Putting the 'E' back in WWE

[MrTootles]

[QUOTE=CarlitoCoool]HBK v Benjamin you got me watchinG!:) I like how your putting Punk in there with big time players too should get him over nicely. Can you post your ratings, I'd love to see how your Daniels v Eddie match faired[/QUOTE] Yeah I think I'll start posting the final ratings for the shows and the matches. That way people can see what I mean by "not as good as expected." The Daniels/Eddie match only got a B+. I was VERY surprised.

[MrTootles]

[B]RAW, Week 3, November 2005[/B] Pre-show: [B]Kane and Eugene d. Hearthrobs[/B] Nothing special. Kane dominated the whole match. Just a crowd-worker. Winner: Kane and Eugene Rating: B ----- And we’re live from the Corel Centre in Ontario. We get barely a word from the announcers before the first match. ----- [I]Intercontinental Championship[/I] [B]Carlito vs. Bryan Danielson vs. Val Venis[/B] Foley: “Isn’t Danielson Carlito’s bodyguard?” JR: “I think this is more like a handicap match instead of a Triple Threat.” Indeed, the heels are working in unison for most of the match. But all the sudden Venis gets a rally and him and Carlito knock each other down with a double clothesline. Danielson looks at both competitors and instead of doing the expected and draping Carlito over Venis, he goes for the pin himself. Winner and new IC Champion: “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson Rating: B ----- Carlito can hardly believe it. He comes to and starts shoving Danielson, who of course shoves right back. The ring mics pick up, “You betrayed me! That’s not cool!” They get into a brawl and security has to break them up. Commercial. ----- We come back and Jim Ross shows us a quick recap of Heat, where Rene Dupree and Chavo got into a fight backstage. They’re gonna settle this right here on RAW. ----- [B]Chavo vs. Rene Dupree[/B] Chavo is obviously playing the heel here, and he gets a cheap win with a handful of tights. Winner: Chavo Rating: C+ ----- Backstage, CM Punk and Kurt Angle rip on Austin and RVD. They insult ECW and say that neither men deserves call themselves a “wrestler.” Lawler: “These two teams will square off when we come back!” Commercial. ----- [B]Steve Austin and RVD vs. CM Punk and Kurt Angle[/B] A good outing from all men, with Punk and Angle trying to put them away quickly. After about five minutes, however, they get frustrated and Punk throws Angle one of the ringside chairs and he hits Austin in the head. The ref calls for the bell, but they continue the beatdown (focusing on the neck) until RVD comes to. Then it becomes a three way brawl. Winner via DQ: Austin and RVD Rating: A ----- Bischoff gets on the stick and says that Vince wants him to control his roster, and he promised the fans a good match tonight and by god they’re gonna get one. So he bars Kurt Angle from ringside and makes this RVD vs. CM Punk. And it starts right now! ----- [B]RVD vs. CM Punk[/B] Lots of heat for this one. RVD hits the frog splash after an action packed 15 minutes. Winner: RVD Rating: A Commercial ----- Michaels is backstage and promises to knock out Shelton Benjamin with an even more vicious superkick than the one he delivered on RAW a few months ago. Then Benjamin enters the scene and says that he’s lost all respect for Michaels after last week, so this time, he’s not gonna hold back. JR: “This is gonna be a classic!” Commercial. ----- [B]Shawn Michaels vs. Shelton Benjamin[/B] A great match, but the crowd could have been into it a bit more. The Big Show comes out to trip of Shelton, but accidently hits Michaels instead and ends up costing him the match at the 16 minute mark. Winner: Shelton Benjamin Rating: A Commercial. ----- Flair and Edge are in the ring and the crowd is going nuts. The champ puts himself over for just a minute before handing the reigns to Edge. “For the past month I’ve been a coward. I’ve been selfish. But this man right here is 56 years old! He’s a legend! And he gave it his all at Taboo Tuesday and showed me that heart means more than anything. He has passion, ladies and gentlemen, and that’s something I forgot. One day I’ll get that belt back, but in the mean time, I’m going to remember what I love about this business: putting on a show that makes each one of you happy. Commercial. ----- [B]Triple H and JBL vs. Ric Flair and Edge[/B] This match has tons of heat so it looks better than it really is. Edge gets knocked outside by JBL, and in their bloodlust, he’s forgotten about by Triple H and Ric Flair, who are brawling in the ring. Winner via count-out: Triple H and JBL Rating: A* Show Rating: A*

[MrTootles]

