WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW

RAW, Rough & Ready
photo: courtesy wwe.com

Monday, September 29, 2008 - Minneapolis, MN: Target Center

source: WWE.com & ImpactWrestling.com - Standing alone at the end of a dark hallway, seemingly deep in thought, Kane is approached backstage by Cody Rhodes, Manu and Ted DiBiase, Jr. Cody addresses the back of Kane, trying to come to terms with the big man. He invoked the name of Paul Bearer in an attempt to show Kane he was as much of a second generation superstar as they were, and ended his appeal by saying if they worked as a unit against CM Punk, Rey Mysterio, Kofi Kingston and Evan Bourne, they should be good for the night. DiBiase, Jr. chimed in, saying though they didn't ask for this match, they just wanted to make sure they were all on the same page.

Slowly, Kane turned to stare at DiBiase, Jr. before reminding them that he doesn't take orders from anyone, and adding he would massacre Rey Mysterio that night whether they're all on the same page or not. He then turned his head slightly to take in Cody and Manu, telling them to stay out of his way or else there will be a lifeless pile of second generation carcasses in the ring. That said he told them he was going to see his 'good friend' Mike Adamle and walked away, leaving the three men looking worried.

8 MAN TAG MATCH: KANE & MANU & World tag team champions CODY RHODES & TED DIBIASE, JR. vs. C.M. PUNK & REY MYSTERIO & EVAN BOURNE & KOFI KINGSTON

The members of the eight man tag match entered the ring under footage of Kane's rampage last week before they went to commercial.

Coming back from commerical all kinds of hell breaks loose in and around the ring. Manu and Bourne started the match with Manu beating him down to the mat then hitting him with a big elbow. Bourne fights back with kicks but gets knocked back down. Manu goes for a big suplex but Bourne tags in Rey. Mysterio and Bourne knocked Manu over the ropes onto the floor, then Bourne hit a somersault plancha over the top rope onto Manu using Mysterio as a springboard. Cody and Ted come in but Punk and Kofi dump them to the floor, then knock Kane off the apron. Punk and Kofi hit suicide dives onto Cody and Teddy on the floor as Mysterio went over the top to land on Kane before another commrical break.

In the ring, Cody had Evan's head to the mat in a submission hold before tagging in Manu. Bourne tries to tag out but gets dropped on the back of his head by Manu who takes a 2 count. Bourne finally tags in Punk and flew off the top rope with a springboard clothesline onto Manu, then scores a big kick and a running knee in the corner. Punk kicks DiBiase off the apron but gets knocked down by Manu who tags in Rhodes for more whaling on Punk's left leg.

Cody keeps working over Punk's knee until Kane gets tagged in. Kane drops a big elbow and starts pummeling Punk. DiBiase gets tagged in and they keep Punk in the corner, working over Punk and his injured leg. Kane hits a big cheapshot on Punk. DiBiase pulls him back to the center of the ring and continues working over the leg. Punk starts to fight them off in the corner but can't. Cody comes in now and gets a 2 count and keeps on working on Punk's leg.

Ted comes in, works over Punk and tags in Manu. Manu does the same, still working on the left leg of CM Punk. Cody comes back in and we get more of the same. Punk tries to fight back on his knees but gets stomped back to the mat. In comes Kane now, who stomps on Punk and taunts Mysterio. Punk hits Kane with enziguiri then reached for a hot tag, but Kane kept his wits about him, booting Rey off the apron to prevent the tag, then drags Punk back to their corner where Cody is waiting to work him over some more.

Punk goes back and forth with Cody but finally tags in Kofi. Kofi comes in and cleans house on Cody and Ted. He hits his big leg drop on Cody for a pin but Manu makes the save. Bourne comes in and takes Manu to the floor over the top rope. Kane gets tagged in looking for a chokeslam on Kofi. He didn't see Rey Mysterio, though, and Rey dropkicked Kane from behind then tosses TedDi to the floor. Kofi then wanted a big splash in the corner, but Kane caught Kofi in mid-air with a vise-like grip and slams him with a choke slam in the middle of the ring, took the cover, the pin and the win. Kane locked eyes with Mysterio as they went to commerical.

After the break, Mike Adamle stood in the middle of the ring and said Kane made a request to him earlier. He said he told Kane that he would grant his request only if he won his match, which he did. If Kane defeats Rey Mysterio at NO MERCY, Mysterio will have to remove his mask in the middle of the ring...

WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW

Historical 800th Episode
photo: courtesy wwe.com

Monday, September 22, 2008 - Cincinnatti, OH: US Bank Arena

source: WWE.com - Backstage, Adamle complained to Shane McMahon about embarrasing him in front of everyone when he overruled his decision to suspend CM Punk for slapping Orton. Shane was in the process of reassuring the RAW GM when Kane barged in and walks up to them. His eyes on Adamle, Kane addresses "Shane-O", slowly turning his head before adding, 'long time no see'. Adamle asks Kane what's on his mind, and Kane tells him he appreciates being served Evan Bourne tonight, but it's not good enough - he wants Rey. Adamle let's Kane know he's already booked Kane vs Rey for No Mercy, then asks Kane to leave. Kane turns to go, stops, turns to Shane and asks him to say hi to his mom for him before leaving on a wicked dirty laugh.

"Kane knows your Mom?" Adamle asks Shane. Shane looks down and reaches up to scrath the side of his face.

"Um, just a bit of history there. If you call tombstoning her head into a steel grate and then trying to torture her just a little bit more by electrocuting my testicles with a car battery, then yeah, Kane knows her." Priceless!

And so it was that Evan Bourne found himself bounding down the ramp toward a ring full of The Big Red Monster. Michael Cole noted Kane was looking to feast on Bourne tonight, Jerry Lawler added he actually doesn't like looking Kane in the eyes.

Match starts with Bourne leapfrogging over the advancing Kane then catching The Big Guy with a roundkick high on the shoulder. As the ref cautions Bourne, Kane laughs it off and advances again, this time Bourne's enzuigiri connects with the side of Kane's face. 'Play time's over' as Kane sets in earnest to dismantle Evan Bourne.

Kane traps Bourne against the ropes but Bourne fights back with kicks and punches until Kane connects with a punch to the gut. Kane lifts the scrapper who wriggles free to deliver a sliding kick to Kane's knee. Bourne continues to punish Kane's knee until Kane kicks back, doubling Bourne over. Kane goes for a leg drop, Bourne moves out of the way and Kane lands hard. As Kane starst to regain his legs, Bourne delivers a flying side kick to Kane's head, and another to Kane's chest as he sits up.

Evan works to keep Kane on the mat, but the Monster won't cooperate, flicking Bourne off him to rise and reach down to lift gritty grappler. Bourne punches up at Kane and connects, sending Kane stumbling back. Bourne's next kick catches Kane high in the thigh then Bourne goes for the crucifix, but something goes wrong, and Evan finds himself back on the mat with a glimpse of Kane looming over him before receiving a well aimed punch to the face. Evan rolls to the corner where Kane grabs him up and whips him across the ring into the corner, but finds the where-with-all to stop the charging Monster with a boot to the middle followed up with a flying double boot to the face that has Kane stumbling.

Bourne grabs Kane by the wrist and attempts to whip HIM into the corner, but Kane balks, whipping Bourne in instead and follows only to get another boot. Snarling, Kane lifts Evan out of the corner and attempts to slam him on the top rope, but Bourne ends up landing on the ring apron, jarring his shoulder up into Kane's nose. Kane attempts a big boot but gets hung up on the top rope and Bourne slips back into the ring to seize the advantage, pounding Kane high upon the back and sending the big man crashing to the floor outside the ring. Kane gets to his feet to meet a shooting star press from Bourne and both men are down on the floor. As the ref begins a count out, Kane slips back into the ring while Evan takes to the ropes to execute his double knee drive, taking Kane down for a count of two.

Kane scrambles up as Evan springs off the rope, this time Kane catches him mid air, tosses him up and lams him with an upper cut to the the throat. Stalking over to the writhing Bourne, Kane grabs him by the hair to pull him over to the corner post and begins to whale on the hapless youth. The ref breaks it up, getting between Kane and Bourne, while Kane paces. Reaching down, Kane pulls Evan up again to whip him into opposite corner; Bourne uses the momentum to go for the tilt-a-whirl that Kane catches and turns into a backbreaker over his knee. Kane powers Evan into two more backbreakers, then flips him up over his shoulder and charges across the ring to ram Bourne's back into the ring post. As the ref cautions, Kane turns to slams Bourne down to the mat ring center, squats and snarls into the prone man's face, asking if that isn't what he wanted. Evan gets up as Kane walks away and charges, but Kane grasps him about the throat to lift him up and send him crashing to the mat with a chokeslam.

"Did you see the height on that chokeslam?!" Michael Cole asks as Kane reaches down to roll Evan onto his back and takes the winning pin.

