WWE RAW Results (12/22) - Trish Stratus Returns, HHH!

Event: WWE Monday Night RAW
Airdate: Monday, December 22nd, 2008 (USA Network)
Location: The Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario Canada
Results by 411Mania.com

-Live from Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

-Hosted by Michael Cole & Jerry "The King Lawler

-Santino and Beth are in the back. Santino says he has a secret regarding Santa Claus. Beth asks Santino if he's sure he wants to do this? Santino tells Beth to "Shut up a your face." Santino goes to let the cat out of the bag, but John Cena interrupts (to a chorus of boos). Cena tells Santino that the secret is that he never liked Santa because he didn't get the Barbie Doll set he asked for as a kid. John says there are certain things you can't talk about, and Santa is one of them. Santino challenges Cena and the partner of his choice tonight. He looks to an on looking Goldust, but Santino says the partner must "have the ovaries." He looks back to Goldust who says "oh rats" and leaves. Cena tells him they're on. Santino advises that when Glamerella wins he will reveal the secret of Santa Claus. Okay then.

Race to the Rumble Qualifying Match: Kane vs. Shawn Michaels

Kane gets on the mic and says he was advised by Stephanie McMahon to apologize to Kelly Kelly for the events of last Monday Night. Kane apologizes to Kelly, but asks for an apology from Kelly for leading him on and lying. He informs her she will regret not telling him the truth. Shawn opens the match with a series of chops to Kane, but runs into a big boot. Obligatory "You Screwed Bret" chant from the Canadian crowd. Kane takes over on offense with a series of open handed upper cuts. A back elbow by Kane picks up a two count. Snap mare by Kane sets up a drop kick to Shawn in the sitting position. Kane grabs a side headlock. Shawn fights out of that with a chop. Kane misses a clothesline allowing Shawn to hit an inverted atomic drop. Kane comes back with that open handed upper cut. Clothesline in the corner connects for two. Kane continues to stomp away at Shawn. Kane hits a big boot which gets a two count. Shawn blocks a backdrop attempt with a kick and follows up with a flying forearm. Shawn nips up, but walks into a chokeslam attempt. Shawn counters that into a crossface. Kane powers out of that with a side suplex picking up a two count. Kane hits a flying clothesline off the top and calls for the chokeslam again. Shawn counters again sending Kane into the buckle. Shawn hits sweet chin music out of nowhere to get the pin. We see JBL in the back looking on.

Winner: Shawn Michaels (Pinfall-Sweet Chin Music **)

-A recap of last Monday's Batista/Cena-Legacy match and the punt kick to Batista.

Kofi Kingston vs. Manu (w. Cody Rhodes)

Manu goes for a slam which Kofi counters and hits and dropkick sending Manu to the floor. Manu rolls back in and delivers a huge clothesline to take control. Manu charges to the corner but runs into the boots of Kofi. Manu catches the boot on a second attempt and slams Kingston into the mat. That gets two. Manu goes with a half nelson slam to set up a head butt getting a two count. Kofi counters a choke into a face buster. A charge attempt by Manu is met with a kick from Kofi. A high crossbody from Kofi off the top is followed up with a clothesline. Double legdrop from Kofi picks up a two count. Manu catches Kofi coming off the second rope but Kofi counters into a crucifix picking up the win.

Winner: Kofi Kingston (Pinfall-Crucifix *1/4)

-John Cena is shown in the back discussing things with Kelly Kelly. They shake hands and go about their way.

-John Cena is shown in the back discussing things with Kelly Kelly. They shake hands and go about their way.

-Sim Snuka is in the back pleading his case to Randy Orton. He says he can make a big difference in their group. Cody and Manu show up but Orton tells them he doesn't want to hear it. Orton tells Snuka they can talk later, and they may need a new member. Cody and Manu look upset as they stare down Snuka.

-Cole and King throw it to another DX Christmas promo. They again have to explain these were shot before Shawn lost all his money. The promo is the same that ran on Smackdown.

-CM Punk and Shawn are having some small talk in the back. Triple H interrupts and Punk dips out. Trips says they need to talk. HHH says if Shawn had financial problems he could have came to him. Shawn says that changes things and their friendship wouldn't be the same. HHH tries to reason with him but Shawn will have none of it. Shawn says he has to do it his way. Shawn says he knows what he's doing. HHH informs him for his sake, he hopes he does.