[B]Tuesday, Week 3, November 2005[/B] [B]Notes from the booker:[/B] RAW's best effort so far. Everything came together; the matches, the angles, the stories. I think it showed me something about pacing, too, as even though some of the early segments brought down the crowd's mood, it gradually rose until the audience was practically in a frenzy for the main event. I'll be calling up some workes from OVW soon, and signing a few fresh (and not-so-fresh) faces. I want to fatten up the midcard a bit so I can let workers build more momentum. [B]From Onlineonslaught.com[/B] RAW ratings: 2,124,755 "Without question the best show in almost two months. Shelton Benjamin is once again showing us the kind of ability that put him on the map early last year, and CM Punk is a welcome addition to the roster. But I can only wonder what their future plans for Kane are, since it seems like he's been forgotten since his mini-push late last month. "Speaking of pushes, what's going on with William Regal? The fans have really been responding to him as of late, and I can only hope WWE plans to put his talent to good use. "Sources say that WWE has been in contact with a few indy workers. Some names I've gotten include Sean O'Haire, Trent Acid, and Lo-Ki. As always, we'll keep you updated on any new developments." [B]Smackdown! preview:[/B] Batista and Brock Lesnar are on a collision course for Survivor Series. With 2 weeks to go, how much more intense will this rivarly become? Samoa Joe has shown tremendous technical ability, but Chris Benoit isn't call "The Crippler" for nothing. What will happen when these two square off in a Submission Match? Christian finally agreed to give Matt Hardy a shot at the United States title. But Captain Charisma isn't known for playing fair. What other mind games will he play as we get closer to Survivor Series? Announced matches: [I]Lumberjack Match[/I] [B]William Regal vs. Batista[/B] [I]Submission Match[/I] [B]Chris Benoit vs. Samoa Joe[/B] [B]Rey Mysterio and Paul London vs. Shane Helms and AJ Styles[/B]

[KaySeeDubya]

Congrats on the A* show!

[MrTootles]

[B]Smackdown, Week 3, November 2005[/B] Tazz and Cole welcome us to the NEC Arena in Birmingham, England. They confirm tonight’s scheduled Lumberjack match and then start hyping our first match. ----- [B]Randy Orton vs. Hardcore Holly[/B] A decent little match. Nothing special. Winner: Randy Orton Rating: B- ----- Backstage, The Foundation taunt the Radicalz and proclaim that at Survivor Series, the tag belts will go to the more talented team. ----- Elsewhere, we see Matt Hardy getting ready for a match. But wait – as the camera pans around, we see it’s actually Christian disguised as Hardy. Cole: “The United States Champion…” Tazz: “You mean Matt Hardy?” Cole: “Well whoever he is, he’s in action next!” ----- [B]Stevie Richards vs. Christian[/B] Christian is mimicking Hardy’s mannerisms throughout the entire match. He gets the pin with a Twist of Fate in about four minutes. Winner: Christian Rating: B After the match, he continues his taunts, inciting a lot of laughs but at the same time making himself out to be a major *******. Commercial. ----- [B]Mysterio and Paul London vs. Shane Helms and AJ Styles[/B] A good tag match. Rey gets his first 619 on Styles, proving to the challenger that he’s not a lame duck champion. Winner: Mysterio and London Rating: B+ ----- We’re backstage in the locker room where Batista is looking furious. He’s searching the lockers and underneath various articles of clothing. As he leaves, we hear him grumbling about a missing title belt! Commercial ----- [B]Matt Hardy vs. Orlando Jordan[/B] Nothing special, but Hardy gets his revenge by using an Unprettier and mimicking Christian’s trademark taunt. Winner: Matt Hardy Rating: B+ ----- Backstage, Brock Lesnar is standing behind Jushin Lyger and it looks somewhat… compromising. We can hear him explaining some techniques, but all the sudden Ken Kennedy bursts in and looks VERY surprised and uneasy. Lesnar gets angry, thinking that Kennedy is accusing him of something, and the two start brawling backstage. Commercial ----- [B]Brock Lesnar vs. Kennedy[/B] Cole: “Teddy Long made this match just moments ago. He didn’t want chaos in his locker room.” Kennedy learns that the last thing you want to do is piss off Brock Lesnar. Winner: Lesnar Rating: B ----- Backstage William Regal is coaching Burchill about what to do during tonight’s Lumberjack match. Commercial. ----- [I]Submission Match[/I] [B]Chris Benoit vs. Samoa Joe[/B] These two have great chemistry, and the fans are really hot for this match. Benoit manages to reverse a triangle choke into the crossface, and after about fifteen seconds it’s all over. Winner: Benoit Rating: A After the match, the two competitors shake hands, the first sign of respect from Samoa Joe that we’ve seen since he’s arrived. ----- [I]Lumberjack Match[/I] [B]Batista vs. William Regal[/B] Cole: "Batista's coming out without the title, Tazz." Tazz: "Whoever took it better have one hell of a plan; you don't want an angry Batista coming after you." The lumberjacks include Lesnar, Taker, Kennedy, Chris Daniels, Eddie Guererro, and Burchill. It’s obvious from the get-go that these guys really click, and Batista shows some surprising technical ability. Lesnar and Burchill try their best to cost him the match, but Regal is unable to capitalize. Winner: Batista Rating: A Show rating: A

[MrTootles]

