It’s time to get Taboo on Tuesday. Once again WWE has brought out the PPV that allows the fans to pick what happens, or so they say. While that statement seems more believable this year, it doesn’t seem as though the fans have… full authority. Nevertheless, let’s entertain the thought and move on.

After all the warm-up matches, elimination matches and voting was complete, “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels was determined as the third man for the main event, joining Kurt Angle and John Cena in the triple threat match for the WWE Championship.

Cena wasted no time going after his opposition, flatlining both men and laying them out to pasture. Though he was on spaghetti legs, Michaels fired back with some crushing blows that gave him some time in the driver’s seat. As Cena and Michaels rallied back and forth against each other, Angle found time to gather his thoughts and gain the upperhand.

Angle hit a few German suplexes, but was not able to make a quick pin. All three men tried to hit their finishers, but none could. Out of nowhere, Michaels joined up with Cena, and the beatdown on the champ ensued. The newfound faction then took Cena and threw him shoulder first into the ringpost, sending him to the floor, where the flapjacked him through the Spanish announcers table.

With Cena seemingly out of the equation, the pact soon broke, with Angle going right to town on the facial features of “The Heartbreak Kid.” Michaels fought out of a bodyscissor and ascended the ropes, only to get Angle Slammed off the top rope for a two count. Cena finally reentered the ring and met Angle and Michaels with a series of clotheslines, knocking Angle to the floor. Cena went for a Five Knuckle Shuffle, but was pulled out by Angle.

With all three men back in the ring, Angle belly-to-bellied Michaels over the top rope and to the floor. From there, Angle caught Cena in the Ankle Lock, and began tearing away at Cena’s ankle. Michaels fought his way back in and dropped an elbow from the top on Angle before Cena could tap. Michaels set up and hit Angle with Sweet Chin Music before walking into an F-U from Cena for the one-two-three. This match was everything it was cracked up to be and more. Great main event.

WWE Taboo Tuesday 2005 Results:

Match One – Raw vs SmackDown! Interpromotional Match – Gene Snitsky and “The Masterpiece” Chris Masters vs Matt Hardy and Rey Mysterio

Prior to the match getting underway, Lita and Edge took their turns on the microphone and said that Edge would not be wrestling. Edge went on to say that he didn’t care about the fans or Raw, only about himself. He announced his replacement — Gene Snitsky. Edge and Lita left, and the match got underway. Masters jumped both men from behind and immediately went to work, smothering the SmackDown! team. It should also be noted that two referees were put in this match, one for Raw and one for SmackDown! Mysterio used his quickness to mount a comeback, which Hardy followed up by planting Snitsky off the ropes with a superplex/brainbuster. However, a great size differential helped to gain Raw the upperhand. Hardy was kept isolated from the SmackDown! side of the ring, due to the mat wrestling skills of Snitsky and Masters… that’s right I said their mat wrestling skills. When Hardy did break free, Mysterio got the tag and put some of his frequent flyer miles to great use. Mysterio got locked in The Masterlock, which Lawler still thinks has never been broken. Mysterio pushed off and had the pin on Masters while the lock was still on, but the Raw referee stopped the count at two. All four men got involved, Snitsky was sent to the floor and Masters was wrapped up with a 6-1-9, Twist of Fate and a West Coast Pop. Good opening match, though it’s too bad Christian didn’t get one last chance to shine. Masters and Snitsky have both improved vast amounts.

Winners Via Pinfall – Matt Hardy and Rey Mysterio
Match Rating – 7/10

Mick Foley was shown talking backstage to Maria. Foley asks if there luggage was mixed up, displaying a lingerie top. Maria is shown wearing a Mankind mask. The camera goes back to Foley, who is handed the mask, as well as his “Gear,” a bra and panties. She tells Mick to have a nice day, to which he replies “I think I just did.” Funny segment.

Match Two – Rob Conway and Tyson Tomko vs Eugene and Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka

Conway and Tomko just demolished Eugene, until two miscues led to their demise. Once Snuka got the tag in, it was all over. Tomko got well acquainted with the ringside fans, while Conway received a pair of headbutts, some chops, a slam and a Superfly Splash. After the match, Tomko attacked Snuka. As the assault was going on, “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan and “The Ugandan Giant” Kamala came out to make the save. Tomko was met with a clothesline from Duggan and splash from Kamala as the legends and Eugene stood tall.

Winners Via Pinfall – Eugene & Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka
Match Rating – 5/10

Match Three – Carlito Caribbean Cool vs Mankind

Back and forth opening, with both men exchanging blows. It took no time for the fight to spill out to the floor, with Mankind grabbing a chair, only to have it blasted into his face via a drop toe hold into the steel steps. Carlito was quick to bring things back inside the squared circle, applying a chinlock on Mankind. Mankind was able to get back to a vertical base and go “Old School” on Carlito with a running knee and an elbow drop off the ring apron. The double underhook DDT dazed Carlito, leading to the Carlito version of Mr. Socko (Mr. Socko with an afro), being shoved down the gullet of the cool one.

Winner Via Submission – Mankind
Match Rating – 5/10

In his office, Eric Bischoff was complaining to someone on his cell phone until Vince McMahon entered. McMahon told Bischoff that he could not wait for the Raw vs SmackDown! tag team match. Bischoff told McMahon that it already happened and that Raw lost. McMahon got upset and asked Bischoff where that fire was, the same fire that Bischoff had when he tried to run McMahon out of business. McMahon told Bischoff he was on his own for the next Raw vs SmackDown! match between Coach and Batista. Bischoff went to talk to McMahon, but he had already left, leaving Bischoff very angry.