Layla & Jillian Hall vs. Mickie James & Melina

Jillian is singing a horrible rendition of "Let it Snow." Thankfully that is quickly cut off by the face entrance. Layla and Melina start. Melina reverses a slam attempt into an armdrag and tags in Mickie. A double arm bar take down is followed up by a Mickie drop kick. Mickie kicks Jillian away as she tries to climb to the top. Layla interrupts and gets kicked off but that allows Jillian to recover sending Mickie to the floor. Layla throws Mickie back in the ring and stomps away. Jillian is tagged in and hits a front flip elbow to the knee of Mickie which gets up two. Jillian continues to kick away at Mickie in the corner. Mickie hits a monkey flip which allows the tag to Melina. Melina hits a facebuster picking up a two count. Jillian botches a tilt-a-whirl but Melina recovers for a legdrop. Layla breaks up the count and Mickie sends her to the floor. Melina misses a corner charge and that allows Jillian to hit a facebuster. Mickie breaks up the count and again sends Layla to the floor. Melina hits a modified sunset flip from the standing position to pick up the victory. After the match Mickie is crying. Not sure if she was injured during the match.

Winners: Mickie James & Melina (Melina pins Jillian-Sunset Flip 3/4*)

Race to the Rumble Qualifying Match: Rey Mysterio vs. John "Bradshaw" Layfield

Cole tells us that Stephanie McMahon has given Mike Knox the night to ensure there are no shenanigans tonight. No limo for JBL tonight for some reason. JBL pounds down Rey in the corner and hits a shoulder block. A stomp to the hands of Mysterio set up a powerbomb attempt. Rey reverses that into a hurracarana into the ropes. Rey goes for the 619 early in the match but JBL bails to the floor. Rey dives over the top onto JBL as we go to break.

Back from commercial we find JBL firmly in control. JBL slugs away at Mysterio in the corner. JBL charges but runs into a kick. Rey goes to the top and dives but is caught by JBL into a fall away slam. That picks up a two count. JBL gets an abdominal stretch. Rey slugs his way out of that with shots to the knee. A sunset flip attempt by Rey is blocked but he tries the roll up instead getting two. He runs into a big clothesline from JBL, but that also only gets a two count. JBL drops a plethora of elbows onto Rey for another two count. JBL sends Rey for a whip but Rey slides underneath and dropkicks the knee, and then delivers one to the head. That picks up a two count. JBL fires Rey outside the ring and follows him to the floor. JBL drives Rey into the apron and slides back inside. A count out is teased but Rey gets in just before the ten count. Back inside JBL hits a trio of short clotheslines but again that only gets two. JBL puts Rey in a torture rack. Rey able to fight out of that, but he runs into a sleeper hold. Rey counters that with a chinbuster and then grabs a sleeper of his own. JBL powers Rey into the corner to break that but a charge attempt results in a drop toehold into the turnbuckle. Rey comes in with a seated senton. Hurracanrana from Rey is followed up by a bulldog getting two. Rey hits the ropes but runs into a big boot from JBL. Again that only gets two. Rey boots JBL in the face and tries a crossbody but gets caught. JBL goes for a fall away slam out of the ring, but Rey reverses into a DDT. Cover by Rey gets a two count. Enzaguri by Rey is followed up by a dropkick into the ropes. Rey goes for the 619, but Shawn pulls JBL to the floor. Shawn slaps JBL to a huge pop, but the referee calls for a DQ on that for outside interference. Shawn leaves in disgust as JBL grins.

Winner: John "Bradshaw" Layfield (Disqualification-Outside Interference **1/4)

Race to the Rumble Qualifying Match: Randy Orton vs. Batista

The referee comes to the ring and lets the ring announcer know that Batista is unable to appear so Orton wins by forfeit. Orton grabs the mic. He says he's had many memorable moments in his career. From being the youngest champion in history to winning the main event at Wrestlemania. None are as personally satisfying as kicking Batista in the skull. He brings up the Evolution double cross four years ago, and how he had been dreaming about kicking Batista in the skull for four years. Same dream every night for four straight years. He says Christmas came early. He asks Batista how it feels to not get to face Cena at Rumble. He tells Batista his career has come full circle. Once again taking back seat to Orton. Batista's time is up and next time he sees Orton, he will once again be World Champion. Really, really strong promo.

Winner: Randy Orton (Forfeit)

-Dolph Ziggler introduces himself to Kelly Kelly. Kelly turns back to the mirror and gets another tap on the shoulder. This time its Miz and Morrison. Miz thanks Kelly for the chokeslam and tombstone last week. Miz asks if its Cena she's protecting. Kelly says she's just his tag partner tonight. They tell her someone broke into the hotel and destroyed a hotel room. Rumor is its hers. They hope she can keep he focus tonight.

