RAW LIVE Coverage & Discussion Thread - 30th July 2007

[LionDen]

For years, Jerry “The King” Lawler safely ruled Raw as its one and only crowned man. Kingdoms have clashed since King Booker’s arrival, and now the two Superstars are set to determine which one is truly Raw’s king. On Monday, the debate will be settled once and for all.

Also, we all know Randy Orton will do anything to get an advantage on the competition. In fact, he got to work quickly, hitting Cena with a brutal RKO before Jonathan Coachman even named the third-generation Superstar the No. 1 contender to the WWE Championship. How will the WWE Champion respond to the attack? Will he be able to counter Orton’s methods of gaining the momentum as we move toward SummerSlam?

Last week, Mr. Kennedy found himself in another disappointing contest when he fell to Jeff Hardy via count-out. Will Raw’s cockiest Superstar find his rhythm again and start backing up his words with some wins?

Find out the answers to all of these questions and more on Monday Night Raw at 9/8 CT on USA Network or read our LIVE coverage right here!






Please feel free to discuss RAW here. No need to wait for updates!


RAW Results - 30th Jul, 2007
Location - Tucson, Arizona
Announcers - J.R. and Jerry 'The King' Lawler

Live in Tucson, Arizona, John Cena came out to the ring. Cena talked about how Randy Orton, like others before him, made a statement last week, which is the first chapter in the book of how to challenge for the WWE Title. Cena then said that Orton could flip to the last chapter of the book, noting it has been the same closing chapter since September.



Cena was interrupted by Carlito, who said Cena would be the guest on the "new and improved" Carlito's Cabana. Stagehands rushed to create the Cabana set in the ring, as Carlito came down.



Cena had a seat in a lounge chair, and Carlito asked Cena what it feels like to be a liar. Carlito said Cena doesn't win every championship match he is in, noting Carlito beat Cena for the U.S. Title in Carlito's debut match. Cena pointed out that Carlito did beat him in his hometown .... then had a gang jump him in a nightclub. Cena said it was three years ago, back when "Britney Spears was still hot, Michael Jackson wasn't that creepy....." etc., etc. Cena said that was in the past, and now he was proud to be the first guest on the Cabana. Cena said they should have a drink, and toasted the Cabana with one of the coconut drinks on the set. Carlito said Cena could make jokes, but he should be the number one contender, not Randy Orton.

This brought out Ken Kennedy, who said Carlito ran from Bobby Lashley last week like a little girl, saying Carlito had "a lot of apples, and no grapefruits". Carlito said this was his show, and Kennedy said this was his ring. Kennedy said he had been overlooked since he got there. Kennedy and Carlito argued as Cena walked out of the ring. Cena then stopped them and said that Randy Orton was the number one contender because he deserved it, even if Cena didn't agree with Orton's actions. Cena then ripped on Kennedy and challenged him to stand up to Bobby Lashley, since he made fun of Carlito for running away from him. Cena said Carlito beat him three years ago, but has done nothing since then. Cena said Carlito will face him tonight, and Cena said he would "rip off Carlito's apples and shove it up his cabana". Cena left, then Kennedy.

They pushed that King Booker will face King Jerome Lawler later tonight as they went to break.

After the break, they confirmed John Cena vs. Carlito and Bobby Lashley vs. Ken Kennedy for later tonight.


Melina, Jillian Hall & Beth Phoenix vs. Candice Michelle, Mickie James & Maria, with Santino Marella.







I'll take a wild guess that there won't be another Divas match tonight. Phoenix started out with Maria, and the babyfaces worked on her arm, until Phoenix rammed Mickie James into her corner and tagged Melina. James fought out of the corner and took Melina down with a headscissors and a clothesline. Candice and Mickie badly botched a rolling double leg whip on Melina. Candice hit a nice rolling neck snap, but then something else seemed to get botched. Jillian Hall tagged in and hit a cartwheel elbow drop on Candice. Candice gave Jillian a Russian leg sweep and tagged Maria, while Melina also tagged in. Maria gave Melina a bulldog, and soon everyone ran in and we had a brawl. Jillian and Melina hit a double team facebuster on Maria for the pin at the three minute mark. Santino, who was checking on Candice outside the ring at the time of the pinfall, was ticked off that Maria got pinned. Amazingly, I don't think he was this upset when he lost the Intercontinental Title.



Winners: Melina, Jillian Hall & Beth Phoenix

Aftermath:
Marella complained about the win and was in the ring looking after the divas.


Guess what, they showed a video promoting the return of Triple H at Summerslam.



