Taboo Tuesday was billed as a first of its kind, an interactive PPV where fans had the ultimate right to decide who fought who, who wore what, and what weapons were legal. The fans became the RAW GM when voting began on the October 18th edition of Monday Night Raw and the superstars fate was in their hands. However they did it, WWE put on an okay PPV. They should be able to learn from this one and expand on the concept.
The fans surprisingly chose Shawn Michaels to challenge Triple-H for the WWE championship, marking their fifth pay per view battle in 2004. Michaels was reportedly legitimately injured going in and the match focused on that with The Game concentrating entirely on HBK’s wounded wheel, kicking away at it before snaring the figure four. The referee tried to ring the bell, but Michaels grabbed him and told him not too, finally reaching the bottom rope. HHH tried to wrap Michaels leg around the ring post, until Shawn Michaels pulled his leg in and drove The Game into the turnbuckle post.
Michaels came back with chops but Hunter targeted the knee once again, stopping the momentum briefly until Michaels came back with a catapult into the ring post. Michaels fought back with a DDT and slowly scaled the ropes and connected with an elbow drop. Michaels willed himself back into the match and tuned the band. Batista hit the apron and Michaels took him out and connected with a superkick to a charging champion. Edge, who had left the building in disgust earlier slid into the ring and connected with a spear on Michaels, allowing HHH to crawl over and drop onto him for a successful title defense.
The WWE chose to end the evening with one of the few anticipated matches of the night in Randy Orton vs. Ric Flair. The fans voted for a cage match, greatly outnumbering the choices of submission or falls count anywhere. Orton, half the age of “The Nature Boy” showed his usual cockiness as he hit the ring. The two men traded chops and punches in the early going before Orton took control with a high backdrop. Flair took out Orton and started to scale the cage, but Orton climbed up with him, shaking his finger at Flair, who responded with a poke to the eyes. Flair low blowed Orton and sent him headfirst into the cage, busting him open. Punching away at the cut, Flair added to the bloodshed by raking Orton’s face across the steel. After taking punishment from chops, punches and kicks Orton came back with punches of his own and sent Flair into the cage, resulting in Flair’s blond locks taking their traditional crimson shade. Flair continued tradition by trying to scale the cage and having the back of his tights pulled down. Yes, fans were thrilled to see Flair’s ancient rear end. He staggered along the top rope after repeatedly having his head introduced to the steel beam at the top of the cage before falling and straddling himself. Orton rubbed Flair’s face against the cold metal and dropkicked him back into the cage and straight down to the sweaty, blood soaked canvas. Orton climbed the cage and delivered a high crossbody for a two count. Flair came back against the young upstart before heading to the door, but Orton stopped him. The Dirtiest Player in the Game pulled out brass knuckles and leveled Orton for a two count. A second attempt to leave the cage through the door resulted in Flair pulling in the steel chair that was used as a seat for the outside referee. Flair swung the chair, Orton ducked and Flair turned around into an RKO. As the fans cheered both men staggered to their feet and Flair extended his hand. Orton took it and the two embraced as the torch was passed to the future of the WWE.
The next WWE pay per view is the dual brand Survivor Series on November 14
WWE Taboo Tuesday Results
Coach was the emcee of the night. The set was designed like a computer, with the Titantron as a computer screen and the stage being a massive keyboard. Computers were set up to one side where the votes were being tabulated. The Diva Battle Royal stipulation was announced as schoolgirls, while Shelton Benjamin was chosen to challenge Chris Jericho.
Match One: WWE Intercontinental Championship Match – Chris Jericho (champion) vs. Shelton Benjamin (challenger)
The fans made a great choice for the opener in a very technical match. Early on Jericho hit his signature running enziguri for a two count. When Y2J headed up top, Benjamin jumped up as well and connected with a monster superplex for a two count. Jericho came back with a bulldog and a Lionsault attempt, but no water in the pool. A lariat from the top delivered by Benjamin caused a two count. Jericho came back with the Walls but Benjamin reversed into a small package for yet another near fall. Jericho finally connected with the Lionsault for another two count. Benjamin whipped Jericho to the buckles, Jericho jumped to the second rope and leapt into Benjamin’s T-bone suplex for the upset win. Jericho handed the belt to the new champion as a show of respect
Winner: and new WWE Intercontinental Champion … Shelton Benjamin at 10:56
Match Rating- 6/10
Backstage Todd Grisham asked Shawn Michaels, Edge and Chris Benoit to give their final thoughts. The Coach then asks the live audience who they wanted to see face HHH. The live audience picked Shawn Michaels, as did the Internet. This left Chris Benoit and Edge to challenge for the tag team titles.
Match Two: Fulfill Your Fantasy Battle Royal for the WWE Women’s Championship
The Divas looked absolutely amazing and a great job by WWE Wardrobe, sadly there were no wardrobe malfunctions. Nidia had her top ripped off while Stacy Keibler choked everyone with her long legs. Molly and Trish joined forces, while Victoria and Stacy teamed up. Nidia was first to go, followed quickly by Jazz. Gail Kim tried to hurricanrana Victoria over the top but ended up on the floor herself. Victoria was also quickly eliminated, leaving Trish and Molly to double-team Keibler. Trish choked Stacy out with one of her hair ribbons. Molly sent Stacy to the corner, Kiebler tried a headscissors and was pushed to the floor. Stratus then pushed Holly through the ropes to eliminate her. Huh?
Winner: … and still WWE Woman’s Champion … Trish Stratus at 5:35.
Match Rating: 3/10
Todd Grisham interviewed La Resistance who were not happy about facing Benoit and Edge. A video package ran highlighting all of Gene Snitsky’s dead baby references. Man that guy cuts some disturbing promos.
