WWE Raw on the USA Network
Live from (You Stay Classy) San Diego, Calif.

[Q1] The show opened with a video that recapped John Cena being pinned by Vince McMahon in the gauntlet match from last week... The opening video aired... Pyro exploded on the stage, then Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler introduced the show and hyped the WrestleMania rematches...

Powell's POV: Dot Net contributors Chris Shore and Marvin Hermanstyne are hanging out in the Dot Net Members' forum discussing the WWE Raw show right now, and I'll be in there on Tuesday night discussing the NXT show. You can join in on the fun by signing up for $5 per month membership via the Dot Net Members' Signup Page.

The glass broke and Steve Austin came to the ring wearing jeans and a black t-shirt. He did his usual routine of standing on the ropes. Instead of giving the bird, he just held up his firsts (PG version). Austin said that being back in the WWE ring makes him want to open a great big can of whoop ass.

Austin said he must be out of shape because he's thirsty. "Barkeeper, throw me a damn beer," Austin said. The man threw him two cans of beer. Austin told the man to keep them coming when he gives the signal. Austin hyped WrestleMania and recalled his WrestleMania 13 match against Bret Hart as the defining moment of his career. He said everyone shows up at WrestleMania and puts it all on the line.

Austin said Hart is a "true artist and one of the best cats I've been in the ring with." Steve brought up Hart's match with Vince McMahon and said he's had his problems with Vince as well. He said he enjoyed his matches with Vince because he didn't bring scientific skills. Rather, he said Vince was cutthroat. Austin said he'll oversee the signing of the Hart vs. Vince contract to ensure that it goes "right into WrestleMania without any hitches."

Austin took a break to slam a beer. He said Vince won't pull the wool over anyone's eyes while he's there. He said he doesn't care if he has to break his foot off in Vince's ass. The censors edited the rest of the sentence even though they probably missed the word they were trying to edit.

John Cena's music played and he headed to the ring. Cena slid inside the ring in front of Austin, who made the baseball "safe" sign. Funny. Austin did the Cena "You can't see me" hand gesture. Cena saluted Austin, who then left the ring. Austin's entrance theme was interrupted by Big Show's entrance music. Austin stood in the entryway and waited for Show. He smiled at him and then headed backstage...

Powell's POV: Stupid PG rating. Austin was his usual "Stone Cold" self, but he was clearly edited from flipping the bird, and the censors didn't like it when he said "ass." I understand it, but that doesn't mean the censorship won't be a turnoff to Austin fans.

1. Big Show beat John Cena in 7:40. Show took early advantage and the show cut to break. [C]

[Q2] Show was in control after the break. He set up for the Vader Bomb, but Cena rolled out of the way. Cena hit a top rope legdrop and then did the "You Can't See Me" bit to a lot of cheers and some scattered boos. Cena was distracted by Batista's music. Just as Cole was saying Cena hadn't taken his eyes off Batista, Cena performed the Five Knuckle Shuffle. Stay hot, Michael.

Show recovered and chokeslammed Cena for a near fall. Show went for the knockout punch, but Cena moved. Cena went for the Attitude Adjustment, but appeared to be distracted by Batista, who climbed onto the ring apron. Show slipped off and tagged Cena with the knockout punch before pinning him. Batista remained at ringside and laughed as he headed up the ramp...

Powell's POV: Pretty basic stuff here. It just adds fuel to the fire for Cena fans who want to see their guy get his revenge on Batista at WrestleMania.

An ad for Austin's movie "Damage" played during the break...

Sheamus vs. Evan Bourne never got started. Sheamus took the mic and teased cutting a promo, only to slam the mic over Bourne's head. He followed up with the big boot and hit his finisher on Bourne. The announcers stressed that the match never started. After Sheamus dumped Bourne to ringside, Sheamus took the mic again and cut a promo about how ruthless Triple H has been during his career.

[Q3] Sheamus spoke about all the big names Hunter has defeated over the years including The Rock and Undertaker. Sheamus said he was supposed to defend his WWE Championship at WrestleMania, but Hunter ruined that. "But I thank you for it," Sheamus said.

