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The following report originally published 20 years ago this week here at PWTorch.com.
WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW REPORT
FEBRUARY 7, 2005
TAPED IN TOKYO, JAPAN
REPORT BY WADE KELLER, EDITOR
-Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler introduced the show including scenes from Japan. The camera then panned the crowd. Many fans held up signs. There was a big screen, but no raised rampway. It was brand-neutral so there weren’t major structural changes necessary between the Raw taping and the follow day’s Smackdown taping.
-G.M. Eric Bischoff walked into the ring and announced several of the scheduled matches. He also called himself one of the most powerful and respected men in the history of wrestling. He got booed by English-speaking fans. A translator stated his comments in Japanese. He was booed by even more fans.
1 — CHRIS BENOIT vs. CHRIS JERICHO
The first few minutes consisted of tests of strength and leverage moves. When they both fell to the floor after exchanging punches on the top rope, they cut to a break.
[Commercial Break]
Jericho had control after the break. Benoit came back and hit his unreleased German suplexes. When he went for a Crossface, Jericho escaped and applied a sharpshooter type move. Benoit reversed it, but couldn’t get it applied fully. He went to a series of more German suplexes then hit his top rope headbutt. Jericho came back with a jawbreaker and hit the Lionsault. Benoit came back and applied a Crossface. Jericho forced a break by grabbing the bottom rope. Benoit reapplied it and Jericho tapped. Jericho bled from the bridge of his nose. They shook hands afterward.
WINNER: Benoit at 12:16.
STAR RATING: **1/2 — Solid, above-average match.
[Commercial Break]
-A vignette aired featuring Japanese fans and WWE wrestlers interacting with various WWE wrestlers and personnel talking about how great Japanese fans are.
-Backstage Triple H told Ric Flair perhaps he was wrong last week to suggest Batista should jump to Smackdown because perhaps it would be better after all for them to wrestle each other and have one of the greatest matches ever. Flair told Hunter he thought a lot about what he said last week, and he thinks he is right that Batista should jump to Smackdown so Evolution holds both World Titles. Hunter was easily swayed to believing Flair was right.
-Christian, with Tyson Tomko, was interviewed by a member of the Japanese media. Stacy added snide comments to offset Christian’s bragging about himself and ripping on Randy Orton. Tomko asked Christian if he was issuing a challenge to Orton. Christian said no, he was volunteering him (Tomko) to wrestle Orton. Tomko wasn’t happy. Christian said he’d be there by his side so he had nothing to worry about.
[Commercial Break]
2 — BATISTA vs. MAVEN
Maven did some heel mic work before the match, complaining about not being entered in the Royal Rumble. Maven jumped Batista as soon as he entered the ring, but Batista quickly came back with a Batista Bomb for a clean win.
WINNER: Batista at 0:33.
STAR RATING:
-As Batista celebrated his win, an interview came on the big screen with Josh Matthews asking Big Show about the possibility of facing Batista at WrestleMania should he win the WWE Title and should Batista choose to jump to Smackdown. Batista got a serious look on his face. Ross wondered who arranged for that promo to air.
[Commercial Break]
-Batista confronted Bischoff backstage, wanting to know who was airing the Smackdown interviews. He said it was pissing him off. Bischoff said he’d look into it. Bischoff said he needs to realize that Raw is the premier brand and the World Hvt. Title is the premier championship. He said he has it all in the palm of his hands because he could face either Hunter or Edge at WrestleMania for the World Title. Bischoff said there was no point in even considering Teddy Long’s offer because it involved taking part in a triple threat match with the “odds stacked against him.” Batista told him he “made his point,” but didn’t tip his hand.
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3 — LA RESISTANCE vs. WILLIAM REGAL & TAJIRI
A couple minutes into the match, Regal hot-tagged Tajiri, who got a big pop. He went to work on La Resistance. When Tajiri had Grenier pinned, Conway made the save. Tajiri gave both heels a handspring back elbow. He then applied the Tarantula. Grenier tried to use the flag as a weapon, but Tajiri sprayed him with his mist and hit a roundhouse kick to his head and scored the pin. Tajiri and Regal celebrated in the crowd.
WINNER: Regal & Tajiri at 4:10 to capture the WWE Tag Team Titles.
STAR RATING:
[Commercial Break]
-The 2005 Hall of Fame inductees video that aired on Smackdown last week was shown.
4 — RIC FLAIR vs. SHAWN MICHAELS
The crowd let out a lot of “whoos.” Ross talked about Flair’s dozens of trips to Japan over the years. Michaels got a huge, enthusiastic pop from the fans who clapped along to his song as he walked out. They had the match you’d expect from these two, but with an extra spring in their step due to the Japanese crowd’s enthusiasm. Flair did his signature spots, including the face-first bump and figure-four. Michaels did his signature spots including a nip up. Michaels finished off Flair clean with a top rope elbow and Sweet Chin Music. Michaels sent kisses to the crowd afterward.