Race to the Rumble Qualifying Match: Chris Jericho vs. CM Punk

Huge Y2J chant to start. Jericho hits a shoulderblock early. Crowd is solidly behind Jericho. Jericho grabs a headlock and takes Punk to the mat. Punk counters with a headscissors and moves to a headlock of his own. Punk hits a knee to mid section and follows that up with a snap mare. A dropkick to the back of Jericho's head gets two. Jericho regains control with a some fists and a clothesline. Vertical suplex by Jericho gets a two count. Punk hits a springboard crossbody out of the corner and follows that up with some martial arts kick sending Jericho to the mat. Big chorus of boos for that. Jericho is heavily dazed from the kick as the ref checks on him. That sends us to commercial.

Back from break and Punk hits a modified tarantula in the corner. Jericho catches Punk with a kick on the way back in taking control. Gutwrench suplex gets a two count for Jericho. Half Nelson sleeper from Jericho is locked in but Punk is able to power out of that with a headbutt. Jericho comes back with a knee to the mid section and a kick to the back. Jericho places Punk on the top rope and goes for a super plex. Punk fights him off and sends him crashing back to the mat. Flying crossbody from Punk gets a two count. Spinning heel kick from Punk sends Jericho to the corner. Punk runs into a boot from Jericho on a charge, but hits a powerslam out of the corner for two. Jericho hits a running bulldog after a counter sequence. Jericho goes for the Lionsault, but Punk catches him in the GTS. Punk goes for the GTS, but Jericho hits a sweet counter sliding down the back into the Walls of Jericho. Punk fights the hold teasing a counter. He inches towards the ropes but Jericho pulls him to the middle. Finally Punk counters out pushing Jericho into the rope. Jericho goes for the walls again but Punk again fights him off. Knee lift by Punk to Jericho gets a two count. Punk hits a high knee in the corner and goes for a bulldog. Jericho pushes him into the corner but runs into a spinning kick to the back of the head. Punk goes for a springboard from the outside but Jericho counters into a codebreaker picking up the pin to a THUNDEROUS pop. Fantastic match.

Winner: Chris Jericho (Pinfall-Codebreaker ***1/2)

-Kelly is shown leaving the arena. Todd Grisham tries to track her down, but she says she talked to John and he understands.

-They air a Tribute to the Troops video package.

Santino Marella & Beth Phoenix vs. John Cena & Trish Stratus

Santino finally names the super fan in the front row. Rosa Mendez. He says she's the World's Biggest Santino fan. She tries to correct him but he answers yes Beth is his girlfriend so she's the second biggest. Santino tries to kill the Santino chants with the cheap heat of saying Canadians should understand as they are second to the US in everything. Santino says he's gonna reveal the secret of Santa Claus right now, but Cena's music interrupts. The Canadian crowd is all over Cena. Cena says he found out Santino's secret and thats that Santa is here. He granted Cena a Christmas wish and thats a new tag team partner. The mystery partner is none other than Trish Stratus to a monster pop. If she doesn't get the Canadians to cheer for Cena nothing will. Santino volunteers to start the match with Cena. Cena takes control and the crowd forgets who his partner is and boos him. Cena pushes Santino into the corner and Santino gets a cheap shot. He quickly tags in Beth and Cena answers by tagging in Trish. Trish fires off several forearms before a Matrish and a Thesz Press. Stratus hits a chop in the corner, but Beth gains control firing Trish to the corner. Santino goes to the top as Beth holds Trish, but she fights off Beth and crotches Santino on the top. Trish hits a hurracanrana off the top that sends Santino to the floor. Beth takes control with a pair of back breakers. She drags Trish around the ring by her hair as Beth continues to dominate. Crowd starts a Cena sucks chant for no real reason while the ladies wrestle. Trish counters into a bulldog and makes the hot tag to Cena. Beth tags in Santino and that leads to a series of shoulderblocks and a proto plex. Five knuckle shuffle from Cena connects. Cena sets up Santino for an FU, but Beth makes the save. Trish is in with the chick kick to send Beth to the floor. Another FU this time scores giving Cena the win. Trish and Cena embrace afterward. Trish tries to get the crowd to cheer Cena to no avail. Gotta love the Canadians.

Winners: John Cena & Trish Stratus (Cena pins Santino-FU *1/2)