WWE RAW
Columbia, South Carlina
March 24, 2008
results thanks to wwe.com
COLUMBIA, S.C. – United
States Champion Montel Vontavious Porter and Carlito will be enemies this Sunday
in the Money in the Bank Ladder Match, as a championship contract hangs above
them at WrestleMania.
But for one night at the Colonial Center, the “Franchise Playa” and the cool
customer worked like a well-oiled machine, defeating Intercontinental Champion
Chris Jericho & former ECW Champion CM Punk in a Money in the Bank preview on
Raw.
In the end, it was a mistake by Y2J that cost his team the match. As Punk and
MVP fought, the U.S. Champ ducked Jericho’s enzuiguri attempt and it caught
Punk’s chin, stunning the Straightedge Superstar. Carlito pulled the
Intercontinental Champ from the ring, allowing the SmackDown Superstar to roll
up Punk for the pinfall.
As the foursome stepped from the ring, they knew that the pinfall wouldn’t
matter this Sunday. Only the man that pulls the prized Money in the Bank
briefcase from its 20-foot-high perch at the Citrus Bowl will make his
championship dreams become reality.
“Old Yeller?!”
At home in “Flair Country,” Ric Flair told the Colonial Center crowd that he had
lost respect for his friend and WrestleMania opponent, Shawn Michaels – who made
a crucial save in Flair’s match against Mr. McMahon last week. Flair blasted HBK
for having no confidence in him against the Chairman.
The Showstopper came to the ring, and swore he was doing what he thought Flair
would have done in the same circumstance. He again promised to leave everything
in the ring against the “Nature Boy,” and Flair reiterated that he expected
nothing less from “Mr. WrestleMania.” He showed HBK his NWA World Championship
Title that he won in 1981, and said he wanted Michaels to bring out the best in
him for one more night.
As HBK turned to leave, he reminded Flair of the story of “Old Yeller” and how a
family had to put their cherished dog out of its misery when it was sick. HBK
promised to dispatch the “Nature Boy’s” career in a similar manner, which
enraged Flair enough to slap The Showstopper twice in the face. Michaels left
the angry “Nature Boy” fuming in the ring.
Giant problems
In a preview of the 24-man Battle Royal at WrestleMania, The Great Khali
established himself as the odds-on favorite to earn an ECW Championship
opportunity by defeating one-half of the World Tag Team Champions, Hardcore
Holly.
In a match famous for its “everyone for themselves” attitude, it’ll likely take
a group effort to topple the Punjabi giant in the Citrus Bowl.
Gender bending
A one-on-one Divas contest between Maria and Melina became an Intergender Tag
Team Match as Ashley, Beth Phoenix, Santino Marella and Jerry “The King” Lawler
got involved in the proceedings.
With intergender rules allowing men to wrestle women, Marella frequently found
himself grappling in the ring with his former girlfriend and current Playboy
cover girl.
But as Maria sent Santino to the outside, Melina and The Glamazon swept out
Maria’s legs with a crushing chop block from behind. Santino rolled back into
the ring and covered his former love interest for the 1-2-3.
After the match, it was learned that Ashley will replace the injured Candice
Michelle in the BunnyMania Match at WrestleMania, as she and Maria will face
Beth Phoenix and Melina.
Eight is enough
General Manager William Regal ordered eight of WWE’s top Superstars battling
this Sunday to face off in the night’s main event. In the no-disqualification
“WrestleMania Showcase” Eight-Man Tag-Team Match, John Cena, Triple H, Ric Flair
& Shawn Michaels competed against Big Show, Umaga, John “Bradshaw” Layfield &
WWE Champion Randy Orton. But few of the combatants stayed in the ring for long,
being pulled away by their WrestleMania opponents.
With only HBK and Flair left to face Orton, the Nature Boy went for his patented
Figure-Four Leglock, but HBK broke up the attempt. Still seething from Michaels’
promise earlier in the evening that he’d end Flair’s “misery” at WrestleMania,
the Dirtiest Player in the Game low-blowed his friend, then slapped the
Figure-Four on Orton until the WWE Champion tapped out.
Matches: