RAW starts with a recap of Steph talking to Vince about the RAW anniversary. It then goes to Vince in the ring being beaten down by Mankind and Mr. Socko, followed by Taker and then Austin comes out and stuns him. Austin says the fans are the greatest superstar and throws a beer bash in the ring.
Music and pyro.
Melina’s music and she comes out with Leyla, Jillian and Victoria. They are all in Santa type outfits. Lillian mis-announces Kelly Kelly as part of the group. Jillian starts singing (someone kill me!). Mickie, Maria, Kelly, Kelly and Michelle McCool come out also in Santa type outfits. The faces are in skimpier outfits.
Maria and Jillian start. Maria gets the upper hand and covers for two. Kelly tags in, as does Leyla. Leyla gets the upper and covers for two. Michelle tags in and chops Leyla. Melina gets the blind tag but gets taken down. Melina slams Michelle down face first by her hair. Michelle gets hung up-side-down in a corner and beaten up. Vic tags in and works over Michelle. Vic goes for a moonsault but Michelle moves.
Mickie tags in and takes down Vic hard and covers for two. Mickie hits leg scissors and covers Vic for two. Mickie hits a hard DDT and covers for three.
– Winners: Mickie, Kelly Kelly, Michelle, Maria
all the girls rush in and it’s a free-for-all. The faces each grab a heel and fling her to the center of the ring. They all crash into each other. The fans are giving mixed reviews, but part is because Vince is slowly getting wobbling to the ring without music. “Asshole” chants. He motions for all the girls to leave.
He talks about how he was celebrating the 15th anniversary of RAW, but ended up beaten, humiliated and left unconscious. As he was left in a puddle of beer, every superstar, Diva and ref were in the ring celebrating. He doesn’t understand how it could happen. It seemed as though each and everyone enjoyed his anguish. He doesn’t understand it because he’s not a monster. His feelings have been hurt. We’ve broken his heart. He’s a human being.
Jeff Hardy’s music and he comes dancing out. He high fives fans and gets in the ring. He stands in front of Vince. “Hardy” chants. Vince starts saying he doesn’t understand, but Jeff pulls the mic from his hands.
Jeff says next week they’re going to Iraq. What did they do when Saddam was overthrown? They partied. He was a tyrant who named himself ruler. Vince named himself the number one superstar. Vince doesn’t care about anyone, which is why no one gives a damn about him.
Vince gets all choked up, falls to his knees and ends up sitting on the mat in a corner crying. A close up of his face as the show fades to commercial.
– Commercial
Regal and some refs are consoling Vince. He doesn’t seem to want to move from the corner of the ring. Regal says, “The show must go on, Sir. No matter what’s happened. You know the rules.”
HHH’s music starts and he comes out in jeans, a HHH t-shirt and leather jacket. He has a smirk on his face and Vince looks like he’s in physical pain. Regal is trying to get Vince to his feet. HHH gets in the ring and walks over to Vince. He calls Regal Liberace and tells him to let him handle it. He says he’s the closest thing to family Vince has. HHH gets down in Vince’s face and starts saying hello.
HHH says to Mark the time, “Vince has officially flipped.” He sits down next to Vince and puts his arm around him. He says he’d be the bigger man. He says he’s sorry. He’s sorry he interrupted the family portrait. He’s sorry he implied Vince slept with a bunch of hairy men. He’s sorry he made out with his daughter. He’s sorry he dumped beer all over Vince while hanging out with his illegitimate midget son.
He then tells Vince to, “Get out of the ring before they cancel the show.”
Regal says he has a better idea. He tells HHH to leave the ring and gives Vince some compassion…
HHH gets up and in Regal’s face.
Regal says he will have security throw him out of the building. Regal gets down into Vince’s face and asks if he wants that to happen. If he does, he will make it happen. Vince doesn’t respond.
HHH says he’s fallen, and he can’t get up.
Finally Vince gets to his feet, but is all hunched over. He grabs HHH’s mic. He babbles incomprehensibly. He finally says he wants Regal to get Coach.
Regal asks if he wants security too.
Vince says he wants Regal and Coach. It will be Regal and Coach against him (HHH). He hopes something bad happens to each and every one of them.
