EWR Diary, Take Two

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I started a new diary since the old one rarely got updated. Here, I'll give you the buildup to my Wrestlemania XX. We start with the March 1st RAW.

 

WWE RAW, March 1, 2004 Commentators: Michael Hayes and Shawn Micheals

 

Chris Jericho makes his way to the ring, fresh off beating Brock Lesnar in a cage match last week (ending that feud and putting Jericho at 100 over). However, Jericho would rather focus on what happened after the match. Namely, Ric Flair coming in and beating him down. He wants Flair to come down and explain himself. The Evolution (made up of Flair, Orton, Simon Diamond and Batista) theme kicks up and Flair makes his way to the ring alone. Flair gets into a war of words with Y2J, saying that he did what he did because he's sick of Jericho prancing around, getting praise from the fans when he hasn't earned a lick of it. By that, Flair means that Jericho hasn't beaten the best yet, and that is Ric Flair. He busts out the "To be the man, you have to BEAT the man" line and promises that in tonight's main event, where Y2K teams with RVD to take on Flair and Kane, Flair will prove that he's the man. A staredown ensues and Flair just smirks at Jericho and leaves the ring.

 

Rating: 93%

 

Lita vs Victoria.

 

Match Background: This match is for the WWE Womens title. Lita has been WWE Womens champion since 15 February 2004.

 

The Match: A kick from Lita is delivered to the leg. Lita hits an arm drag on Victoria, follows it up with about 3 more and locks in an armbar for good measure. Covers for a quick two count. Victoria backdrops Lita out of a piledriver attempt. That took a lot out of Victoria. Lita gets splashed in the corner. Victoria hits a right hand on Lita and follows it up with a couple more. Victoria hits a right hand on Lita. Lita kicks Victoria in the gut to reverse the momentum. Flying elbow off the top rope by Lita, getting as close to zero air as possible. Victoria slugs Lita, sending her down into the corner. While Victoria fires up the crowd, Lita is removing the turnbuckle pad! Victoria comes over...but Lita grabs her by the tights and uses the leverage to slingshot Victoria face first into the exposed steel turnbuckle! Lita rolls up the stunned Victoria, and even puts her feet on the second rope to add insult to injury! 1....2...3! What a display of cheating from Lita. Lita leaves the ring and heads off down the aisle at speed. Lita has the victory, and isn't hanging around for Victoria to look for revenge.

 

My Opinion: One SOLE bright spot in this match keeps it from going into DUD territory. 1/4*.

 

Ratings: (54, 50, 59). The Womens title has lost image. I turned Lita heel a while back because she was jealous of Trish Stratus' popularity, since she was just as popular once.

 

Lords Of The Ring vs Lance and Chris.

 

Match Background: None.

 

The Match: Storm gets caught with a short powerbomb from Dinsmore. Reverse DDT on Storm. Tag between Nick Dinsmore and Rob Conway. Hard back suplex on Storm. Come to think of it, that move had WAY too much power in No Mercy for N64. Covers for a quick two count. Back heel kick off the second rope, Storm goes down. Conway tags out to Nick Dinsmore. Lords Of The Ring whip Storm into the ropes and hit a double backdrop. Pin, but Storm is out just before the three count. Nick Dinsmore gets taken down out of nowhere! Tag between Lance Storm and Chris Nowinski. Big kick from Nowinski staggers Dinsmore but that's about it. Powerslam from Chris Nowinski on Dinsmore. Nowinski tags out to Lance Storm. Lance and Chris whip Dinsmore into the ropes and hit a double backdrop. Dinsmore takes a flying neckbreaker from Lance Storm. Super kick by Lance Storm. Tag between Lance Storm and Chris Nowinski. Nick Dinsmore takes a right hand to the temple from Nowinski. Nick Dinsmore comes up with a right hand out of nowhere. Dinsmore tags out to Rob Conway. Conway crushes Nowinski with a huge legdrop. Nowinski holds Rob Conway in place. Lance Storm charges...but Conway ducks, andStormends up flooringNowinski! Rob Conway moves in for the kill. Iron Fist!!! That shook the ring. 1....2....3!! Storm and Nowinski remain in the ring. Chris Nowinski does not look happy at losing. Lance Storm goes to leave, but gets pulled back in by Nowinski. Tensions seem to be rising between these two.

 

My Opinion: Smack dab in the middle of the star spectrum for an average match. **1.

 

Ratings: (74, 69, 80). I brought the LOTR up from OVW and they've been doing well. Lance and Chris just aren't clicking as a tag team (even with Stacy in their corner), so I'll probably break them up.

 

The World Heavyweight champion Kane declares that tonight, RVD is in for some hurting. He is like the fly that gets zapped, but just comes back for more.

 

Rating: 81%

 

Dudley Boyz vs La Resistance.

 

Match Background: Dudley Boyz are one of the most experienced teams in the promotion. This match is for the WWE Tag Team titles. Dudley Boyz have been WWE Tag Team champions since 26 February 2004.