Kane rises, looking down at the motionless Bourne, then slowly walks toward the ropes. He stops, looks back, then moves to straddle the kid grabbing him by the jaw. Kane handles Bourne roughly, pulling him up by the jaw and upper arm - Mysterio hits the ring for the save punching up into Kane's face until Kane pushes him away. Rey bounces off the ropes and ducks a swing from Kane to turn and connect with a boot to Big Red's face - twice. Amped, Rey bounces off the rope in an attempt to launch a back flip into Kane, but meets the underside of Kane's boot in his chest and crumble to the mat.

Kane lands on his knees on Rey's outstreched arms and begins to rain blows about his head and face as he yells at him. He gets up and leans down to ask Rey how he liked that, slaps his hand around Rey's throat and lifts him from the floor high up into a thunderous chokeslam. Leaning down over the motionless Mysterio, Kane calls him a coward, straightens, turns and takes his sweet time leaving the ring as the ref rushes to assist Rey.

WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW

To Unmask or Not to Unmask . . .
photo: courtesy wwe.com and skysports

Monday, September 15, 2008 - MEMPHIS, TN: Arena

source: WWE.com - "Years ago, I was in a position where I was forced to remove my mask."

Kane stands in a room awash with the colors of the deepest fiery cavern. Slowly, he removes the mask he'd once worn as a second skin. Music slips in to fill the silence, a eerie number composed of his old theme with undercurrents of 'Slow Chemical'. He seems to struggle with the loss a moment before lifting eyes filled with fury for all of the WWE universe to see.

"But the truth is, no one forces me to do anything. I took my mask off my face for all of you, so that I would finally be accepted. But that didn't happen, did it. I had the guts to unmask and what did it get me? Everywhere I go, I see people pointing at me. I don't like being pointed at. I don't like being ridiculed. If you people are repulsed by me, then the feeling is more than mutual.

And then I see a man like Rey Mysterio, a man who doesn't have the courage to do what I did. Rey still wears his mask and you people love him. Why? Because all of you wear masks as well. All of you hide behind masks of self righteousness and happiness; all of you pretend to care about your fellow human beings when deep down inside you're all unhappy and the only ones that you care about are yourselves.

When I attacked Rey Mysterio and tore off his mask, I was attacking each - and - every - one - of you -"

Kane's tirade is interrupted by Evan Bourne who tells the seven-foot sinister psychopath he's wrong about Rey, and that he'll enjoy watching Rey beat Kane a new one! Kane responds with a loud raucous laugh until Bourne leaves.

Kane vs. Rey Mysterio
report from pwrestlingforums.com

Kane makes his way to the ring first, without his mask. Out next is Rey Mysterio to a huge pop. Rey celebrates with the fans at ringside as Kane taunts him.

Rey takes a shot at Kane and ducks and dodges around the ring. Kane backs him in the corner with right hands. Rey tries for a hurrancanrana but Kane catches him. Rey knocks Kane to the mat with rights while on his shoulder. Kane comes up with a massive right hand and uses the ropes to choke Rey. Kane now stomps on Rey and throws him face first across the ring to the floor. Rey pops right back up and kicks Kane to the outside. Kane is on the floor as Rey stands in the ring, hyping the crowd as we go back to commercial.

Back from commercial and Kane has Rey on the mat in a headlock. During the commercial, Kane decked Rey with a huge big boot. Rey comes out of the headlock but gets scoop slammed to the mat by Kane. Rey rolls and misses a huge elbow drop from Kane and starts fighting Kane into the corner. Rey climbs Kane and nails him 5 times, gets knocked off and comes back for 5 more. Kane catches him this time and flings his body into the steel post like it's nothing.

Kane launches Rey into the corner again and sends him to the mat. Kane drops a big knee on Rey and taunts him while he's down. Kane hits a big back breaker on Rey and bends him across his knee. Rey starts kicking out of the hold and succeeds. The fans start chanting "619" as Kane pummels Rey in the corner. Kane misses a running boot and gets hung up on the top rope. Rey kicks him back and nails the big bulldog and a low dropkick to the face. 2 count by Rey.

Rey drops Kane's face into the turnbuckle and climbs the top. Rey staggers on the turnbuckle and leaps to Kane. Kane catches him but Rey drops off. Big enziguri kick by Rey knocks Kane to the ropes. Rey goes for the 619 but Kane comes up and levels him with a huge clothesline. Kane goes to stomping on Rey again over and over again in the corner. The referee tries to warn Kane off, but Kane's focus is on stomping Rey a new one. The ref calls for the bell and the match as the crowd boo's.

