WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW

Monster Versus Animal
photo: courtesy wwe.com

Monday, August 25, 2008 - WILKES-BARRE, PA: Wachovia Arena

source: WWE.com and PWTorch.com- Starting off the night, GM Mike Adamle announced John Cena sustained a herniated disk in his neck and would be out indefinitely, unable to participate in the first-ever World Heavyweight Championship Scramble at Unforgiven. Cena's replacement . . . Rey Mysterio, who has been missing in recent months, due to a brutal attack by Kane, if the Big Red Monster’s claims are to be believed.

Attempting to exact revenge on Kane for leaving him battered in the ring after attacking The Big Red Monster during his explanation of the contents of his burlap bag, Batista would take on Kane tonight on RAW.

Earlier in the evening, Kane appeared backstage saying what Batista did to Cena is nothing compared to what he's done to Rey Mysterio. He said a body broken does nothing for the soul. He said it leaves you feeling empty, but a spirit broken makes him salivate. He said his chokeslam leaves the victim wondering if he's alive or dead.

Batista responded in an interview with Todd Grisham letting the world know he is not intimidated by Kane.

When the two powerful Championship Scramble competitors squared off, the seven-footer made good on a claim from earlier in the program, when he promised to hurt Batista if The Animal tests him. The two goliaths pounded each other mercilessly until Kane introduced a steel chair into the match, causing a disqualification, but neither competitor stopped there, brutalizing one another with the unforgiving weapon until both men were left hobbling. Will either man be healed enough for the grueling Scramble next week?

WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW

Kane Explains
photo: courtesy wwe.com

Monday, August 18, 2008 - CHICAGO, IL: Allstate Arena

source: WWE.com and PWTorch.com- On Monday night, Mike Adamle announced Shane and Stephanie McMahon had compelled him to make an extraordinary announcement. At the Unforgiven PPV, five wrestlers, including C.M. Punk, will compete in a 20-minute Championship Scramble match. Anyone can score a pin or submission during the match and the title could change hands several times before the 20 minutes expires. The winner of the Hardcore Title-style match will be determined from the pool of Punk, Kane, JBL, Batista, and John Cena as the participants.

Kane continued his reign of terror on Raw, and admitted to brutalizing Rey Mysterio, whose mask the Big Red Monster had been carrying around in a burlap sack. He claimed to have attacked the Latino Luchedor for hiding behind a mask and being a “slithering fungus that grows in the marshes of your psyche.”

Kane went on to say he didn't like Mysterio or anyone who did like the Master of the 619. That brought out Mysterio’s former tag team partner and good friend, Batista, who rushed the ring and attacked the Big Red Monster. In spite of Batista’s fury, Kane managed to tame The Animal for the time being by taking him off his feet then delivering a resounding chokeslam before leaving the ring.

Looks like The Big Red Monster has set fire to a feud with an enraged Animal!

WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW

He who laughs last - laughs . . . maniacally
photo: courtesy wwe.com

Monday, August 11, 2008 - RICHMOND, VA

source: WWE.com and PWTorch.com- Last week, RAW GM Mike Adamle intimated he would make Kane reveal the contents of his burlap bag to the WWE universe on the next RAW installment. This week, Adamle pressured and Kane delivered, but the revelation left more questions for the wrestling fiefdom.

Early in the evening, Kane barged into Adamle's office with a terse "You wanted to see me?" and Adamle revealed to the world that Kane would, again, not have a match on the upcoming WWE PPV. Instead, he made match between Kane and Jericho that would take place that night on RAW, calling it a SummerSlam Spectacular. True to form, Kane didn't seem to have a problem with not being booked on a major PPV venue. The GM then told Kane he would have to hand over his bag after the match - The Big Red Monster told him he was making a huge mistake.

At the height of Kane's match against Chris Jericho, Adamle stormed the arena with an arsenal of burly brutes and surrounded the ring causing enough of a distraction for Jericho to capitalize and for Kane to lose the match. Adamle then entered the ring and proceeded to coerce Kane into giving him the bag

As Kane went through an emotional range of protection to confusion to pique, the Raw GM said he knew Kane was referring to himself when asking if 'he' is alive or dead; that 'he' was the monster inside Kane. He went on to say Kane has tried to exorcise his demons to live a normal life and failed, but if he handed over the bag he could have a normal life.

Kane moved close to Adamle, saying the GM had it half right. There was a mask in the bag, and the man who wore it had been scarred, tortured and damaged beyond all human recognition. Problem was, it wasn't his mask. Kane then opened the bag, pulled out and held up the mask . . . of Rey Mysterio! Adamle gasped, Kane laughed maniacally, dropped the mask to the mat and walked out of the ring.