 

The Match: Bubba Ray Dudley connects with rights and lefts and Rene Dupree is down! Running knee lift from Bubba Ray Dudley. There's a two count on the pin. Tag to D-Von Dudley. Dudley Boyz whip Dupree into the corner. Bubba Ray Dudley whips D-Von Dudley in for a hard clothesline to follow-up. Covers for a quick two count. D-Von Dudley hits a right hand on Rene Dupree. Dupree counters a backdrop attempt with a kick to the face and hit a clothesline! Dupree hits a piledriver on D-Von Dudley. I know I wouldn't let someone that bad give me a piledriver. Hooks the leg for a two count. Tag to Sylvan Grenier. Powerslam from Sylvan Grenier on D-Von. Hooks the leg! ONE...TWO...NO! Weak bodyslam on D-Von by Grenier sets up a legdrop. D-Von Dudley is able to duck a clothesline attempt and connect with a counter clothesline. Sylvan Grenier takes a right hand to the temple from D-Von. Tag between D-Von Dudley and Bubba Ray Dudley. Trying to channel the spirit of Misawa, Bubba Ray Dudley ends up chanelling Lex Luger instead and nails a running forearm to the face, minus the steel plate, of course. Tag to Rene Dupree. BAAACK Body drop by Dupree gets a bit of a pop from the crowd. As D-Von and Dupree get into a brawl on the outside, Chris Nowinski comes running down into the ring! Bubba Ray Dudley gets grabbed, and they start brawling. Dupree takes some shots at Bubba as well. The referee, seeing the chaos, calls for a no contest ruling. Dudley Boyz and La Resistance don't look like they've finished! They continue to brawl in and around the ring, not stopping until a host of referees run down the aisle to break them up.

 

My Opinion: I can be generous sometimes. Well, depends on your definition of generous. **1/4.

 

Ratings: (74, 72, 77) I made the tag belts floaters and the Dudleys beat TWGTT last week on SD. A Dudleys/L&C match next week will be the catalyst for the L&C breakup.

 

Flair and Orton hang around in the Evolution locker room, talking about tonight's main event. Orton gets an idea to really stack the odds against Jericho.

 

Rating: 83%

 

Rob Van Dam walks backstage, but suddenly gets blindsided by Evolution, including an RKO on the floor to knock him out. A bunch of refs get them away, but the damage was already done.

 

Rating: 80%

 

Booker T rips into D'Lo Brown backstage. I'm pretty much letting these two duke it out until their contracts expire. Sure they'll go to TNA, but I just don't know what to do with them otherwise.

 

Rating: 77%

 

D'Lo Brown vs Edge.

 

Match Background: This match is for the WWE Intercontinental title. Edge has been WWE Intercontinental champion since 25 January 2004.

 

The Match: D'Lo gets slammed down hard and winces in pain. Edge misses a clothesline. D'Lo hits a right hand. The ref is bumped, as goes down after accidentally getting caught by an elbow to the face. Death valley driver by D'Lo Brown! No one executes that move properly anymore. Pinfall attempt, but the ref is out and can't count to three! Edge counters an arm wringer with an elbow to the side of the head. Running knee lift from Edge. Spinebuster by Edge. Covers for a quick two count. Edge scores with a big spinebuster. Hooks the leg! ONE...TWO...NO! Edge misses a big legdrop after stalling too long. Edge walks into a side slam. Think about how much talent it takes to side slam someone. Nash can do it. Pinfall attempt: ONE...TWO...NO! I would have bought that as the finish! Edge is able to duck a clothesline attempt and connect with a counter clothesline. Edge signals for the Edgeocutioner! Randy Orton comes out of the crowd and into the ring! Edge turns around. Randy Orton spins Edge around. Randy Orton hits the RKO! The referee calls for the DQ because of the interference of Orton! Randy Orton pushes the referee aside, then continues to assault Edge! Right hands rain down on Edge, pounding him into the canvas. Satisfied with his work, Randy Orton turns and leaves the ring, the damage done.

 

My Opinion: Absolutely solid match. A few minor things brought it down, so I'm tacking on a **** rating.

 

Ratings: (88, 83, 93) Orton and Edge have been feuding for a while, also, just to be clear.

 

Eric Bischoff sits in his office and jumps when Jericho bursts in, wanting a replacement partner since RVD is done for the night. Unfortunately, Bischoff can't help since no one wants to step into the ring with a guy like Kane OR have to face all of Evolution, so Jericho is on his own.

 

Rating: 82%

 

Chris Jericho vs Ric Flair and Kane.

 

Match Background: This will be a 2 on 1 handicap bout. Jericho and Flair are currently feuding. Neither has managed to get an in-ring victory in this feud. Kane is the reigning World Heavyweight champion, and has been since 21 December 2003.

 

The Match: Jericho hits a HARD spinning kick to the jaw. Jericho drives a thrust kick into the chest of Flair. Flair walks into a jaw breaker. There's a two count on the pin. Running knee lift from Chris Jericho. Kane pulls a mule kick out of nowhere. Kane \ Flair hook up Jericho, then hit a double suplex. Jericho takes a vertical suplex, but pops right back up. Nice piledriver on Jericho. Flair \ Kane whip Jericho into the ropes and hit a double clothesline. There's a two count on the pin. Kane scores with a big spinebuster. Pin, but Jericho is out just before the three count. Kane just WALKS into a stiff lariat clothesline from Jericho. Ric Flair strikes Chris Jericho with a hard blow. Flair \ Kane whip Jericho into the ropes and hit a double backdrop. Covers for a quick two count. STIFF~! chop lights up Jericho who covers up to try and stop the agonizing PAIN! Jericho reverses a Kane hammerlock. Jericho powers out of a headlock. Back heel kick off the second rope, Flair goes down. Pinfall attempt: ONE...TWO...NO! I would have bought that as the finish! Weak bodyslam by Flair. Kane scoops up Jericho. Flair bounces off the ropes and hits a flying Hart Attack clothesline. Ric Flair has Chris Jericho down on the canvas. Figure Four Leglock!!! Chris Jericho taps out!

 

My Opinion: *1 rating is all it gets from me.

 

Ratings: (81, 88, 65)

 

Totals: 77%, 6.04 rating, attendance level of 10025 people, made $401000 from ticket sales.

 

Fans were getting sick of seeing Flair and Jericho.