[B]Saturday, Week 3, November 2005[/B] [B]Notes from the booker:[/B] A decent Smackdown, but not as good as past shows. It's recently come to my attention that by instructing my workers to work the crowd, I am limiting their moveset in such a way that their matches may not be as good as they could be. I'll be sure to give this instruction only to my opening matches from now on [though I've already booked into early December, so this tidbit of information would explain some lower-than-expected ratings on my SS card]. Also, from now, these updates will only come after Smackdown! so it's easier to see the ratings for RAW and SD side-by-side. [B]From Onlineonslaught.com:[/B] Smackdown! ratings: 2,610,382 "Chris Benoit and Samoa Joe will definitely need a singles program in the future. Their match easily MOTN. Also, I didn't think I'd ever see William Regal in a main event, much less putting on a *** match with Batista. "I've also learned that Gene Snitsky is refusing to sign a contract extension since he's furious about being used a jobber for the past two months. I'm sure we will all miss him." [B]RAW preview: [/B] Ric Flair and Triple H will meet in an epic bout at Survivor Series, but tonight the Cerebral Assassin will face Flair newest protoge, Edge, one-on-one. Will Edge earn the Nature Boy's respect, or will Triple H continue send a signal to the champion? Newcomer Bryan Danielson upset Carlito for the IC Title last week. WIll the former champion get his revenge? Kurt Angle and CM Punk have been touting their wrestling ability, but this week they take on the tag team champions Shelton Benjamin and Charlie Haas, two accomplished amateur wrestlers. Will we get a five star class tonight on RAW? Announced matches: [B] Edge vs. Triple H[/B] [B]WGTT vs. Punk and Benjamin[/B] [B]Showstoppers vs. RVD and Tajiri[/B]

[MrTootles]

[B]RAW, Week 4, November 2005[/B] Tonight we’re emanating from the Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. A big main event is in store for us, along with two classic tag matches. ----- [B]Gene Snitsky vs Val Venis[/B] But first we get a not-so-good opener. Winner: Gene Snitsky Rating: C+ ----- Backstage, JBL asks Tajiri to help him work on balancing his checkbook. “Aren’t you guys supposed to be good at this kind of thing?” Tajiri has some problems because of the language barrier, but JBL does a great job of coming off like an *******. (B-) Commercial. ----- Carlito is in the ring and starts ripping into his former bodyguard, Bryan Danielson. The IC champ comes out and performs remarkably well, looking intense and very focused. Carlito challenges him to a rematch at Survivor Series, but Eric Bischoff has a different idea. “To honor tradition, we’re going to have a four way elimination match for the Intercontinental title. It will be the champion Bryan Danielson vs. Carlito vs. Renee Dupree vs. Chavo!” Carlito looks happy to get his match, while Danielson’s face promises pain to all the challengers. (B) Commercial. ----- [B]Rene Dupree vs. Lance Cade[/B] Dupree is off his game tonight, but does a decent enough job. Winner: Dupree Rating: B- ----- Backstage Kurt Angle is showing CM Punk some new wrestling holds. (A) ----- We see a giant limousine pulling into the parking lot. Ric Flair steps out and Edge greets his new mentor and seems really impressed. “This,” Flair says, “is what passion can get you.” (A) Commercial. ----- [B]RVD and Tajiri vs. The Showstoppers[/B] A good contest, with The Showstoppers trying to show why they’re credible #1 Contenders. But Kurt Angle decides to interfere and accidentally hits The Big Show instead of his intended target, RVD. Winner: RVD and Tajiri Rating: A ----- After the match, RVD challenges Angle to a match at Survivor Series. The Olympic medalist readily agrees. (A) Commercial. ----- Triple H hits the ring and says that they will have a legendary match this Sunday… but it will be because of The Game, and not any effort from Ric Flair. The champ takes exception but before he reaches Triple H he’s ambushed by JBL and Tyson Tomko. Trips smiles from the safety of the squared circle, and we barely hear him saying, “You’ve lost your touch, old man.” (A) Commercial. ----- [B]CM Punk and Kurt Angle vs. World’s Greatest Tag Team[/B] A fantastic display of mat wrestling from both teams. Benjamin looks like he’s going to pin Punk, but interference from HBK costs his team the match. Winners: Punk and Angle Rating: A ----- After the match, WGTT and The Showstoppers brawl for a few minutes. There’s a lot of heat because of the great match, so the segment goes over really well. (A) Commercial. ----- JBL is in the ring and says it’s insulting that a “wrestling god” doesn’t have a match at one of the biggest events of the year. He issues an open challenge to anyone in the locker room. He’s doing a great job on the mic so the crowd is really eating it up. It’s Tajiri who decides to accept, but his language issues really kill the momentum. (C+). Commercial. ----- [B]Triple H. vs. Edge[/B] Thankfully these workers were able to work the crowd back in to a frenzy. Match of the night thanks to all the heat. Triple H is definitely dominating, but Flair runs in and gets his revenge, costing the Cerebral Assassin the match. Winner: Edge Rating: A* Show rating: A

[MrTootles]

[B]Smackdown! preview:[/B] Who stole Batista's World Heavyweight Title? And what will he do once he finds out? Matt Hardy and Christian are fighting over the US title, but their rivalry goes back years. What will be their final confrontation before they meet one-on-one at Survivor Series? This week we'll see four of Smackdown's greats in a fatal fourway. All four have issues with each other, so you'd better tune in to find out who gets the final victory before this Sunday's Survivor Series! Announced matches: Christopher Daniels vs. Chris Benoit vs. Brock Lesnar vs. The Undertaker Rey Mysterio vs. Jushin Thunder Lyger Matt Hardy vs. Super Crazy