Kane continues to stomp on Rey, then takes a breather before trying to pry Rey's mask off as Evan Bourne hits the ring and attacks Kane. Rey gets up and they double team Kane with high flying moves. Bourne and Rey duck out of the ring and leave together as Kane looks on from the ring.

WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW

A Hint from Hell?!
photo: courtesy wwe.com

Monday, September 8, 2008 - FORT WAYNE, IN: Arena

source: WWE.com and PWTorch.com- 24 hours after Unforgiven, Kane appeared on the TitanTron during Rey Mysterio's win celebration to further torment Master of the 619 with a message from hell.

"Next week, Rey-Rey, you'll face me one on one. And at that moment you'll begin to understand - everyone will understand why you are a victim. I chose you. And as for the reason why, I'm not going to tell you just yet - but here's a hint, Rey. A very 'special' hint."

Kane turns his head with a maniacal smile and the Tron view slides over to reveal he's holding up his old mask. The low rumble of Kane's sinister laugh builds to echo over the arena as we see Rey shaking his head in reaction to Kane's interruption. But is Mysterio's reaction that of disbelief in finding he has become Kane's target? Or is it merely a head shake of pity for the sinister and psychotic seven-footer?

WWE UNFORGIVEN PPV

RAW Scramble for the World Heavy Weight Title
photo: courtesy wwe.com

Sunday, September 7, 2008 - CLEVELAND, OH: Arena

source: WWE.com and PWTorch.com- KANE vs. JBL vs. BATISTA vs. REY MYSTERIO vs. C.M. PUNK - WOW! Kane held the World Heavy Weight Title for all of 16 minutes, 25 seconds during the Unforgiven PPV RAW Scramble!

Coming in third, five minutes after Batista and JBL started the match off, Kane fought a brutal battle with Batista, but ended up WHW Champion via a pin on JBL. Here's how it went down:

"Batista and JBL were the first two entrants. Batista dominated the first few minutes. JBL took over at ringside at 3:00. Batista came back just before Kane became the third official entrant by reverse whipping JBL into the ringside steps. Kane dominated Batista for several minutes. He went for a top rope clothesline, but Batista moved. Kane, though, popped Batista in the throat, then set up a chokeslam. Batista elbowed out of that and set up a Batista Bomb. JBL finally re-entered the ring and kicked Batista in the face. Kane kicked Batista out of the ring and ducked a JBL attempt at a Clothesline from Hell. Then he chokeslammed JBL for the pin to become the current World Champion.

At 10:00 Rey Mysterio came out and went right after Kane. Lawler talked of bad blood between those two. Mystrio dropkicked Kane over the top rope to the floor, JBL hit Rey from behind and was rewarded with a spinning head scissors from Rey. Kane hopped on the apron and avoided the 619 before blasting Rey with a clothesline to slow him down. Batista retaliated on Kane then had Mysterio Rey leaped off his shoulders onto Kane. Rey rolled off of Kane in pain As The King and Cole wondered at the team-up of The Animal and mysterio in what was an 'every man for himself' type match. Batista went for the cover for a two count. Rey called for another attempt at the move. This time, though, when Rey climbed onto Batista's shoulders, he went for a huracanrana into a roll-up for a two count. Batista got upset, and Cole asked if it was a good idea for Rey to alienate himself from the only person he could count on in the ring. JBL rallied, hitting both of them, then gave a fallaway slam of Rey onto Batista, for a two count on Batista. Bounding up, JBL put a boot to the face followed by an elbow drop on Kane, then clotheslined Rey for a two count.

The ten second countdown took place. To the surprise of all Chris Jericho's music played. He could barely walk, but he made his way toward the ring, Adamle's replacement pick for cm Punk who had been brutalized by Orton and his cronies earlier. A camera close-up showed welts all over Jericho's back. Jericho entered the ring just as Batista speared Rey. Someone was yelling and carrying on that it wasn't fair . . . Don't know if it was Big Show, Regal or even Orton . . . Batista then speared Jericho. Batista slammed Kane, then speared JBL and went for a cover. JBL put his leg over the bottom rope to stop the count. Chaos continued with Rey getting on a flurry of offense after escaping a Batista Bomb. He gave JBL a 619. When Rey leaped into the ring, Batista knocked him hard to the floor. Big bump, big ohhs from crowd. Kane then punched Batista in the face. JBL went for a Clothesline from Hell. Batista ducked and the CFH hit Kane. Batista speared Kane. Kane came back and bodyslammed Batista with 90 seconds left. He climbed to the top rope and hit a clothesline for a near fall. Why Kane? WHY!?! Kane signaled for a chokeslam. Batista surprised him with a spear and a spinebuster for a three count and the Title with 25 seconds left, and nobody standing but The Animal.