The live audience wanted to see a chain match for Kane vs. Gene Snitsky. The Internet audience voted for a chain. What a coincidence.
Match Three: Chain Match – Kane w/ Lita vs. Gene Snitsky
Both men battled it out to see who could gain control of the chain. Kane decimated Snitsky and swung the chain, but Snitsky ducked and took the chain himself, which didn’t last long. Kane regained chain (mainly in Spain) and needless to say it became very good friends with Snitsky’s head. Snitsky yanked the chain while Kane was holding it, sending him headfirst into the turnbuckle post. Snitzky introduced Kane’s head and stomach to the chain and then choked him. The bout continued with both men hitting each other hard with their offences. I am somewhat surprised at the force they were packing in those chain shots. Snitsky tried to choke Kane out but the Big Red Machine came back and delivered some heavy punches but Snitsky comes back and put Kane down. Kane sat up and rallied with punches and a simultaneous big boot took both men down. Lita pulled the chain out of the ring when Snitsky went for it, and Kane set up a chokeslam only for Gene to fight out. On the outside Kane hits the steps and then is repeatedly hit in the throat with the chair. In a cool booking moment, Snitsky used the same move on Kane that the big man used to take Shawn Michaels out in June, placing the chair around Kane’s neck and jumping off the turnbuckles with a stomp. Kane coughed up blood as the referee stopped the match. Snitsky pinned Kane anyway. When paramedics had a stretchered Kane up the ramp, Gene tried to tip the gurney over but it fell the wrong way and Kane crashed to the ramp face first. Ouch.
Winner: Gene Snitsky at 14:18
Match Rating: 6/10
Grisham interviewed a very angry Edge about not getting a Heavyweight Title match. He said he didn’t want to disrespect the tag titles, but he had already been tag champion ten times and would have beaten Triple-H while HBK would not. He sarcastically thanked the fans. I voted for Edge, but then again, did my vote count? Did any votes count?
Match Four: Eric Bischoff vs. Eugene
A squash match saw Eugene quickly “Hulk Up” and connect with an airplane spin, big boot and a legdrop to get the three count. After the match, the stipulation is revealed as “Loser gets his head shaved.” A long, long, time and money wasting segment follows before Vince McMahon strutted to the ring and demanded Bischoff get his head shaved or he was fired. Some humorous stuff involving Bischoff complaining and Coach being ordered to strip and put on a dress followed, including a great line “Don’t be a slut, button it up.” Vince called Bischoff on his gray hair, like it was some big shock. Most of us saw it in WCW.
Winner: Eugene at 2:10
Match Rating: 3/10
Backstage an upset Edge yelled at Shawn Michaels about how he would have won the match and called Michaels a few names.
La Resistance sang the entire Canadian national anthem. Another first, an anthem was sung to completion. If I translate correctly it went something like this: “Oh Canada, we have no hockey. We lost the Expos and Vince Carter, because they don’t want to be with thee! We don’t know if were French or not, just leeeeet us be! Oh Canada, we get blamed for everything! Probably cause we complain so much or maybe it’s the way we sing!”
I’ll stop now. Just kidding. I’m fired, I can tell.
Match Five: World Tag Team Championship Match – La Resistance (Champions) vs. Edge and Chris Benoit (Challengers)
Factoid: Edge and Chris Benoit held the tag belts together before, winning them in Calgary and dropping them to La Resistance in Montreal, so this is a rematch. Edge and Benoit are less friendly now. Conway took a lot of abuse from both men in the early going. Benoit broke up an argument with a fan and Grenier attacked Edge from behind. Edge came back and speared Conway. La Rez finally took over working on Benoit. Edge decided he had enough and walked out to his car, asking Ritchie for his bag on the way out. Despite being alone, Benoit came back with a superplex to Grenier, a series of German suplexes, and trapped Conway in the crippler crossface to snare the tag team titles.
Winners: … and new WWE Tag Team Champions … Edge & Chris Benoit at 16:06
Match Rating: 7/10
Backstage Todd Grisham spoke to HHH. The Game said he knew Shawn Michaels better than Shawn Michaels knew himself and promised if Shawn Michaels leg wasn’t broken already it would be. Nothing better than a HHH heel promo.
A video package highlighted Christy and Carmella’s “feud.”
The Coach introduced the participants while wearing his dress. He asked the live audience what kind of match they wanted. They chose a Lingerie Pillow Fight and by stunning coincidence so did the voters. The ladies entered cubicles that silhouetted them while they changed, Christy moved like a stripper while Carmella was a shadowy blob. Christy also took forever to change, typical.
Match Six: Lingerie Pillow Fight – Christy vs. Carmella
I told you all Carmella would be in WWE. Christy pulled the “enhancement” out of the front of Carmella’s bra and tossed it into the crowd. After a lot of pillow hitting and rolling around, Christy covered Carmella and the referee counted. Too bad her shoulder was far up off the mat. Torrie vs. Sable all over again, why count the pin when it is obvious to everyone that the shoulders aren’t down?
Winner: Christy at 1:42
Match Rating: 0/10
Match Seven – World Heavyweight Championship Match – HHH vs. Shawn Michaels
Winner: and still World Heavyweight Champion … HHH at 14:08
Match Rating: 7/10
Backstage Eric Bischoff, sporting a gray crew cut, yelled at a bunch of crewmembers threatening to fire them if they laughed. JR and The King then recapped all of the events that happened during the evening and a package about the Flair and Orton feud aired.
Match Eight: Steel Cage Match – “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair vs. Randy Orton
Winner: Randy Orton at 10:35
Match Rating: 10/10
Overall Event Rating: 5/10
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Chris Sokol is the youngest writer on the SLAM! Wrestling Staff. Contact Chris at CJS137@aol.com