[MrTootles]

[B]Smackdown, Week 4, November 2005[/B] Pre-show: [B]Booker T vs. Randy Orton[/B] Winner: Booker T Rating: B ----- And here we are from the Greensboro Coliseum. The Peep Show is set up in the ring and Captain Charisma already has major heat. “You know what, Matt? You want my title, but I think you also want to redeem yourself after losing so badly to my brother… both in the ring AND outside of it.” A little more of this, then he introduces tonight’s guests, a couple people who apparently have a really big surprise. Out come Christopher Daniels, Samoa Joe, and Shane Helms… with the World Heavyweight Title around his waist. They look pretty ****y as they get in the ring. Shane grabs a mic. “I’ve been in the WWE for years, and I’ve never gotten a chance to go for the gold. So I’m taking it. I deserve it more than anyone…” Enter Batista. “You think you can just waltz in here and take my belt? A title that I bled for? You’ve got another thing coming, little man.” He starts toward the ring, but then AJ Styles and Chris Sabin rush out from the back. He defends himself against these cruiserweights well enough, but soon Daniels, Helms, and Joe all join the fray. Tazz: “Wait a minute Cole; are they allies?” (B) Commercial. ----- Cole and Tazz say Teddy Long just confirmed that later tonight we’ll see Batista squaring off against Shane Helms. (A) ----- [B]Matt Hardy vs. Super Crazy.[/B] Lots of chemistry between these two. Hardy gets the win and continues his streak. Winner: Hardy Rating: A ----- After the match, Christian runs out and starts assaulting Hardy, using everything from the US title to some steel chairs. Hardy is looks really beat up as we cut to commercial. Cole: “Will he even be able to compete this Sunday?” Commercial ----- [B]Rey Mysterio vs. Jushin Thunder Lyger[/B] A great contest with plenty of memorable spots. Toward the end, the crowd is behind both competitors. Winner: Mysterio Rating: A ----- The Radicalz are backstage and start taunting their opponents for Survivor Series, The Foundation. Benoit: “So you think you’re better than everyone? I’ve wrestled with Bret Hart. I’ve wrestled in Japan. I’ve wrestled for every title in every major organization. Sure, you guys have talent, but you aren’t the best. Why? Because we’re better.” (A) Commercial. ----- [B]Burchill vs. Hardcore Holly[/B] William Regal is doing a great job as manager, and his quick maneuvering enables his client to get the win. Winner: Burchill Rating: B- Commercial ----- Lesnar is on the stick and starts tearing into Batista. “The only reason those idiot fans ever liked you is because I wasn’t around. Where did I go? I went to Japan. I trained with the best. I improved my game. And now I’m back. You call yourself an animal, Batista? Well this Sunday, we’ll see who’s the predator, and who’s the prey. (A*) ----- [B]Batista vs. Shane Helms[/B] Batista still looks a little injured, but Helms is obviously outmatched. Even when the rest of his allies, including Styles and Sabin, come to his aid, he overpowers them and shows everyone why he’s the heavyweight champion. Winner: Batista Rating: A ----- After the match all the wrestlers gang up on him again, but this time the numbers game does catch up to him. We cut to commercial with Styles, Sabin, Daniels, Helms, and Joe all raising their arms in some sort of moral victory. Cole: “What are they doing working together?!” Commercial. ----- [B] Brock Lesnar vs. Christopher Daniels vs. Chris Benoit vs. Undertaker[/B] A damn fine outing. Taker and Lesnar end up brawling outside while Daniels and Beoit get into a great hold-for-hold chain wrestling battle. Daniels gets the win with a handful of tights while the other two are having their own “slobberknocker” on the ramp. Winner: Christopher Daniels Rating: A FR: A

[MrTootles]

[B]Saturday, Week 4, November 2005[/B] [B]Notes from the booker:[/B] Both shows went well. The feuds are really hot, and I'm expecting a good amount of buys at Survivor Series. I'm still trying to work out the pacing, and I definitely need to sign more talent so I don't have to kill the momentum of all my major performers just to get somebody else a little bit of heat. Chris Benoit has been another victim of my booking, since losing to Daniels and Joe (even in mixed tag matches) definitely took its toll on his overall popularity. The reputations of both Shawn Michaels and The Big Show have suffered as well, though not quite as much. ----- [B]From Onlineonslaught.com:[/B] RAW ratings: 2,058,595 Smackdown! ratings: 2,605, 166 "The WWE has done a great job building up these feuds. There's a lot of heat for just about every match on the Survivor Series card, and the talented newcomers all have plenty of momentum. It looks like they're FINALLY doing something with Tajiri too. "Also, I've been informed that WWE has indeed signed the following performers: Rhyno Sean O'Haire Lance Hoyt Johnny Kashmere Trent Acid "There's also been word that they've been in negotiations with Joey Styles and Ron Killings." ----- [B]Survivor Series card:[/B] Intercontinental Championship Bryan Danielson (c) vs. Carlito vs. Chavo vs. Rene Dupree Best of Seven Series, Match 1 Rey Mysterio (c) vs. AJ Styles Kurt Angle vs. RVD US Championship Christian (c) vs. Matt Hardy World Tag Team Championship World's Greatest Tag Team (c) vs. The Showstoppers Cage Match for the WWE Tag Team Championship The Radicalz (c) vs. The Foundation Tajiri vs. JBL World Heavyweight Championship Batista (c) vs. Brock Lesnar WWE Heavyweight Ric Flair (c) vs. Triple H