– Commercial
Coach and Regal are at the bottom of the ramp getting out of their ties and jackets. HHH is in the ring, he’s taken off his leather biker jacket.
The bell rings and they start to back HHH into a corner. HHH drops Coach with one blow and then a high knee to Regal. HHH and Regal go outside and HHH bounces Regal’s face off the announce table. Coach sneaks up behind HHH, but HHH takes him down.
Regal punches HHH and sets him up on the apron with his shoulder to the ring post. Regal kicks his head into the ring post. Coach, in the ring, covers for two.
Regal works HHH over in the ring. HHH gets whipped but gets his foot up into Regal’s face. HHH gets the upper hand on both. A face buster to Regal who rolls from the ring. While HHH works Coach over Regal gets his brass knucks. HHH hits a spine buster on Regal. Coach gets the brass knucks and starts crawling to HHH. HHH stands in front of him and he knows he’s caught with the knucks. HHH takes then away but Coach says he wasn’t going to use them.
HHH hits a pedigree on Coach and covers for three.
– Winner: HHH
HHH poses on his knees in the ring while staring at Regal who’s standing on the bottom of the ramp. Video replay of the pedigree and pin on Coach. HHH poses on a corner to fans who seem quite hot for him.
JR and King talk about Y2J and how he seemed to have the match at Armageddon won until JBL interfered. Stills of Orton and Y2J behind the SD! announce table. Y2J gets Orton in the walls but JBL enters the ring and kicks Y2J in the head. JR says Y2J has invited JBL into the ring for a confrontation tonight.
– Commercial
WWE Rewind – Cody and Hardcore Holly beating Cade and Murdoch for the Tag Titles with Dusty Rhodes ringside.
A Tag Title Match. Cody and Holly come down to the ring together. Cade and Murdoch come down to face them. They’re pissed. Murdoch is fighting to get to the champs.
Cade starts working Cody over. Murdoch tags in and takes control. Holly manages to tag in and clotheslines Murdoch down. Chops to Murdoch. Holly telegraphs and gets kicked in the chest. Holly goes for the Alabama slam, but Cade comes in and pulls Murdoch down behind the ref’s back. Cade tags in. Cade drops Holly hard and covers for two. Murdoch tags in and they double team Holly. Murdoch covers for two. Holly hits a dropkick. Holly and Murdoch both tag out. Cody takes down Cade and then hits a bulldog. Cody covers but Murdoch breaks up the cover.
Holly and Murdoch end up fighting outside. Cody hits a DDT on Cade on the inside. Cody covers for three. (That was a smash-mouth, fast paced, solid match – damn good if quick.)
– Winner: Cody & Holly
They celebrate in the ring. Holly has an arm around Cody’s shoulders.
– Commercial
WWE Slam Of The Week – Flair in the ring three weeks ago saying he will never retire. Vince comes out and says if Flair loses a match his career is over.
Flair’s music and he comes down to the ring in his blue and black robe. He has a mic and says, on the stage, that he will never retire. Even though Vince, the man who allows him to breathe has put an ultimatum on his career he says he doesn’t want Flair to get hurt on his watch. Flair’s been in the business for 35 years. He loves the business and every fan. He loves being the Nature Boy. He’s sacrificed a lifetime to be who he is. Walking away is not an option in his life. His entire family has sacrificed. Ask any of them, he’s been the most selfish man alive. Behind the curtains are the old friends – Arn, Dusty, Barry. The new friends – HHH, HBK. He cherishes these people and now it’s up to him to be who he is. He’s got to be Rick Flair. There’s a locker room full of guys who depend on him. He’s not ready to begin the second half of his life. He’s facing the human bulldozer. If he loses his career is over. When he walks down the ramp he’ll give it all he has. Whether it’s Umaga or anyone else in the back, please bring their best game because he has to be the man. He will not be beaten without the fight of his life. If he loses tonight – Thank you. (Great speech!)
– Commercial
Flair is getting in the ring. Umaga comes out to face him.
