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MITCHELL'S TAKE
MOJO MITCHELL'S WWE RAW 4/6: Stream of What Becomes a Legend Most, Some Consolation Prizes, A Couple Of Random Stipulations, Some Truculence, and a Candidate Emerges
Apr 6, 2009 - 10:29:26 PM


By Bruce Mitchell, Torch columnist

We start with what has been one of the strengths of WWE production (even more lately) – a musical highlight package from last night's WrestleMania.

The main event is everybody versus everybody in a tag match, including Ricky Steamboat. Why not? It'll save some wear and tear on what has to be a tired crew after the biggest show of the year.

Randy Orton is in the ring. Here's hoping he doesn't get the world title just because Triple H used the sledgehammer last night.

Well, he's complaining about it, and you people besides. He'll get his rematch (good, he's not getting a cheapie win, or more like it, Triple H isn't losing the title without losing in the ring.) The family and company owe it to him. "May God help the McMahon Family if they decide to get in my way again."

The fans like this. "RKO! RKO! RKO!"

I haven't seen Linda in a while. How about I introduce myself to those McMahon Family grandchildren? (See, I told you Jarrett and Russo were ahead of the curve.)

Vince McMahon, looking like Senior more than ever, storms down to the ring like he wants to fight. Orton bails out, in light of the fact he's looking at the toughest SOB in the valley.

McMahon says Orton isn't getting any title shot after what he put the McMahon family through. He says the Backlash is coming, specifically a six-man main event with the McMahon Boys vs. Legacy.

Orton challenges Vince to a match.

"Maybe you'll put in a coma, maybe you'll put me down… maybe you won't! I accept!"

I'm pretty sure this isn't happening. I'm pretty sure Vince McMahon is past having singles matches.

Carlito & Primo Colon defend the Unified Tag Titles against Miz & Morrison with the  WrestleMania Consolation Prize Lumberjacks at ringside. Hey. Look there's Goldust. I was wondering about him. Carlito pins Miz with the Backstabber while Morrison was swarmed at ringside by the CP Lumberjacks.

Uh oh, Vince has his shirt half off. Vince tells Shane he's never backed down from a challenge. Vince wants to do this on his own. A director's cue on the air gets the Vince eye.

John is shown making the media rounds for his movie. Hey, I thought Danny Bonaduce was TNA's boy.

All the Divas face all the other Divas. Maybe we'll be able to tell who some of them are. Like Gail Kim, who is facing Melina. Mickie James DDTs Natalyia for the win.

Shane tells Hunter he was trying to talk some sense into Dad. Hunter is going to give it a shot, too.

The big everybody vs. everybody match is now the ten o'clock main event, seeing how Vince wants a piece of Orton and all.

Jeff Hardy, C.M. Punk with his Money In the Bank briefcase, new IC champ Rey Mysterio, new Hall of Famer Ricky Steamboat, and new World champ John Cena faces Chris Jericho, Kane, Matt Hardy (with a cocky head shake after his win last night). Big Show, and Edge. The fans really like Steamboat against Edge. That's really cool. Everyone wants their turn with him. Kane finally back bodyslams in and tags in Jericho.

Huge "Let's go Steamboat!" chant.

Later Rey gets a double 619 on Jericho and Edge and he and Steamboat pin Edge and Jericho with simultaneous flying bodypresses. That was a lot more fun, and a lot more how you treat a legend, than what happened last night.

Triple H tries to talk some sense into the old man. He even calls him "truculent." In the end, he's proud of him. Aren't we all?

Excuse me! Vickie says that she has decided to be the  permanent General Mamager for Monday Night Raw. She brings fresh thinking and a sense of fairness. She announces that her husband Edge has one last chance at Backlash to retain his title against John Cena. She laughs.

She also announces that if Triple H's team wins their six man at Backlash he retains his title, but if Randy Orton's team wins he gets the world title. Why does she add this odd stipulation, seeing as how it wouldn't make her bosses happy? She doesn't say.

She forgot the part about Edge vs. John Cena being a Last Man Standing match. Why that  particular stipulation? She doesn't say.  

They show the key moments from the Hall of Fame ceremony – Howard Finkel finally announcing himself as Newwww, the last collar and elbow tie-up ever between Ric Flair and Rick Steamboat, Vince McMahon proclaiming Steve Austin "the greatest WWE Superstar ever," and Stone Cold Steve Austin saying goodbye to wrestling.

Ms. WrestleMania, Santini Morella, is really happy until her husband shows up.

Santina faces Beth Phoenix. Santina wins. I guess she really is Miss WrestleMania. I wonder what other PG 13 TV programming has anything remotely like this.  

Randy Orton faces Vince McMahon, who comes out last. We start with the traditional Vince slap to start his matches. It's one of those matches where when when the fans realize what they're really in for, the heat fades.

Bad match. Vince's offense sucks, and he can't sell. Orton hits an RKO. When he goes for the second RKO, Shane McMahon makes the save. Cody Rhodes & Ted DiBiase jump in. Triple H follows.

This doesn't have anywhere near the heat it should.  Triple H gets beaten down by Legacy.

The returning Batista makes the save. He Batista-bombs DiBiase. Vince says Orton was right, he won't make Backlash "taking my place is Dave Batista."

Could be a fun turn, and a final fourth member for the Horsemen…

Score 6.0: This was a tough show for WWE. They've got to be tired after WrestleMania weekend, the NCAA finals blunt the ratings boost from the night after 'Mania, and they still have to get Backlash up and running in three weeks. Then there's next week three hour Raw Draft. The return of Batista should help some. It does open up some possibilities. It was great to see today's fans take to Ricky Steamboat. I hope WWE takes this where you want one more match, instead of taking it one match too far. Santina Morella is  pretty fun. Morella really is fearless out there.


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