[MrTootles]

[B]WWE Survivor Series, November 2005[/B] And here we are from Safeco Field in Seattle, WA. Jim Ross, Jerry Lawler, and Mick Foley greet us from their table at the top of the ramp, while Michael Cole and Tazz welcome the audience from ringside. ----- [I]Elimination Match for the Intercontinental Championship[/I] [B]Bryan Danielson © vs. Carlito vs. Chavo vs. Rene Dupree[/B] Danielson is really showing off his technical skills, and in no time at all him and Carlito are the only two left in the ring. The challenger gets ****y and starts taunting, which allows Danielson the time he needs to regroup and lock in the Cattle Mutiliation. Winner: Danielson Rating: B+ ----- After the match, Carlito finally gets the energy to grab a mic. He can’t believe he just lost, and challenges Danielson to a one-on-one match on tomorrow’s RAW. He deserves the title and will do everything he can to get it back. (B) ----- Christian is getting ready for his match when an injured Matt Hardy bursts into the locker room. “You’re afraid to fight me fair and square? You can’t beat me when I’m at 100%?” Christian shakes his head. “Once again, you’re bitter that you don’t pay attention to what goes on behind your back.” The two start brawling, but luckily Shelton Benjamin and Charlie Haas are nearby to break it up. (A) ----- [I]Best of Seven for the Cruiserweight Championship, Match 1[/I] [B]Rey Mysterio (c) vs. AJ Styles[/B] Some nice cruiserweight action here, but the crowd still isn’t entirely sold on AJ Styles. They’re surprised when he manages to pick up a clean win after countering a hurricanrana with a Styles Clash. Winner: AJ Styles Rating: B+ ----- Rey Mysterio knows he was just beaten fair and square and he offers a handshake to Styles. After such an exciting match, this is a bit of a let down. (B) ----- Backstage, JBL tears into Tajiri. “Sorry to say, my foreign friend, but you’re at a severe disadvantage. We’re not going to be doing math out there. We’re not going to making some new video game system. We’re going to be wrestling. Unless you bring a robot to ringside, you don’t stand a chance.” (A*) ---- [B]Tajiri vs. JBL[/B] The crowd is really behind Tajiri because JBL has done a great job playing the racist dick. The action is really crisp, and although you wouldn’t think so, the two wrestlers really click. After a good 13 minutes, JBL is about to hit his Clothelesline from Hell but gets a face full of green mist instead. JBL stumbles out of the ring and Tajiri hits a sick plancha. Instead of taking more punishment, a beaten JBL uses blatant chair shot to kill Tajiri’s momentum. The ref calls for the bell, but JBL looks relieved that he won’t be getting any more stiff kicks. Winner via DQ: Tajiri Rating: A* ---- JBL snaps out of his daze and keeps attacking Tajiri. He’s obviously letting out a lot of frustration. (A) ----- A hype video for US title feud. It plays up Matt Hardy being the underdog who's been on a roll since arriving at Smackdown. Christian, on the other hand, has seemingly done everything he could to avoid this match. He's definitely been playing mindgames, though, and they focus on some of his insults. The parting shot is his backstage sneak attack, and the announcers wondering how that will effect Hardy’s chances tonight and whether he’ll continue his winning streak. (A) ----- [I]United States Championship[/I] [B]Christian © vs. Matt Hardy[/B] Hardy is really favoring his left leg, so Captain Charisma takes advantage and the match looks like it’ll be over quickly. But Hardy gets a good rally and hits a swanton off the top rope. 1…2…. And the champion kicks out. After a few more minutes, Christian counters a hold by throwing the ref in Hardy’s way. He ends up getting a Twist of Fate, but there’s nobody there to count. A low blow and an Unprettier late, Christian gets the pin. Winner: Christian Rating: A* ----- Christian taunts Hardy and claims that the only reason he was on a “streak” is because he hadn’t faced any credible challengers. (A*) ----- Backstage HBK and Big Show, the Showstoppers, promise that they’ll get the tag titles tonight. “You guys don’t actually think they have a chance, do you?” HBK taunts the crowd. “I mean, you’ve got two former world champions. You’ve got the largest athlete in the world and a bonofide legend. Why would WWE want a couple nobodies like them carrying the promotion? The only way these two would have the chance of holding onto gold is if Heat or Velocity became WWE’s flagship shows.” (A) ----- [I]World Tag Team Championship[/I] [B]World’s Greatest Tag Team © vs. The Showstoppers[/B] The champs are definitely the underdogs in this contest. The crowd is pretty pumped, but Haas’s style isn’t as exciting as Benjamin’s or HBK’s, so he looks somewhat out of place. The Big Show is playing the monster role, and it takes a while before he’s knocked down, but it’s hard to tell who the audience is really cheering for. Benjamin’s great performance, though, steers them back to the babyfaces. A chokeslam off the apron puts Haas out of commission and it looks like Benjamin is a gonner left alone with these two vetrans. But he manages to hit a T-Bone Suplex on HBK and goes for the pin. 1..2.. Big Show breaks it up and hits tries for a chokeslame, but it’s countered with what could have been a wicked looking dragon whip, but the spot is kind of sloppy. Nonetheless, Big Show stumbles, and HBK takes the opportunity to hit Sweet