WINNER: Michaels at 8:30
STAR RATING: **3/4
[Commercial Break]
-Jerry Lawler introduced Christy Hemme, Victoria, and Maria for a All-American Diva Fashion show in the ring. Simon Dean interrupted and mocked fat people. “Just because you people like sumo wrestlers doesn’t mean you have to look like one. ” A Japanese sumo champion at ringside in the front row took exception to his comments. When he made a move toward the ring, Simon told him he wasn’t talking about him. Then he insulted Lawler, saying “Burger King” has been putting on weight lately. Christy ended up giving Simon a low blow after he called her “Crusty.”
[Commercial Break]
-Hunter told Batista backstage that it might be best if he went to Smackdown because he can shut down all of those “running mouths.” Hunter said after he wins the WWE Title, “we own the business.” Flair said he could see the marquee listing each as the champions of Raw and Smackdown. “It’s bigger than DX, bigger than the Horsemen, it’s the biggest thing in the history of this industry,” Flair said. “You can make it happen.” Batista said he’d think about it. Flair wanted him to agree. Hunter nervously said, “Yeah, think about it.” He said it was time to concentrate on Edge first.
-Coach interviewed Edge backstage regarding getting his World Hvt. Title shot. Edge sarcastically asked Coach why he hadn’t asked him about Batista since he said that’s all everyone is talking about. He said as usual everyone is overlooking him. He said there is even a Braveheart commercial touting Triple H as the champion at WrestleMania 21, yet he has to beat him to get there. Good heel promo because you can see how Edge feels he is just in his complaining, yet ultimately you don’t sympathize with him because he’s so whiny about it.
[Commercial Break]
5 –RANDY ORTON vs. TYSON TOMKO
Ross talked about Orton’s recent “concussions.” At 1:15 Christian dragged Stacy to the ring by her arm. That distracted Orton, giving Tomko a chance to blindside Orton with a clothesline. Orton was out, showing more effects from his two recent concussions. Stacy continued to show concern at ringside for Orton. While he was on the mat, Orton held onto the front of Tomko’s tights for a few seconds to the point that Lawler acknowledged that something might be exposed. Tomko continued to beat on Orton, who seemed unable to intelligently defend himself. At 4:00 Orton made a comeback as fans chanted “RKO, RKO.” Orton staggered after throwing a series of forearms to Tomko’s chest. He managed to throw a dropkick, but held his head after landing. He stumbled as he signalled for his RKO. The crowd didn’t seem to know what was happening. Tomko hit Orton with a clothesline. Orton, though, schoolboyed Tomko for a leverage desperation pin. After the match, Christian gave Orton the Unprettier. Stacy winced at ringside.
WINNER: Orton at 5:13.
STAR RATING: * — Fine match, communicating the storyline well. In this situation, though, it might not have been bad to give Tomko the rub of pinning Orton. It also would have more seriously driven home how much the concussions are affecting him.
[Commercial Break]
6 — TRIPLE H vs. EDGE — World Hvt. Title
This match began like Benoit vs. Jericho and Michaels vs. Flair with some back-and-forth tentative early exchanges with counters. When Edge missed a shoulder charge into the corner when Hunter moved, Hunter rammed Edge should-first into the ringpost a few times. Edge fell to the floor. They cut to a break.
[Commercial Break]
They showed that during the break, Edge came back by suplexing Hunter into the ringside stairs. Edge countered with a facebuster for a near fall. Edge then hit a missile dropkick for a near fall at 6:15. Edge jumped off the second rope, but Hunter blocked him and went for a Pedigree. The crowd popped. Edge backdropped out of it. He then charged at Hunter, but Hunter lifted his high knee and took Edge down for a near fall. Ross again continued the refreshing streak of not saying “it’s over!” anymore but instead shifting to “this should be it” instead. Edge applied his leg submission. Hunter eventually reached the bottom rope at 9:30 to force a break. Edge went for a spear, but hit the ref. When he made the cover, the ref couldn’t make the count. Flair entered the ring with a chair. Edge speared him. Edge grabbed the chair. Hunter yanked it away. Both Hunter and Edge reached for the chair. Batista yanked it away from them both. Hunter didn’t look pleased, but Batista had plausible deniability that he thought Edge was closer. Hunter knocked Edge off the ring apron into Batista, giving Batista reason to be suspicious of Hunter. Hunter set up the Pedigree, getting another pop from the crowd. Edge reversed it with an impact DDT. The crowd was pretty quiet at this point, not having a sympathetic babyface to cheer on as they did with Michaels and Flair earlier. When Edge set up Hunter for a spear, Batista intercepted him in mid-ring and gave him a spinebuster. The crowd didn’t react, not liking the excessive chaos and interference, which they’re not accustomed to. Hunter and Edge both slowly stood. Hunter attacked Edge and executed a somewhat sloppy Pedigree for the win. Batista celebrated with Hunter in the ring afterward, but Hunter caught Batista staring longingly at the World Hvt. Title belt. Great, great finishing image.
WINNER: Hunter at 14:16.
STAR RATING: **1/4 – Too slow early on and a touch too convoluted in the end to deserve much above an average rating, but ultimately in terms of the storyline aspect it advanced the story it intended effectively.
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