Back from the break, the women were gone, but Santino Marella were in the ring. Santino said he was tired of the cheating in the WWE, saying it was like the NBA. Santino said it was the fault of the referees, and began arguing with the referee from the women's match. Santino was getting the "What" treatment from the fans. Umaga came out. Santino said he wanted to talk about Maria, "not this guy". Santino told the referee, who he was just berating, to get Umaga out of the ring. The referee took the mic, then said "Ring the bell".


Intercontinental Champion Umaga vs. Santino Marella.

Umaga pound. Umaga pound some more. Umaga hit running posterior shot in the corner. Umaga hit sidewalk slam. Umaga doesn't want three count yet. Umaga hit Samoan Spike. Umaga pin Santino. Umaga smash. Umaga kill. Thank you Umaga.



Winner: Umaga.

Aftermath:
Umaga leaves and celebrates his win.


Backstage:
Todd Grisham interviewed King Booker and Queen Sharmell backstage. Booker promised to vanquish Jerome tonight, and that he hoped Triple H was watching from home, "on the tele". Booker promised to make Jerome bow to him tonight. Lawler, sitting at the announce table, was unimpressed.

Backstage:
Jonathan Coachman was chatting on the phone with someone when Cody Rhodes came in, his face bruised and banged up.



Coach started to talk about the way Randy Orton disrespected Dusty Rhodes, and then we got to see a replay of the recent history between the Rhodes family and Orton. Coach asked Cody how Dusty was doing, and told Cody that he didn't want to see that happen to him. Coach said he knew Cody wanted revenge, but told him that he was not allowed to lay a finger on Randy Orton tonight, for his own good. Coach then told Cody that he was 0-2 right now, and if he wanted to stay on Raw, he had to win his match tonight. Cody thanked Coach for showing him the footage (of his father being kicked in the head) and walked off.



Randy Orton was interviewed, and Orton said he had no opponent tonight, because no one wants to face him. Sgt. Slaughter entered and said Orton was a "maggot" and that he was "dismissed". Orton walked off.

Back from break, Daivari was saying something in Farci that I couldn't understand. It was probably about being happy to not be on Heat for a change.


Daivari vs. Cody Rhodes.

They traded punches, then Daivari hit a neckbreaker and put Cody in a neck vice. Fans chanted for "USA". Cody broke out of the hold, ducked a clothesline and hit a lariat. Cody hit a cross bodyblock for a two count. Daivari reversed a whip, but Cody ducked a shot and hit a bulldog for a two count. Daivari caught him with a back elbow, but Cody hit a lightning fast bodyslam and a DDT for the win in about three minutes.



Winner: Cody Rhodes.


Backstage:
Bobby Lashley was shown getting ready in the back.


Ken Kennedy vs. Bobby Lashley.

Lashley's music hit before Kennedy could deliver his second "Kennedy" while introducing himself as the rightful number one contender. Lashley took Kennedy down a few times at the start, then hit a clothesline in the corner and put him in a Torture Rack. Kennedy punched out of it, but Lashley hit a vertical suplex. Lashley measured Kennedy for a spear, but Kennedy went to the floor. Lashley went out after him, but Kennedy knocked him down and kicked him into the ringsteps. Lashley crawled back in to the ring and Kennedy stomped and worked on the now-injured shoulder of Lashley. Lashley fought up, but Kennedy cut him off and went to the top rope. Lashley met him there, but Kennedy grabbed his arm and yanked it down across the top rope while jumping to ringside. Kennedy applied an overhead wristlock on the bad arm. Lashley fought back, fighting with one arm. Lashley hit a clothesline, a backdrop, and measured for a spear again. As he charged, Kennedy threw a knee into Lashley's shoulder and got the clean pin at the six minute mark.



Winner: Mr. Kennedy.

Aftermath:
Kennedy left, then came back out and announced himself as the winner. The referees were treating Lashley like he had a serious injury. It looks like we might not be seeing Lashley for a while.


We saw that during the break, Jerry Lawler and the referees helped Lashley to the back. Lawler stayed in the back to prepare for his match. They reviewed the events between Booker and Lawler. King Booker then made his entrance before another break.

Triple H video package number two. He's coming back at Summerslam, if you haven't heard. Conveniently, this was the "King Of Kings" promo, which ticked off Booker in the ring.




King Booker, with Queen Sharmell, vs. King Jerome Lawler.