Chin Music on a distracted Benjamin Winners and new tag champions: The Showstoppers Rating: B+ ----- Batista is backstage warming up when Chris Benoit, having wrestled Lesnar, offers him a bit of advice. (A) ----- Kurt Angle and CM Punk are discussing their strategy for tonight’s match. But it sounds like they’re planning something that involves more than just themselves, and before we can hear names they quickly shut the door. (A) ----- [I]Cage Match for the WWE Tag Team Championship[/I] [B]The Radicalz © vs. The Foundation[/B] Now this is a wrestling match. Lots of exciting mat-based action and the crowd is respectful and offers plenty of applause. It’s a tornado-style match, and while most wrestlers might get overwhelmed with the chaos, these four offer plenty of storytelling and psychology… not to mention some cool spots. After 20 minutes, Christopher Daniels and Chris Benoit are both climbing opposite sides of the cage. Eddie's up first and goes up after Daniels, while Samoa Joe runs to the wall, jumps and grabs Benoit, and hits an absolutely stunning german suplex. Both men are down, and Eddie and Daniels are fighting at the top of the cage. Daniels gets the advantage and teases the Angel Wings from the top, but Eddie is able to counter and throws him off the side. What we don’t see this entire time is that Joe has recovered and has been climbing the opposite side. He gets the win seconds before Guerrero finishes off Daniels. Winners and new champions: The Foundation Rating: A* ----- Backstage CM Punk and Kurt Angle are watching the monitor… and it looks like they’re smiling. (A) ----- [B]Kurt Angle vs. RVD[/B] They start off with slinging a few insults, then go into a series of tight counters. For the next 15 minutes the offense is pretty even, but finally Angle’s ally, CM Punk, runs out from the back… along with AJ Styles, Chris Sabin, Shane Helms, and both members of The Foundation. The distraction allows Angle to hit a low blow, followed by the Angle Slam. Winner: Kurt Angle Rating: A* ----- After the match, an almost breathless Angle grabs a mic. “You think it’s just a coincidence that all these talented wrestlers were offered contracts at the same time? I scouted these men. I convinced Vince to hire them. And now we’re going to take over WWE and make sure that only the very best get the titles. All you talentless “entertainers” better watch out, because your days are numbered.” Tazz: “So they ARE working together, Cole.” Cole: “WWE is going to implode from the inside!” (A) ----- A hype video for one of the main events, Batista vs. Brock Lesnar. It portrays both men as absolute beasts. (A*) ----- [I]World Heavyweight Championship[/I] [B]Batista © vs. Brock Lesnar[/B] The crowd is really into this one, but it’s hard for either man to gain momentum because neither is willing to sell the other’s moves. But the sight of such powerful men going head-to-head is enough to compensate. This is shorter than the other matches tonight, and we haven’t even gone 10 minutes before they’re battling outside. Lesnar hits a powerbomb through the Spanish announcers’ table. Batista looks like he’s out for good, but the challenger doesn’t want a count-out finish. He drags the champion back in. 1…2… No! Batista kicks out and starts his rally, getting a spinebuster and then, in another magnificent display of strength, hitting his own powerbomb. 1…2… Foot on the ropes. Cole: “That was the longest two count I’ve ever seen!” Batista is breathing heavy and we’re only about 12 minutes in, so it’s time to wrap it up. He throws Lesnar into the turnbuckle and runs in for a clothesline, but the challenger counters with a big boot. He goes for another powerbomb but Batista turns it into a back body drop… but Lesnar lands on his feet. He hits another powerbomb and it’s all over. Winner and new champion: Lesnar Rating: A ---- After the match, Batista offers a handshake, saying, “You were the better man tonight.” But Lesnar is ****y and refuses, then celebrates with the belt. (A) ----- A video telling the story of RAW’s title feud. Triple H thinks that Flair is trying to steal his spotlight but doesn’t hold a candle to The Game. Flair thinks that Triple H is just scared that he’ll never surpass his 17-time championship record. The main theme of the video is Mentor vs. Protégé, with the latter thinking that the former just can’t cut it anymore and might as well stop wasting his time. (A*) ----- [I]WWE Championship[/I] [B]Ric Flair © vs. Triple H[/B] The crowd is practically in a frenzy. Flair is playing the underdog, since he’s old and of course doesn’t have the athletic ability of Triple H anymore. But he has passion, and determination, and toward the end of their 15 minutes the offense has been pretty even. Triple H hits a Pedigree but the champ gets his foot on the ropes. Flair locks in his Figure Four but Triple H manages to turn it around before Flair finally gets a rope of his own. The two stand in the middle of the ring, both wearing scary crimson masks, and the electricity is off the charts. They exchange punches and Trips starts to set up for a Pedigree again, but Flair gets a low blow and chop-blocks him (on his bad leg). He locks in the figure four again, and after about a minute, Triple H is forced to tap out. Winner: Ric Flair Rating: A* ---- After the match, Flair celebrates, but the look on Triple H’s face leaves no doubt that this feud isn’t over. (A*) Event rating: A*

