WWE RAW Results (5/23): Hitman Returns, Savage Tribute - Sound Off With Your Thoughts
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RAW opened with the same "In Memory" graphic for Randy "Macho Man" Savage that was displayed before last night's PPV.
The RAW opening plays and we're off!
Jerry "The King" Lawler's music hits and he enters the ring. Lawler says he doesn't want to take too much time, but our long national nightmare is over and Michael Cole has been beaten. He said he knew Cole would try to get out of kissing his feet, so he had a "Hart" up his sleeve, and he introduces Bret "The Hitman" Hart and heads to the commentator's booth.
Hart got on the mic and stated that he was happy to be on RAW. Hart said he and Lawler had their differences over the year, but he always had respect for him but he has no respect for Cole, so he wants to thank Lawler for shutting Cole up. "The truth shall set your free," and R-Truth interrupts and heads to the ring.
Truth says it's an honor and he can't believe his eyes. Truth notes to Hart that he's been in 0 world championship matches. Truth asked Hitman "to help me help you help me." He then took Hart's shades and went to give it to a "little Jimmy" at ringside. Truth said this means he should be next in line for a WWE championship, right? The crowd booed and Truth took the sunglasses off. Truth got back in the ring and said that he's not in line and used to think that wins and losses didn't matter as long as you gave the people what they wanted, but he was wrong. Truth says that maybe he needs to beat up a Hall of Famer to get some recognition.
Hart told him to go ahead, and the reason he got championship match was because he was "the best there is, the best there was and the best there ever will be," and the reason R-Truth hasn't received any was because he's a "freaking lunatic." Truth took offense and left the ring. John Cena's music hit and he headed to the ring.
Cena called Truth back. Cena said he was happy to see Hart back in a WWE ring, asked him how he was doing and turned his attention back to "the resident lunatic." Cena said that they used to be cool, and why he's changed. Truth said the whole conspiracy thing is about Cena. Truth said that the people make sure to make it all about Cena, but Cena said that he makes sure to make it all about the people. Truth started to flip out and said he wants his "son back". Truth said he never liked Cena, and said Cena and Hart and both propaganda tools to make the people feel good. Truth said he doesn't care about the people and how they feel, and it's all about him and he ain't going to feel right until he gets his WWE championship match. Cena said he was going to do something about it. The RAW GM chimes in.
The GM says he needs to see more from Truth before he can give Truth a title shot and made a tag match for tonight with R-Truth and CM Punk vs. John Cena and Rey Mysterio, and the special referee will be Bret Hart. Truth got upset and left the ring. Hart gave his glasses back to the fan and headed to the back with Cena.
Kane and the Big Show are shown in the back talking about the Nexus and are interrupted by Ricardo Rodriguez, who starts talking to them in Spanish. They shove him to the ground and Alberto Del Rio starts chewing them out in Spanish. Kane and Show walk off while Del Rio still keeps going off.
Cut to a commercial.
WWE Tag Team Championship
Kane and The Big Show (c) vs. David Otunga and Michael Mcgillicutty
Punk joins Lawler and Josh Matthews at commentary.
The champs dominate the challengers for the opening moments of the match. The challengers turned the tide as they cut to a commercial.
Back from commercial, and Otunga and Mcgillicutty are still in control. The champs regain control for a short bit until Mason Ryan interfered. Kane took Ryan out with a clothesline over the top rope. Punk then runs interference, allowing Otunga and Mcgillicutty to nail Show with a double DDT. Mcgillicutty covered Kane and got the win, and we have new tag champs!
David Otunga and Michael Mcgillicutty defeated Kane and The Big Show to become the new WWE Tag Team Champions
Cut to another commercial.
Back from commercial, and they show the cartoon "Capitol Punishment" poster with President Obama.
Promo hyping Randy Orton's appearance at a local Wal-Mart last promoting "That's What I Am" on DVD.
Show and Kane are interviewed backstage and are asked if they were frustrated. Show flipped out, saying of course he's frustrated. Alberto Del Rio then came by and slapped Show, and Show started chasing Del Rio. There was some video interference and you can hear a car screeching. When the video came back, Show was laying, apparently hit by Del Rio's car. Kane yelled for help while Show was lying on ground writhing in pain. Medical officials came to tend to Show as we head to another commercial.
Back from commercial and EMT's are placing Show on a stretcher. Show finally decides to get up and refuses to site down when asked.
Jack Swagger vs. Evan Bourne
Swagger dominated the match for the opening minutes. Bourne managed to turn the tide briefly after Swagger missed a splash from the second rope, but Swagger was able to catch Bourne and nail him with the gut wrench power bomb for the win. Bourne snuck in a cheap shot after the match, sending Swagger out of the ring as Bourne ran to the back. Swagger was incensed as they cut to the back.
Jack Swagger defeated Evan Bourne
Michael Cole is shown walking in the back with his head down. He sees some of the divas and offers his hand to Eve, who sticks her foot in Cole's face and laughs. Cole keeps his head down and starts heading to the ring as we head to a commercial.