They lock up and Flair is tossed into the ropes. Flair backs Umaga into a corner and chops the heck out of him before being flung across the ring. Umaga gets on the first rope and slams a foot down on Flair’s face. A kick to the back of Flair’s head. Flair runs into Umaga’s foot and then gets hit with a splash. Umaga covers for two. A nerve pinch in the center of the ring to Flair. The fans get behind Flair. Umaga lets Flair up but then Flair runs into a back elbow. Flair gets whipped but gets an elbow up. But then Flair gets slammed to the mat. Umaga goes to drop a knee, but Flair moves. A Samoan drop to Flair. Umaga covers for two.
Flair pulls himself to the ropes but Umaga pulls him to his feet. A belly to belly and Umaga covers for two. Umaga positions Flair and, using the ropes, slams his bum down on him a couple times. Another nerve pinch on Flair. Umaga head butts Flair over and over as he sits on the mat. Flair is to his feet and Umaga chops him in a corner. Flair falls to the mat. A head butt to Flair and he’s down again. Umaga gets on the second turn buckle and flies but Flair moves out of the way of the head butt. Both men are down for six. Flair comes back with chops. Flair hits a chop block. A second chop block takes Umaga down, but it doesn’t last. An upper cut to Flair and he rolls from the ring.
Umaga follows Flair outside. Umaga bounces Flair’s head off the barrier. Flair is sitting against the barrier. Umaga goes for a bum slam but Flair moves. The barrier moves a huge distance. The ref is counting the whole time. Flair rolls in the ring and win via count out!
– Winner: Flair
Flair grabs the mic and says, “One last thing… Wooooooooooo!”
Out back Y2J is heading for the ring.
Video replay of Umaga try to bum slam Flair through the barrier. Flair rolls into the ring with one second to spare to win the match via count out.
JR and King talk about WWE.com and how the picture up was of JBL kicking Y2J in the head.
Y2J’s music and he’s posed on the stage. He then stomps to the ring looking really pissed in jeans and a t-shirt. He has a black eye, the left one – the side JBL kicked. “Y2J” chants. He says last night at Armageddon he beat Orton and he should be thrilled, but he’s not. He had him moments from tapping, then this happened… “Monkeys” he calls to the production truck. Video of JBL kicking Y2J’s head off. So, instead of standing there the champion, he standing there without the title and a lot of questions. But JBL did show, so he’ll have to go to SD!
JBL is on the tron via satellite. He says Y2J is wasting his time. He has a company and other jobs. Y2J actually thinks he’d go to Buffalo. Y2J put his hands on him, he played with fire and got burned.
Y2J says that this is about the little move JBL got during the match. Camera men, announcers, they’ve all be knocked down. Heck, even the time keeper got a superkick last week!
JBL says he’s not in the same category. He puts his hands out, and it’s the only time Y2J can touch him.
Y2J tells him he sounds like a baby. He knows JBL won’t be on RAW, but Y2J will be on SD! and will show up when he least expects it.
JBL says he makes deals that Y2J only reads about. One of them is that he made a deal with Vince. Y2J won’t be facing Orton again. If he shows up on SD! he won’t be at the RR and will never get a title shot again.
Y2J asks what happened to the most dominant champ in history? Now he won’t get out from behind his announce desk. He used to be up there with Eddie and Batista. Now he’s down there with Hannity, Combs and Cole. Now he’s just a wrestling afterthought.
JBL says it’s bad enough that he has to sit behind the table and put over guys who can’t even shine his boot. Put this down, JBL is coming to RAW. He still is and will always be, and Y2J will find out in person, a wrestling god!
– Commercial
Santino comes out to the ring with Maria in a black lace halter and a tutu like black micro-mini, black lace thigh high stiletto boots finish the look (damn!). Carlito Caribbean Cool comes out to tag with him. London and Kendrick come out to face them. They pose on the corners and back flip off.
Both CCC and Santino get out of the ring at the same time, then both climb back in. Santino ends up starting with Brian. Two drop toe holds later and Santino has lost control. London tags in and they double team him. London works over Santino’s arm. London ducks two clotheslines, goes over Santino’s back and then drop kicks him. CCC tags in and gains control with punches in a corner. A back elbow to London’s face. A hurricanrana to CCC and then CCC gets flipped out of the corner. Brian tags in and climbs. He lands on Santino. Santino rolls from the ring and uses Maria as a shield. CCC tags in and hits a back stabber and covers for three.