Mankind was shown joining WWE Instant Access to answer some questions online.

Next up, Todd Grisham ran down the voting results for the World Heavyweight Championship. And the winner is…”The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels. Michaels was congratulated by Big Show, but not by Kane.

Match Four – World Tag Team Championship Match – Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch (C) vs Kane and The Big Show

I like Cade and Murdoch, for whatever reason, they just seem to be the perfect tag team. They have the look and they appear to be learning well, a great combination. For a large portion of the match, Cade and Murdoch were manhandled. Cade and Murdoch got in some offence, thanks to a “Sweet and Sour” on the floor. Big Show got the tag, and as was the theme in these tag matches, Murdoch was sent to the floor as a double chokeslam was delivered up to Cade. Post match, Todd Grisham came in to interview the new champs, but they stopped him so they could hit Murdoch was a double chokeslam before leaving.

Winners Via Pinfall and NEW World Tag Team Champions – Kane and The Big Show
Match Rating – 6/10

In some secluded lockeroom area, Vader is shown warming up. Goldust entered the room and did one of his famous promos. The Coach came in next and talked about slapping Batista. He went on to say that after what they did to Batista, there was no telling how far they could go. He finished up by saying that it wouldn’t be long before the fans heard, “Jonathan Coachman…WWE Champion.”

Todd Grisham brought us back to the Taboo Tuesday Control Center, where he introduced the divas and tallied the votes for their match, concluding that the divas would be wearing…lingerie.

Match Five – Street Fight – Jonathan Coachman w/ Goldust and Vader vs “The Animal” Batista

Batista went wild on all three men. With the exception of a few kendo stick shots and belt whips, it was all Batista. After gaining possession of the belt, Batista took out Vader and Goldust and planted The Coach with a Batista Bomb.

Winner Via Pinfall – “The Animal” Batista
Match Rating – 4/10

In the interview area, Todd Grisham stood by with “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels. Michaels was talking about the WWE Championship, until he was interrupted by Kurt Angle. Angle asked Michaels to team up with him. Michaels said he would think about it, but Angle told him that he better think good.

Match Six – WWE Women’s Championship Fufill Your Fantasy Lingerie Diva Battle Royal – Trish Stratus (C) vs Mickie James vs Maria vs Victoria vs Candice Michelle vs Ashley

A lot of hair pulling and kicking in the beginning.
Elimination 1 – Maria
Michelle saved herself from going over next, but some showboating cost her dearly, as Ashley made the elimination.
Elimination 2 – Candice Michelle
With actual wrestlers in the ring, the match shifted gears. Victoria used the catapult to dispose of Ashley.
Elimination 3 – Ashley
Stratus used an amazing tilt-a-whirl headscissors to her advantage. Stratus and Victoria tried to eliminate one another, until James made the save. Victoria then clotheslined James and the two began fighting, ending with James sacrificing herself for Stratus and eliminating herself and Victoria.
Elimination 4 – Victoria
Elimination 5 – Mickie James
Todd Grisham went to interview Stratus, but James interrupted and began cheering on Stratus and talking about how amazing she was.

Winner and STILL WWE Women’s Champion – Trish Stratus
Match Rating – 3/10

Todd Grisham ran down the voting on the Ric Flair/HHH bout, leading to…

Match Seven – WWE Intercontinental Championship Steel Cage Match – “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair (C) vs HHH

Out of the blocks, Flair and HHH went right at each other, chops blazing and fists pounding. HHH quickly made the necessary adjustments, catching Flair with a spinebuster and proceeding to beat his face in. Following up that brutal beatdown, HHH picked up the champ and threw him face first into the steel mesh, busting him wide open. Mocking “The Nature Boy,” HHH rolled up his knee pad, shouted a “Wooo” and dropped the exposed knee right on the crimson face of Flair. In an attempt to further open the gash on Flair’s head, HHH used a steel chain wrapped around his fist, throwing punch after punch. After mocking the champ some more, HHH did a strut and locked on The Figure Four Leglock. Flair reversed the Figure Four, but HHH continued to roll through, reaching the ropes and forcing the break. HHH taunted some more, and went to lock on another Figure Four, but he was sent face first into the steel, opening his forehead up as well. From there, Flair went nuts on HHH, taking him completely off his “Game.” Flair locked on a Figure Four of his own, but HHH grabbed the ref and threw him on top of Flair, causing the break. Flair tried to escape the cage, but HHH was hot on his tail, Flair knowing HHH was behind him, turned around and hit “The Game” with a flying clothesline for a two count. Flair tried to exit the ring through the door, but HHH grabbed him as Flair grabbed a chair. HHH stepped on the chair as it was brought in, crushing Flair’s hand. HHH went to hit Flair while he was down, but Flair grabbed a hold of his southern anatomy and went to work with some chops, some fists and three wicked chair shots, allowing “The Nature Boy” to leave the cage, still champion.

Winner via Exiting The Cage and STILL Champion – “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair
Match Rating – 7/10

Match Eight – WWE Championship Triple Threat Match – John Cena (C) vs Kurt Angle vs “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels

Winner Via Pinfall and STILL WWE Champion – John Cena
Match Rating – 8/10

Overall Event Rating – 7/10

Raw continues to dominate on PPV. They have the method down and are utilizing it to perfection. While Taboo Tuesday was a near repeat of itself — Divas Battle Royal, new tag champs, Michaels winning the Heavyweight title spot, Ric Flair in a cage, etc. — it was still one of the most enjoyable PPVs that WWE has delivered recently. Keep up the good work Raw… and SmackDown! take some notes.