Why was Kane, a man who shows little or no concern for anyone, including himself, worked up over Rey Mysterio and his fate? Worked up so much that he went berserk all over Jerry Lawler and a handful of the WWE crew over the course of three or four weeks? Worked up enough to carry around Mysterio's mask in a burlap bag like a secret talisman? Is this it . . . or does Kane have more to reveal?

WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW: Preview

photo: courtesy wwe.com

Sunday, August 10, 2008

source: WWE.com - Since coming to Raw in the 2008 WWE Draft, Kane has been on a mission of devastation, affecting those in and outside the ring all while making cryptic references to “he” and whether he is alive or dead. The Big Red Monster has kept a burlap sack clutched to his side throughout, the contents of which remain shrouded in mystery.

On Raw, new General Manager Mike Adamle decided that the sack has remained enigmatic for long enough, and in an attempt to give the WWE Universe what they want, has promised to make Kane disclose the contents of the bag on next week’s Raw. Will Kane simply allow the GM to look in his fiercely guarded bag? And what could the Big Red Monster be hiding?

WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW

Let the cat (?) out of the bag
photo: courtesy wwe.com

Monday, August 4, 2008 - KNOXVILLE, TN

source: WWE.com and PWTorch.com - On Monday night, GM Adamle put Matt Striker in his first match since joining the RAW brand. Unfortunately for Striker, that match was against the maniacal Kane.

Matt Striker held his first Classroom Session on RAW. Striker thanked Michael Adamle for finally - finally! - allowing him to compete as a member of the RAW roster. He said it's fitting that he competes at an esteemed university, adding he used the term lightly. Striker said he knows Adamle will pick the right opponent for him to display his wrestling acumen. You knew what was coming. Boom. Pyro. Fire. Kane's music hit.

KANE vs. Matt Striker

Kane quickly clotheslined Striker hard to the mat before landing a hard uppercut and a big boot to the mush. Kane picked up Striker and landed a clothesline/sidewalk slam combo before going up top. Kane landed a leaping clothesline before calling for the end. Striker then slipped into a chokeslam and Kane made the quick pin for the win.

Following the match, Kane picked up the bag and walked over to the announcers. He started chasing away stagehands before grabbing the house mic. Kane said he's been in a bad place lately, referencing his string of brutal assaults on in-ring competitors and announcers alike, but he's better now. He looked at his mysterious burlap sack and assured the WWE Universe he now knew that “he” is not alive; “he” is dead. Kane held his bag in the air with a smile and a chuckle. Cole said, "I have no earthly idea what he's talking about.", and added if Kane says he's in a better place, that's good enough.

While Kane seems more at peace with whatever, or whoever, is in his enigmatic burlap bag, it’s still a mystery to the rest of the WWE Universe. Safely in his office backstage, GM Adamle told Kelly Kelly that next week on RAW, he will solve the mystery of Kane’s burlap sack, by ordering the Big Red Monster to disclose its contents.

SATURDAY NIGHT'S MAIN EVENT

A Midsummer Night's Fight
photo: courtesy wwe.com

Saturday, August 2, 2008 - WASHINGTON, DC

source: WWE.com - When Saturday Night’s Main Event rolled into the nation’s capital, WWE’s very best was on display. Though the Biggest Blockbuster of the Summer is only weeks away, SummerSlam competitors put it all on the line while Jenny McCarthy stepped into the ring to fight autism with Generation Rescue.

Though they’ll be facing one another at SummerSlam, John Cena and Batista were forced to compete on the same tag team at Saturday Night’s Main Event. The Chain Gang Commander and The Animal were joined by Cryme Tyme as they met the team of JBL, Kane & World Tag Team Champions Cody Rhodes & Ted DiBiase in a chaotic Eight-Man Tag Team Match.

After an early commercial break, the heel team took their time working over Shad Gaspar. Cena and JBL took tags and Cena cleaned house to a chorus of boos. Cena hit the Five Knuckle Shuffle on JBL, then went for the FU, but Kane kicked Cena square in the head. Batista then entered and cleaned house on everyone as World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk observed from ringside. The match devolved into an outright brawl until Cena tagged out to JTG and launched him onto DiBiase. Unfortunately, DiBiase wasn't legal to be pinned, so JBL re-entered the picture and smashed JTG with a Clothesline from Hell for the pin and the win.