Rey went for a huracanrana on Batista, but turned it into a powerbomb. Meanwhile Jericho crowled over and covered Kane's lifeless body to scored a three count just as time expired. Batista turned in disbelief the wen tto his knees to pound his fists on the mat in frustration while Jericho sneered like an angry villain with barely any life in his body. Jericho limped up the ramp and celebrated with the title belt in hand. WINNER: Chris Jericho."
from PWTorch.com

WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW

Back from Hell?!
photo: courtesy wwe.com

Monday, September 1, 2008 - ST LOUIS, MO: Scotttrade Center

source: WWE.com and PWTorch.com- Less than a week before Unforgiven, RAW was the hot bed of a few volatile Kane-frontations.

Starting things off, Randy Orton, claiming he is still not cleared to wrestle, appeared in his hometown to spend 15 minutes running RAW and its current champions down. World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk confronted Orton in the ring, speculating Orton was jealous about not having the title. After their exchange, JBL came to join Punk in the ring to boast his chances at Unforgiven. He was interrupted by Kane, who Michael Cole called "conflicted, defective and psychotic."

Kane told JBL he, Kane, had been to hell, and he hadn't seen JBL's clothesline, but he had seen Rey Mysterio, that he's there right now. Addressing the WWE Universe, Kane went on to say Adamle could make all the announcements he wanted, but Rey was not going to be at Unforgiven, or there tonight, he'd made sure of it. That meant there would be one less opponent at the Scramble, and he'd be one step closer to . . . Batista made his way to the ring, with Kane angrily protesting off mic. The Animal speared Kane and JBL took that opportunity to attack Punk. Batista then turned his attack on the the self-proclaimed “wrestling god”, and after the WH Champion regained his feet, and speared him too.

Backstage, Kane barged into the RAW GM's office, where Mike Adamle was having a discussion with ECW GM Teddy Long and ECW Diva Tiffany. Kane walked over to Adamle and asked why he lied about Rey Mysterio coming back when he'd already said Mysterio was never coming back. Adamle stammered out an explanation of wanting to send a message to Rey in the hopes he would come back as he was needed on RAW. Kane scoffed at the GM's use of the phrase 'in the hopes', then told him: "Rey's body is massacred, his soul extinguished, but by all means . . . hope." Kane exited, leaving all occupants of the room speechless.

Later, CM Punk, Kane, Batista and JBL faced off in the over-the-top-rope Battle Royal, which moments before had still be promoted as a five man match. As Kane's Championship Scramble opponents began to circle him, Kane and Batista lunged at each other while JBL took it to CM Punk in the corner. Batista attempted a Bomb on Kane, but the Big Red Monster escaped. Batista went for Punk, Kane kicked Batista in the face as he set up a Batista Bomb. Punk then clotheslined Batista over the top rope, leaving himself, Kane, and JBL in the ring. JBL kicked Punk and Kane in the face and went for a Clothesline from Hell, but Punk ducked and backdropped him over the top rope to the floor. Kane and Punk battled one-on-one for a few minutes. Punk went for a GTS, but Kane elbowed out of it. Kane then tossed Punk over the top rope, but Punk held on to the ropes, his feet nowhere near the floor, then dove back into the ring. Punk leaped at Kane who caught him and threw him easily over the top rope, right at Orton's feet, to win.

Kane’s victory was interrupted by familiar entrance music and fireworks, as the Master of the 619, looking mighty fit and nowhere near bereft of soul, embraced the huge fan pop then made a bee-line straight for the ring and the Big Red Monster. Kane was stunned as Rey kicked and pounded on him. The brawl spilled out of the ring until Mysterio flung Kane into the corner post following with a 619 around the ringpost. Kane grabbed Rey by the throat and lifted him. Rey kicked out and head scissored Kane over the security railing into the front row crowd. Rey got back in the ring to celebrate his big return, mounted the second rope and yelled down at Kane, who yelled back at Rey from the floor at the feet of RAW fans.

So . . . the entire thing with the burlap bag and attacking Mysterio in a dark parking lot . . . was a fabrication by Kane? Why? What in Hades is going on here?