– Winners: Santino & CCC
Santino grabs a mic and talks about how they’re both Italian. CCC says he’s Puerto Rican, all confused. Santino says something about how CCC likes to swap spit with men who are not cool. They’re now a great new tag team. CCC looks totally confused.
– Commercial
Grisham is out back with Orton who gets huge heat. Orton says he’s still the champ. As far as Y2J is concerned he took Y2J from pillar to post. “Save us? Spare me!”
Grisham says Jeff Hardy will be facing him. Orton says he’s beaten HBK, Y2J and HHH. Orton says he’s not just the Legend Killer, but the killer of dreams.
Flair is out back talking to someone from the crew. HHH comes up and they hug. HHH says Flair needs to keep taking it to them and he’ll be fine, there’s always going to be one more limo, one more…
Vince comes up behind Flair and says on New Years Eve Flair’s career will be on the line. Flair will be facing HHH. Vince says, “Happy New Year” with his arm around Flair and grinning. Both Flair and HHH look a bit sick.
– Commercial
Jeff Hardy comes dancing out again. HBK comes boogieing out to join Jeff. Kennedy is next out for this tag match, his hand bandaged. Last, but not least, out to the ring is Orton.
Orton and Jeff lock up. A side headlock on Jeff. Jeff gets out and nailed by a shoulder bock. A hiplock takeover and an arm drag to Orton. Kennedy tags in. They lock up and a knee to Jeff’s gut. Jeff gets slammed into a corner and throws a punch, but hurts that left hand. Jeff then takes Kennedy down and drops a leg. Jeff covers for two. Low drop kick to a sitting Kennedy. Kennedy gets slammed face first into a corner. Jeff ducks a clothesline and hits a cross body. HBK comes in and tosses Kennedy from the ring. HBK and Jeff both fly outside.
– Commercial
Kennedy scoop slams HBK. Jeff tags in. Jeff gets whipped, runs up the corner, flies and crashes hard when Kennedy moves out of the way. Orton tags in, mounts Jeff and pounds away with punches. Orton stomps Jeff’s head. Orton drops a knee on Jeff’s face. Kennedy tags in and hits a hard right. Jeff manages to take Kennedy down and tag out. And inverted atomic drop to Kennedy. Orton enters and is taken down by HBK. Kennedy then hits a hard clothesline on HBK. Orton leaves the ring while Kennedy covers for two. The hand puns from JR and King are horrible and there’s tons of them. Orton tags in and stomps his way around HBK. HBK can’t reach Jeff to tag out. A chin lock on HBK in the center of the ring. HBK gets to his feet and punches out. HBK chops Orton in a corner. HBK gets whipped and flips up-side-down before falling to the mat. Orton covers for two. Orton stomps HBK’s right ankle then his head.
Kennedy tags in and chokes HBK on the second rope. HBK comes back with a couple chops but Kennedy stomps HBK down in a corner. A boot to a sitting HBK’s face. Kennedy drags HBK from the corner by one leg and covers. Jeff breaks up the count. A chin lock hold (I only know it as the Steiner Recliner) on HBK. HBK hits a jawbreaker on Kennedy. HBK hits chops and goes for a superkick but Kennedy grabs his foot. Kennedy hits an enziguri and both are down.
On six both tag out. Jeff hits snake eyes on Orton and then slams him down face first. Jeff covers but Kennedy breaks the count. HBK and Kennedy start fighting and go over the top. They fight outside the announce table. Orton goes for the RKO but Jeff pushes him off. Jeff hits a twist of fate and climbs. Jeff hits his swanton bomb and covers Orton for three.
– Winners: HBK & Jeff Hardy
video of HBK and Kennedy fighting to the outside and Jeff taking Orton apart to win the match. HBK and Hardy are in the ring talking and shake hands. HBK claps for Jeff and they both get their arms raised.
Biggest pop
HHH
HBK
Jeff Hardy
Flair
Biggest heat
Vince
Orton
Kennedy
Umaga