[KaySeeDubya]

Very nice show, good job on it being A* too!

[jshipman2]

Great show. Keep up the great work.

[MrTootles]

[B]Monday, Week 1, December 2005[/B] [B]Notes from the booker:[/B] Survivor Series went very well. I wanted the title off Batista because my bookers don't think he has the strength to carry the promotion. I'm a little disappointed by the reception to Styles and Mysterio, but I think the crowd will warm to this series as their feud heats up a little more. Also, Hogan has been complaining that I'm not using him enough, but I don't think he should be a regular facet on any show. I'll think about it though. Along the same lines, Orton, Booker T, and Kane don't like how I've been pushing them. Looking back, I don't think I've given them enough wins, so in the next month or so I'll try to work on a few stories. I've recently received the Top Booker award. I'm thinking about starting my own promotion in the future, or maybe transferring to ROH or TNA, but that'll be after Wrestlemania (if I do it at all). ---- [B]From Onlineonslaught.com[/B] Survivor Series buy rate: 641,921 "Match of the night was definitely The Radicalz vs. The Foundation. It looks like the tag division is definitely heating up. It also sounds like this was Michael Cole's last PPV, as Joey Styles has agreed to a contract. "I've also heard rumors that Eric Bischoff and Teddy Long won't be with the promotion for too much longer. It sounds like Stephanie McMahon and her brother Shane want on screen roles, so I assume they'll be put in the position of RAW and Smackdown GM. I don't know how I feel about that. "If we don't get a Samoa Joe vs. Christ Benoit feud in the near future, I'll be severely disappointed. Joe, Christopher Daniels, and CM Punk are all on the verge of breaking into the main event scene. I hope the WWE capitalizes on this." ----- [B]RAW preview: [/B] Eric Bischoff announced that he's starting a second Gold Rush tournament. Does this mean the Ric Flair and Triple H rivalry is over? Kurt Angle and CM Punk announced their plans to change the WWE forever. Will they be successful, or will somebody put a stop to them? Carlito is getting a rematch for the IC Championship tonight. Will he be able to over come "American Dragon's" technical skills? Announced matches: Gold Rush Tournament, Week 1: Triple H vs. Tajiri JBL vs ??? Intercontinental Championship Bryan Danielson (c) vs. Carlito

[Genadi]

Must say you're handling a stacked roster very well. Will be interesting to see the effect on morale long term. Lesnar as Champ, Awesome choice over Batista in my opinion may he bury all of RAW lol:)

[MrTootles]

[QUOTE=CarlitoCoool]Must say you're handling a stacked roster very well. Will be interesting to see the effect on morale long term. Lesnar as Champ, Awesome choice over Batista in my opinion may he bury all of RAW lol:)[/QUOTE] Yeah, I've booked until the end of December, and I've gotten a lot of complaints from my midcarders. On the one hand, I want to give them some victories over openers, etc, but on the other hand, I don't think flagship shows like RAW and Smackdown should be bogged down with that kind of crap. I wish that TEW 2005 had a place for B shows like 2004 did. Oh well, we'll see how it goes...

[MrTootles]