Back from commercial and Lawler cuts some cheesy foot jokes before he and Matthews congratulate The Rock for the success of Fast Five.
Michael Cole is introduced. Cole's overacting is on full display as he walks to the announcer's table. A "You suck toes" chant broke out. Cole said that this isn't about him anymore, and it never should have been. He asks Lawler to put this all behind them, and apologizes to Lawler, the crew and the fans for his behavior over the last couple of months. He says he just wants to get back to his job with no more Cole Mine and no more tension with Lawler. Lawler says that it all sounds good and thanks Cole for apologizing, and thanks Cole for giving him the picture that's going to be on this year's X-Mas card, and showed a pic of Cole kissing Lawler's foot from last night. He proceeded to hand Cole some Altoids and then let him go back to commentary.
The Miz's music hit and he and Alex Riley head to the ring. Miz said that the only reason he didn't win the WWE championship last night is because of Alex Riley. He said it's a recurring problem. They show clips of Riley inadvertently costing Miz the title. Miz asks the RAW GM for another chance and wants a 1 on 1 match with Cena with Riley banned from ringside. Miz then said Cena wasn't in a handicap match last night, he was, that's how unhelpful Riley is. Miz says he won't leave the ring until the GM chimes in. The GM finally chimed in and says that Miz's request for another title match is denied and he is done with Cena after losing last night. Miz then gives a cold stare at Riley and blames him for not being champion. Miz asks for an explanation, and Riley said that he wasn't the one who said "I Quit." Miz then pie-faced Riley and told him to shut his mouth. Miz said that without him, he wouldn't be in WWE and he would be nothing without him. Miz calls Riley a major disappointment and is sick of his "mind-numbing stupidity" and then told Riley that he was fired.
He shoved Riley, and Riley exploded on the Miz and started punching away. Riley took him outside the ring, threw him in the ringside barricade and over the announce table. He proceeded to ram Miz on the table and got him back in the ring and continued to beat down the Miz. Riley finally tossed Miz in the center of the ring and stood tall as the crowd cheered on. Riley nailed Miz with a final kick to the head before leaving the ring to a big pop and "Riley" chants.
Cut to commercial.
The Bella Twins, Melina and Maryse vs. Kelly Kelly, Gail Kim, Eve Torres and Beth Phoenix
Before the match could go far, Kharma's music hit. All the divas stood united in the ring as Kharma walked to the ring. Kharma climbed to the apron and got in the ring as the other divas circled around her. Kharma's hands started shaking and she dropped to her knees and started crying and rocking back and forth. She continued to cry in the center of the ring as the other divas looked on. She then got a crazy look in her eye and started talking to herself as they cut to a commercial. Weird.
Kofi Kingston vs. Drew McIntrye
McIntrye dominated the opening moments of the match and worked over Kofi's knee. Kofi was able to recover and looked like he was about to hit TIP, but his knee gave out on him. McIntyre nailed Kofi with a powerslam for a two count. McIntrye got frustrated and made a mistake, and Kofi was able to hit that cool inverted slam move to get the win. Dolph Ziggler and Vickie Guerrero were shown watching in the back.
Kofi Kingston defeated Drew McIntrye
They aired the Obama-press conference promo for Capitol Punishment.
Mcgillicutty and Otunga are shown celebrating in the back. Punk comes by and says, "see what happens when you listen to CM Punk... Now see what I'm going to do!" as they cut to a commercial.
Back from commercial and they recap the Big Show being run over angle.
Alberto Del Rio was backstage and said that Show brought this upon himself since he disrespected him, but it's not his fault and that it's Ricardo's fault. He called Ricardo an "idiot" and left.
Jerry Lawler brought up the passing of "Macho Man" Randy Savage and said that he will always be "a Hall of Famer" no matter what and they cut to a video package of "The Macho Man." WWE then aired a great video tribute to Mach. They cut to the crowd after it was over who chanted "Macho Man." Great moment.
Back from commercial and it's main event time! Bret Hart's music hits and he heads to the ring wearning a referee shirt and jean shorts.
R-Truth and CM Punk vs. John Cena and Rey Mysterio
The heels enter the ring first, and Punk pays the ultimate tribute to Randy Savage, wearing some old school Savage-WWF pink tights with stars and yellow boots. Nice. The faces come in next and we're off.
Punk had his share of fans as there were dueling "Let's Co Cena/CM Punk" chants with the Punk chants sounding louder. Punk was doing a lot of little things that Savage would do in the match.
The finish of the match saw Rey hit the 619 on Punk, and Bret Hart followed up by punching Punk and putting him in the sharpshooter. Mysterio hit a legdrop from the top rope and then pinned Punk.
John Cena and Rey Mysterio defeated R-Truth and CM Punk
After the match, Cena, Mysterio and "The Hitman" celebrated in the ring.
What are your thoughts on tonight's show? Sound off in our comments section below.