Sheamus added that Hunter is the man he wanted to face at Mania, and said he'll get his chance in two weeks. Sheamus said WrestleMania will be a turning point for Hunter, not him. He said he'll beat Hunter so bad that he'll never be the same again. "On the biggest stage of them all, the Celtic Warrior will take your throne," Sheamus concluded.

Powell's POV: I think Sheamus is only allowed to beat the hell out of a few guys and Bourne is definitely one of them. A decent promo from Sheamus that established he's not intimidated by Hunter and wants the match as much as he does.

Backstage, Shawn Michaels asked Steve Austin if he thinks he can beat Undertaker. "Hell yeah, I think you can beat the Undertaker, but I don't think you're going to," Austin responded. Shawn recalled losing to Austin at WrestleMania 14 and thinking his career was over because of his injuries. He said he proved people wrong then and will prove people wrong again at WrestleMania.

Chris Jericho entered the picture and said he was grateful for getting a chance to face Michaels one more time before Undertaker finishes him. Shawn recalled Taker sending him a message last week and said he'll send a message of his own by destroying Jericho. After Michaels left the room, Jericho sucked up to Austin, who played along for a second before going stone face on him and kicking him out of the room... [C]

Powell's POV: I got a kick out of Austin's "but I don't think you're not going to" line to HBK. The first 35 minutes of the show haven't had the energy I expected the show to given that Austin is hosting and we're less than two weeks away from WrestleMania. It's been solid, but I have higher expectations for this show.

2. Maryse pinned Kelly Kelly in a non-title match in 1:25. Cole hyped that tickets will go on sale for the May 23 "Over The Limit" pay-per-view on Saturday. Maryse pinned Kely clean.

Afterward, she kicked her in the gut and then roughed her up at ringside. Gail Kim and Eve ran out. Gail beat up Kelly, while Eve tended to Kelly. Michelle McCool and Layla ran out and attacked Kim and Eve until they were left lying. Vickie Guerrero walked onto the stage and applauded the Smackdown Divas, who were joined by Maryse...

Powell's POV: Wow, I can't believe Michelle McCool got the better of that exchange. Yes, that's sarcasm. She and Layla now have matching shirts. Those will get them over. Ugh. Anyway, it looks like they're setting up the "let's get all the Divas on the WrestleMania card" match. Maybe a six-Diva tag with the leftovers serving as lumberjills?

Cole hyped the Bret and Vince contract signing. Lawler said HBK vs. Jericho is up next...

[Q4] [C] A great Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels video aired. It started with Taker highlights with John Cena, Big Show, Rey Mysterio, Triple H, and others praising him and saying the streak may never be broken. The narrator said if anyone can break the streak, it's HBK. Highlights aired of Shawn's WrestleMania moments followed by additional comments from the wrestlers...

Ring introductions or the Chris Jericho vs. Shawn Michaels match took place... [C] An ad for NXT hyped Daniel Bryan...

3. Shawn Michaels defeated Chris Jericho via countout in a non-title match in 6:20. Shawn went right after Jericho to start the match. He dominated the first 90 seconds and then Jericho backdropped him over the top rope and onto the floor. Jericho controlled the next few minutes of the match. Shawn fired back with chips. Jericho went for his finisher and Shawn caught him with an inside cradle for a near fall.

[Q5] Shawn hit a top rope elbow drop on Jericho. Shawn tuned up the band in the corner as the live crowd cheered along, but Jericho ducked out of the ring and headed up the ramp. The ref counted out Jericho. Edge's music played and he attacked Jericho from behind. Edge brought Jericho back to the ring and speared him. Edge took the mic and got right down in Jericho's face and said, "Spear"...

Powell's POV: HBK vs. Jericho was nothing special. They didn't really set the tone in their earlier promo. It would have been nice to hear them bring up the major themes of their past feud, but clearly they are keeping the focus on the WrestleMania matches. The crowd was into Edge, but I'd still like to see him and Jericho get some mic time either tonight or next week to sell their match to the Raw viewers who don't keep close tabs on Smackdown.

The announcers hyped Randy Orton vs. Triple H, and the contract signing for later in the show... [C]

Cole and Lawler hyped Randy Orton vs. Cody Rhodes vs. Ted DiBiase in a Triple Threat match for WrestleMania 26...