Ross said Lawler has held 125 championships while running down his accomplishments. Booker and Lawler went face to face at the start, with Booker saying "Do you know who I am?" They circled each other, and Lawler hit a jab. Booker pushed Lawler into a corner and hit some forearms. Lawler fought back with punches, and the fans chanted for him. Booker poked Lawler in the eyes, then chopped him to the mat. Lawler came back, but Booker hit a back elbow and a spinning heel kick for a two count. Booker pounded Lawler on the mat, then forearmed him down as he tried to get up. Booker went for the ax kick, but Lawler dodged it. Lawler hit some punches, then pulled down the strap and decked Booker. Lawler dropped an elbow and the referee counted three, but waved it off because Booker got his foot on the bottom rope. Lawler rammed Booker into the top turnbuckle, but missed a short-arm clothesline and Booker nailed him with a super kick. Booker stomped Lawler, then hit body shots in the corner. Booker ignored the referee's commands to stop punching in the corner, so the referee finally disqualified him at the seven minute mark.

Winner via disqualification: King Lawler.

Aftermath:
Booker beat down Lawler and walked off, acting as if he'd won. Lawler recovered, then ran up the aisle and laid out Booker with punches before the referees pulled Lawler off and dragged him to the back.




Cryme Tyme vs. John Mason & Brandon Gatson.

Wow, I'm shocked they didn't promote this match on WWE.com. Jim Ross was still calling the show solo. This was a one minute total squash, with JTG pretty much handling everything. Cryme Tyme then pulled the boots off of one of their opponents and tried to auction them off to the crowd. The auction went on longer than the match. Some fan bought them for $40. Wow, I guess when all the Divas are used in one match, there's not much to put on in the last half hour of the show.



Winners: Cryme Tyme.


Backstage:
Randy Orton was shown getting ready to go to the ring.


Sgt. Slaughter vs. Randy Orton.

Orton attacked Slaughter and pounded him down with punches in a corner. Orton knocked him to the mat and worked on his leg, then stomped his arm. Orton applied a rear chinlock, but Slaughter broke out of it and grabbed the Cobra Clutch. Orton grabbed the ropes, then hit a headbutt as Slaughter was starting to break. Orton followed with an RKO for the pin at the four minute mark.



Winner: Randy Orton.

Aftermath:
Orton gave Slaughter the concussion kick to the head.


After the break, we had replays and they showed Slaughter being rolled out. Orton was sitting at ringside, and apparently was going to be staying there to watch the main event.




WWE Champion John Cena vs. Carlito (non-title).

They locked up at the start, with Cena backing Carlito into the corner, then breaking clean. Cena applied a side headlock, then gave Carlito a noogie. Yes, a noogie. Cena hit a drop toe hold and teased an STFU, but messed up Carlito's hair instead. Carlito hit a kick to the gut, but Cena reversed a whip and hit a bulldog. Cena hit a back elbow and Carlito rolled to the floor. Cena chased after him, and Carlito caught him coming back in with some kicks. Cena came right back with a backdrop, then hit some right hands. Cena gave Carlito a fisherman's suplex, then stared at Randy Orton at ringside. Carlito threw some punches, but Cena caught him with a side slam. Carlito is looking like a glorified jobber at this point. Cena hit a clothesline, then rammed him into the top turnbuckle. Cena missed a charge in the corner and Carlito hit a neckbreaker for a two count. Carlito hit some punches on the mat, and was finally on offense for more than five seconds. Carlito applied a chinlock, but Cena battled up, hit a Throwback and a clothesline, then did the "You Can't See Me". Orton got on the apron, so Cena went after him. This allowed Carlito to grab the Backcracker from behind and get the pin at the six minute mark. For what has to be the sixth time, John Cena is pinned in a non-title match.

Winner: Carlito.

Aftermath:
Carlito grabbed his apple, spit a bite of it at Cena, and left.



Cena got up, looked at Carlito, and smiled. Cena went back and forth between having a serious look on his face and a smile as the show ended.

[LionDen]

I will be so happy if King Booker loses that gimmick after all is said and done with Lawler and HHH. Plus it will be worth having to see Lawler and Booker go at it each week lol.

[Con]

It looks like a decent Raw, I don't think the Lawler-Booker match will end fairly though :\

[LionDen]

lol Does Booker do anything fair with Sharmell around?

[Con]

Lol, good point

[LionDen]

Short matches tonight.

[Con]

Short matches tonight.

They are just filling the time with promos

[LionDen]

I wonder if Lashley is using this injury angle to be out for a bit so he can lose some size or to stay away while congress do their stuff. lol and 2 packages for the return of HHH so far .. gawd.

[Con]

Cryme Tyme? I thought they were getting a new gimmick lol

[LionDen]

When i said that they were, i said it was a possibility, it was talked about, they must have changed their mind not to.