santina. After Santina walked out of the picture to the left, from the right Santino magically walked into the picture (special effects, I assume) and said "she had a good run."

(2) Cody Rhodes (w/Ted DiBiase) pinned Primo Colon (w/Carlito) in 4:00 with a yank of the tights. Paint by numbers, but solid action. (3/4*)

Vince McMahon chatted with Goldust and Hornswoggle backstage, including Goldust referencing Goldberg wearing a wig years ago and it helping him get over. McMahon threw a fit when he discovered that his office nameplate was on the door to a bathroom stall. The toilet flushed and out walked Festus. He handed Vince a copy of the Wall Street Journal.

(3) Triple H wrestled Randy Orton in a Last Man Standing match to a draw in a Last Man Standing match in 21:00. They hyped with a countdown clock when the start of this match was 23 minutes away, letting fans know now to wait until the last 15 minutes to tune in. At 8:00 Triple H set up a Pedigree on the announce table, but Orton reversed it and turned it into an RKO. Triple H answered the count before ten. They brawled up the aisle. Orton concentrated on Triple H's legs for several minutes, including using a ladder as a weapon. There was a spot where Orton ducked a Hunter attempted comeback with a ladder shot and a ringside worker got hit. It was a good visual. Later Triple H hit a Pedigree on Orton on the stage, but it didn't look good. That was enough for Orton to be counted down. Hunter also was unable to get up as he sold an injured knee. The announcers solid it as an epic physical match; it wasn't bad, but it wasn't a classic and it felt really familiar since those two have wrestled each other so much. (**3/4)

-Miz hit on Maryse backstage. She told him not to waste her time until he does something impressive to Cena. She spoke in French and then said in English one cheapshot doesn't impress her. He said he's going to prove to Cena next Sunday that he owns him and own WWE.

-Trump walked to the ring with Maria and Eve Torres on each arm. They showed a clip of his press conference at the Green Bay airport earlier. He talked about great ownership making a difference. Trump said he's not going to appoint a general manager. He said he's instead going to appoint a celebrity host every week. Tepid reaction from the crowd. He said it could be an actor or a great looking actress or a WWE Champion, but every week somebody different. He said he doesn't believe in G.M.s. As he began to talk about WrestleMania 26 (maybe he's going to give it away free), McMahon interrupted. He walked out and said this commercial-free format "costs me money." How's that if he doesn't own it? He complained about giving refunds.

McMahon asked if the rumor was true that he was going to make Raw free every week. "If you did that, in six months time I'd be bankrupt," McMahon said. "Let's be reasonable." Trump said, "This is peanuts. I paid a big price for Raw. I can do whatever the hell I want, whatever the hell I want." The crowd popped. McMahon said it's not fair. Trump said he has a lot of billionaire friends who want to buy it from him for twice what he paid at anytime. McMahon then said, "How could I be so stupid? You played me?" He said Trump is planning to drive him into bankruptcy. "I admit, you're smarter than me," he said. "You've got me in a bit of a bind."

McMahon offered to buy it back at the same price "and everything would be fine." The crowd booed at that idea. McMahon insisted that was fair. Trump said no. McMahon offered to up the buying price by 50 percent. Then 75 percent. Trump again said no. McMahon then offered to give him double his money back. Trump shook his hand and accepted his offer. McMahon then told him if he ever crosses his path again or ever sees him or that Trump logo again, he'll knock him on his billionaire butt. He then exclaimed, "Donald Trump, you're fired!" The crowd chanted, "Donald Trump, Donald Trump." Trump slapped McMahon. Security in suits stepped between them. Now is McMahon going to honor Trump's promise to refund tickets, or will Trump use his profits from the sale to still pay for the refunds? Lawler asked that very question and Cole he hopes they do.

After another plug for KFC's chicken with Cole and Lawler at ringside. Then they plugged Cena vs. Big Show.

Backstage, McMahon ordered Rhodes and DiBiase out of the arena, then told Orton he's going to face Hunter again at the Bash, but in a Three Stages of Hell match which is a regular match (stage one of hell, apparently), a falls count anywhere, and stretcher.

A video package aired on Cena throwing out a first ball at a Cubs game.

Cole and Lawler stood in the ring and hyped the PPV line-up.

(4) Mickie James & Bri Bella & Nikki Bella beat Beth Phoenix & Maryse & Rosa Mendes in 5:00. They got more time than usual and had an okay paced match. (*)

(5) John Cena vs. Big Show. Ploddingly paced, as usual with these two. Show got a near fall after a chokeslam at 5:00. He hit a swing splash next. Cena came back with an STF out of nowhere. Miz came out interfered. When Cena lifted Show for an Attitude Adjustment, Miz shoved him over and Show landed on him for the win. (*)

They cut to Triple H attacking Orton in the parking garage. Triple H said, "Did you think it was over?" He slammed a car trunk over his head. He then leaned in for a rather intimate moment and said on Sunday he's going to hell.

THOUGHTS, OBSERVATIONS, AND NITPICKS

TRUMP SEGMENTS: Trump did better than last week on the mic at the start of the show... Trump said he's going to run things and run things properly, because nothing says running things properly like appointing celebrities to host a show instead of appointing a qualified person to oversee the show... One of the bright sides of Trump selling is that we don't have to sit through celebrity hosts each week...

CENA-MIZ: Really good interaction and great mic work from both. Cena has really seemed to find his voice as a character lately, and Miz is bringing out some good work. Some really good lines by both.

OTHER THOUGHTS: The video edit of Santino walking into the picture after Santina was fired and walked away was so smooth that I'm beginning to doubt myself regarding whether Santino and Santina were actually two people. There are a lot of really confused people out there right now. That's almost a cruel stunt to pull... The Goldust reference to Goldberg was a reminder of how WWE tried to "humble" (or bury) Goldberg when he arrived for a variety of reasons - either politics to hold him back or a way to test and humble him... The McMahon skits were the right tone, as they've got to take advantage of the image of Trump being fan-friendly and McMahon being treated like a commoner. The major problem, though, is Trump is merely offering refunds worth just under $250,000 whereas McMahon handed out a million dollars a week for several weeks to Raw viewers. It's really no comparison...

QUOTEBOOK

Donald Trump to Santino Marella: "Just like I did to Miss California, you're fired."

John Cena: "At the Bash I'll show you're just a washed up reality star, you're a WWE never-was, too."

Carlito: "This is just a rumor, but I heard Randy says Cody rubs oil on his body like no one else."

Goldust to Vince McMahon on wearing a wig: "I'm thinking of giving Hornswoggle my wig. It worked so well for Goldberg, he'll get over like gangbusters."

Jerry Lawler on Trump: "I heard he had his Persian rug made out of real Persians."

Donald Trump: "There's nothing like real good ownership, is there?"

Jerry Lawler: "I'm kinda foreign myself. I have Russian hands and Roman fingers."

ANNOUNCEMENT: Coming tonight, a special PWTorch VIP/ProWrestling.net Membership post-Raw audio simulcast with a special guest analyst Sean "X-Pac" Waltman. The post-Raw audio show will be available exclusively for PWTorch VIP members and Dot Net Members. Powell, Become a PWTorch VIP member here.



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