Backstage, Josh Matthews interviewed Randy Orton, who said he doesn't like Triple H. However, he said he respects him and takes him seriously. "I do not take Ted DiBiase and Cody Rhodes seriously," Orton said. He said a Triple Threat means no friends and no alliances. He said that they will find out that without him, they are "absolutely nothing"...

Powell's POV: Well, at least it isn't a handicap match. I don't know what would make Orton so confident that DiBiase and Rhodes won't just kick his ass at WrestleMania since they've been doubling up on him lately. The build for the Triple Threat match has been awkward. This match could have meant so much more if Cody and Ted were treated as more than, well, "absolutely nothing."

A shot aired of Triple H walking backstage... [C]

[Q6] Highlights aired from last week of the Triple H and Sheamus confrontation... At ringside, Cole and Lawler recapped the opening match...

4. Triple H fought Randy Orton to a no-contest in 10:00. Cole reminded viewers that this is a rematch of last year's WrestleMania main event. Orton landed a series of early punches. Hunter returned the favor. Later, Orton was in control of the match when the show went to break around 4:00. [C]

Powell's POV: I know he's in the Bret and Vince segment, but this show needs more Steve Austin. I know they're building toward WrestleMania, but a little more backstage with Austin would have gone a long way. By the way, where's Shawne Merriman? Did Tila Tequila jump him in the parking lot?

After the break, Hunter regained control and hit some of his signature spots. However, Orton cut him off with a slam out of nowhere for a good near fall. Cole spoke about how important the matches tonight and next week are as the wrestlers "fine tune" heading into WrestleMania.

[Q7] Hunter went for the Pedgiree at 9:15, but Orton back dropped him to avoid it. They hit simultaneous clotheslines a few seconds later. Hunter caught Orton coming through the ropes and Pedigree'd him. Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase hit the ring and attacked Hunter to end the match.

Once Rhodes and DiBiase cleared Hunter from the ring, they beat up Orton. The announcers questioned whether it really will be every man for himself at WrestleMania. Hunter recovered and reentered the ring, but Sheamus showed up and nailed him with a kick to the head. Ted dragged Randy to ringside where Cody hit him with CrossRhodes. Meanwhile, Sheamus put one foot on Hunter's chest and played to the crowd...

Powell's POV: This was the best match of the night until the finish. Three WrestleMania rematches that ended with some form of outside interference or a distraction. They put themselves in a tough spot by advertising those matches at a time when they're trying to keep everyone strong. The outcomes are understandable, but it's making for really predictable television.

A shot aired of Batista walking backstage. The announcers said he'd be facing Kofi Kingston after the break... [C]

Powell's POV: I guess this means Kofi won't be qualifying for Money in the Bank tonight.

The latest entrant in the WWE Hall of Fame is Gorgeous George, which the company gave away earlier today on their website. They played a video that featured photos of him before he developed his famous gimmick. They had quotes from his first wife, Dick Beyer, Bert Sugar, Bob Geigel, and others...

The announcers ran through the pay-per-view lineup... Batista made his ring entrance. Cole said Batista is oozing confidence and should be since bad things always seem to happen to John Cena whenever they get in the ring together. Cole then blew it by talking about how "Batista thinks he's pretty cool." Kofi made his entrance...

[Q8] 5. Batista pinned Kofi Kingston in a non-title match in 2:50. Late in the match, Kofi caught Batista with a fulcrum kick that opened a gash on Batista's forehead. Lawler filled nicely by saying, "You know what happens to an animal when it see it's own blood." Kofi went for a springboard move, but Batista caught him with a shot coming off the ropes. Batista hit his finisher and scored the clean pin. After the match, the referee tried to hand Batista a towel, but he shrugged him off... [C]

Powell's POV: Batista was great after the match. He spotted a fan to pick on near the entryway. Batista lunged toward the fan, who dropped to his knees behind the barricade. Batista flashed a smile, while still covered in blood, and walked away. The heel Batista character is phenomenal, and the announcers did a nice job of getting over his confidence heading into the match. Let me guess, Brian Gewirtz wrote a bunch of Hornswoggle skits for Steve Austin, who said, "Oh, hell no." That would be one explanation for the lack of Austin backstage segments tonight.