[B]RAW, Week 1, December 2005[/B] Pre-show: Tyson Tomko d. Renee Dupree (C+) Eugene d. Val Venis (B-) Kane d. Chavo (A) ----- Tonight we’re emanating from Carver-Hawkeye Arena Iowa City, IA. The announcers talk about last night’s PPV and then hype the Gold Rush Tournament. ---- Kurt Angle and CM Punk hit the ring. One again they claim to be starting a revolution here at WWE, and soon they will hold all the major titles. (A*) Then RAW’s GM, Eric Bischoff, comes out and says that won’t be happening. “I’ve been taken over by a stable before, and I don’t intend to make the same mistake twice. As you know, tonight is the beginning of a second Gold Rush Tournament to determine the #1 contender for the WWE Title. And you, Kurt Angle, won’t be a part of it. Why? Because after discussing the situation with Teddy Long, we’ve decided it’s better that you’re group be limited to one show. That means, ladies and gentlemen, that Kurt Angle and CM Punk are being transferred to Smackdown!” Angle and Punk look very upset. “And that’s not all,” continues Biscoff. “For your last match on RAW, Kurt Angle, we’re going to have a Survivor Series rematch. With CM Punk barred from ringside, it will be Kurt Angle vs. Rob Van Dam!” (A*) Commerical ----- [B]World’s Greatest Tag Team vs. Cade and Murdoch[/B] Cade and Murdoch are learning fast, but they still can’t keep up with Haas and Benjamin. Winners: WGTT Rating: B ----- After the match, WGTT challenge The Showstoppers for a tag team title rematch. Neither man performs too well, and the segment benefits greatly from a hot crowd. (B) Commercial. ----- Triple H and JBL are waiting backstage. JBL says his piece about Tajiri, claiming that last night’s win was lucky and that he got blindsided… “much like you little bastards did to us at Pearl Harbor.” Then it’s Triple H’s turn. “You know, Flair, you might have beaten me last night, but you accomplished something far more important: you got people to care about you again. But the thing is, you didn’t accomplish it alone; oh no, you needed me to help you. You needed me to get people to think you are anything but a lame duck champion. And until you beat me, 1-2-3, in a rematch, you will always be standing in my shadow.” (A) ----- [B]Triple H vs. Tajiri[/B] Once again these two show some fantastic chemistry. Tajiri easily gets the crowd behind him, but then JBL interferes. Tajiri forgets the match and instead delivers an ass-kicking on the ramp. He’s counted out and Trips moves on in the tournament. Winner via count out: Triple H Rating: A* Commercial. ----- The ring is all set up for Carlito’s Cabana. He starts by insulting tonight’s opponent, Intercontinental Champion Bryan Danielson. “You call yourself a champion? Well, champions aren’t traitors. And a champion that is a traitor?That’s just not cool.” Obviously, the crowd was somewhat let down by this tepid mudslinging after the previous segment. (B-) Then he introduces tonight’s guest, the ones traded to RAW for Kurt Angle and CM Punk. Out comes Booker T and his manager Sharmell. They announce that Booker T is in the Gold Rush tournament and will have his first match tonight against JBL. Although all performers have good mic skills, Sharmell makes the whole thing pretty awkward and seems to throw Booker T’s timing off. (A*) Commercial. ----- [I]Intercontinental Championship[/I] [B]“American Dragon” Bryan Danielson © vs. Carlito[/B] The challenger is clearly outmatched here, and within 10 minutes he’s tapping out to the Cattle Mutiliation. If the crowd hadn’t been so worked up from the previous segment, this match would have been a major let down. Winner: Bryan Danielson Rating: B+ ----- After the match, Carlito jumps Danielson from behind. But the champ is able to counter the attack and ends up sending Calrito running from the ring. The challenger is sputtering insults and looks really frustrated. (C+) ----- Backstage, the Showstoppers accept WGTT’s challenge. “Anytime, anyplace,” says The Big Show with obvious arrogance. JR: "They don't even consider the World's Greatest Tag Team to be in the same league!" (A) Commercial. ----- [B]JBL vs. Booker T[/B] These workers don’t click at all, and it’s hard for the crowd to really get into it. As a result, there’s not too much heat when Tajiri runs in and distracts JBL long enough for Booker T to get the advantage. Winner: Booker T Rating: B ----- JBL is taunting Tajiri, screaming various racial slurs, and since they’re on the ring mics, nothing is censored. Of note: he does promise revenge for tonight’s loss. (A) Commercial ----- Backstage CM Punk wishes Kurt Angle luck before his match. “I don’t need luck,” replies Angle. “I’m an Olympic gold medalist. I’m a former world champion. And who’s RVD? A nobody who gained “super stardom” in a nothing organization.” (A) ----- [B]RVD vs. Kurt Angle[/B] Both competitors are in top form tonight. After a good 15 minutes, when Angle looks like he’s gonna get beaten, he grabs the ref and uses him as a shield against RVD’s onslaught. With the official down, Angle slips from the ring and grabs a chair. RVD is waiting on the turnbuckle, just daring Angle to bring it in. The crowd is going nuts at this point, and finally Angle does get in the ring and races toward RVD with the chair high above his head. But his charge is countered, and as the chair comes down RVD kicks it right into Angle’s face. But the ref? He woke up just in time to see it. Winner via DQ: Kurt Angle Rating: A* Show rating: A

[Ultima]

Nice other than Bischoff setting up "With CM Punk barred from ringside, it will be Kurt Angle vs. CM Punk!” No big deal, but I thought I should bring it to your attention.

[MrTootles]

[QUOTE=Ultima]Nice other than Bischoff setting up "With CM Punk barred from ringside, it will be Kurt Angle vs. CM Punk!” No big deal, but I thought I should bring it to your attention.[/QUOTE] Woops. Thanks for that.

[MrTootles]

[B]Tuesday, Week 1, December 2005[/B] [B]Smackdown! preview:[/B] Kurt Angle and CM Punk want their stable to win all the titles. What will be their first step? Brock Lensar won the World Heavyweight Championship, but Batista is guaranteed to a rematch. Will he get it tonight on Smackdown? The Radicalz lost the tag titles at Survivor Series, but their feud with the Foundations is far from over. Who will prove themselves to be the most talented, most dedicated, and most intense?