Professional Wrestling's Monday Night Raw featured the return of The Rock, the contract signing of the Battle of the Billionaires, Shawn Michaels, John Cena, and more.
John Cena and Shawn Michaels Interview
John Cena and Shawn Michaels kicked off Monday Night Raw for the second week in a row still wondering whether or not they could trust one another. John Cena brought up the question on everybody’s mind, “Just when will Shawn Michaels stab John Cena in the back?” Sick of uncertainty, Cena challenged Shawn to do the stabbing now if he intends on doing it at all. Michaels came out asking why people aren’t wondering when Cena will stab HBK in the back. With the tag team champions standing in the middle of the ring about to explode, Jonathon Coachman announced that Cena and Michaels would be defending their tag team titles this week in three different matches.
Ric Flair vs. Carlito vs. Randy Orton
The first match of the evening consisted of Randy Orton, Ric Flair, and Carlito in an elimination style match with the final money in the bank ladder match spot up for grabs. The contest took on a new meaning when Flair and Carlito had a “miscommunication” that resulted in Flair receiving a backcracker courtesy of Carlito. Seizing the opportunity, Randy Orton tossed the Caribbean superstar from the ring, delivered a RKO to Flair, and eliminated the Nature Boy. After Flair’s elimination, Orton turned his attention back to Carlito. The match heated up when Orton missed a second RKO, and Carlito turned his intensity up a notch. The apple eating superstar nearly defeated Randy Orton on a number of occasions after impressing fans with many high flying and high impact maneuvers, but eventually Orton did hit the RKO to finish Carlito off. Since both members of Rated RKO have qualified for the Money in the Bank Ladder Match, how does this scenario impact WrestleMania? Randy Orton gave us the answer to that question by letting his friend Edge know that at WrestleMania, they would no longer be friends.
Shawn Michaels and John Cena vs. The World's Greatest Tag Team, The Redneck Wrecking Crew, and MNM
The next official wrestling match would be a trifecta when the tag team champions competed in their gauntlet match against the World’s Greatest Tag Team, the Redneck Wrecking Crew, and MNM in a steel cage match. In the first contest, Cena tagged himself in to apply the STFU for a submission victory. In the second contest, Cena had Murdoch in position for an FU, but HBK knocked Murdoch off Cena’s shoulders with a little Sweet Chin Music. In the final contest against MNM, the tag team champions took turns trying to show each other up. In the end Shawn gave Mercury Sweet Chin Music and Cena gave him the FU for the victory. The only thing that can be verified from this contest is that John Cena and Shawn Michaels are doing all they possibly can do to not turn on the other. These two huge egos are nothing more than an explosion just waiting to happen! If it happened before WrestleMania, then it certainly would make for good TV.
The Rock's Return
One of the evening’s highlights was a public service announcement from none other that the incomparable Rock. The Rock gave wrestling fans a public service announcement regarding his prediction for the winner in WrestleMania’s battle of the Billionaires. Not only did the Rock predict that Vince McMahon’s head would be shaved, but he also gave the world his Samoan translation of Umaga. “The Rock says” Umaga actually means shriveled up Monkey ________. How will Mr. McMahon defeat Donald Trump and Bobby Lashley with a shriveled up monkey _______?
Jeff Hardy, Edge, Great Khali, and Kane
In a match pitting two former Intercontinental Champions against one another, Edge vs. Jeff Hardy would have surely stolen the show. As the old saying goes “would’ve, could’ve, should’ve” because for the second week in a row, Edge made up a bogus reason to not compete. This week Edge couldn’t compete in a city that endorses racial slurs by naming their National Football League team the Washington Redskins. Don’t worry wrestling fans; Edge did find a replacement, but the Great Khali didn’t seem a fair trade. Although Khali made short work of Hardy, no fall ever took place. The entire arena turned a crimson red as it often does when Kane makes an appearance and an explosion occurred as it often does when Kane makes an appearance and Kane appeared as he often does when he has been attacked by a giant for several weeks in a row. This time Kane came swinging a grappling hook of some kind, but by the time Kane made it to the ring, the Great Khali and Edge both hightailed it out of the arena.
Masters, Mr. Fuji, and Divas
In other action, Chris Masters issued another Master Lock Challenge, Mr. Fuji was announced as the next 2007 Hall of Fame inductee, the Women’s Champion defeated Torrie Wilson, and Mick Foley got a sneak peak off Ashley’s new playboy centerfold.
Contract Signing
With both billionaires arriving in extremely long limousines, the contract signing marked the conclusion of the evening. Umaga, Bobby Lashley, Vince McMahon, Umaga were there for the contract signing. Just as the contract festivities seemed to be finished, the Glass broke and out came the Special Guest Referee, Stone Cold Steve Austin. Stone Cold told Trump that he doesn’t care how much Trump’s worth, if he makes Stone Cold angry – he will open up an 8 million dollar can of whoop ____. With Vince McMahon smiling, Stone Cold turned his attention to Vince to drive home the point that he will be calling the match down the middle. The last laugh went to Donald Trump when he shoved Mr. McMahon and the show went off the air.
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Also See: WrestleMania's Past