Highlights aired from Kane tombstoning Pete Rose... Cole hyped that Pete Rose was returning to host Raw on Monday. They announced Triple H and Randy Orton vs. Sheamus, Ted DiBiase, and Cody Rhodes in a handicap match...

Powell's POV: If I learned one thing from the ratings last week it was that viewers dislike handicap matches as much as I do. Two-on-three is better than a two-on-one match. This might be a little more intriguing had Orton not said he respects Hunter earlier tonight.

Bret Hart was introduced. He came out with a crutch and the cast on his left leg. He wasn't very convincing when it came to selling the injury, as he put weight on his bad leg repeatedly. Bret took a seat in a chair on one side of the table that was set up inside the ring for the contract signing.

Vince McMahon was introduced and he came out mocking Bret's leg injury. Once inside the ring, Vince leaned down and glared at Hart until Austin's music played. Austin came to the ring, grabbed a mic, pointed to Vince's chair, and said, "Sit." Vince obliged. Austin said he wanted to take care of a piece of business before they got to the contract signing.

[Overrun] Austin spoke about being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. He said that Stu Hart was supposed to go into the Hall of Fame. Vince stood up. Austin said something, but the PG censors struck again. Austin followed up whatever he said by telling Vince to sit down or he'd knock him down. Austin said that if anyone deserves to enter the Hall of Fame, it's Stu Hart.

"I'm here to announce tonight that Stu Hart is going to go into the WWE Hall of Fame," Austin said. "Do you have a problem with that?" Austin asked. Vince responded, "No, actually I don't." Vince said that if Stu is going into the Hall of Fame, that means the entire Hart family will be there.

Vince said Bret knows just as well as he does that every member of the Hart family who has stepped foot inside the ring is a "dysfunctional derelict." Ouch. He said Bret was different because he's a "dysfunctional, handicapped derelict." Funny. Vince said that if Bret signs the contract and doesn't show up, he'll sue him for everything he has.

Bret said it wouldn't matter if both legs were broken, he can and will beat Vince. Bret said he doesn't want this to be a wrestling match. He said it's going to be a fight and a full-on massacre. Bret said he wants it to be a no holds barred match. "In the immortal words of 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin, hell yeah," McMahon responded.

Vince said that once again, Bret has screwed Bret. "Now sign it," Vince said. Bret signed the contract. Vince hesitated when it was his turn. He glared at Bret, who smirked at him while Lawler questioned whether Vince was having second thoughts. Vince signed the contract. Austin examined it and announced that the match is official. He had the crowd give a "hell yeah" if they're ready for the match.

Austin said he was looking forward to seeing Vince take an ass kicking of some kind, but the PG censors struck again. Bitches. Austin left the ring, but then stopped when he got to the top of the stage. "There is one thing I forgot to tell you," Austin said. "Oh hell, I'll let Bret tell you himself."

Vince turned his attention to Bret, who had the leg cast sitting on the stable. Bret stared ahead at Vince. "I don't need this," Hart said, as he threw the crutch. "And I don't need this," he said regarding the cast. Bret stood up and said he needed Vince to think he was hurt to get him to sign the contract.

Bret said he wasn't going to give a long explanation for the car wreck. He said John Cena knows someone who does stunt work. Bret said he's 100 percent. He said he'll sue Vince for everything he's worth if he tries to get out of the match. Bret said, "Vince screwed Vince." Bret held up the cast and asked if anyone wanted a souvenir. Vince stood up and Bret hit him with the cast. Bret pushed Vince over the table and then hit him with the cast again.

Bret left the ring with the cast and hopped on the supposedly bad foot a couple times to show it was healthy. Cole said Bret has 13 long days until WrestleMania 26 when he can finally put Montreal behind him. A shot aired of Vince lying in the ring to close the show...

Powell's POV: Well, it doesn't look like Austin will be the special referee for the Bret vs. Vince match unless the PG censors edited that out too. An expected angle, but still an entertaining one. Overall, the show was not as hot as one would expect with Austin as the host and the three big advertised matches. I'll have more to say about the show in Dot Net Members' audio late Monday night. Thanks for watching along with me. See below for $5 per month signup information.

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