This Week In WWE: Edition XXXXVII

Welcome to the forty-seventh edition of This Week In WWE. Feel free to contact me on TWO or Wrestling 101 anytime with comments, questions, and anything in between. Also, check out my blog on Wrestling101.com.

The 826th edition of Monday Night RAW came to you, live, from the Sprint Center in Kansas City, MO. Confirmed for the night in the KC was a 2-on-1 Handicap Match pitting WWE Champion Triple H against both Randy Orton & Ted DiBiase. Also, 2/3 of the Triple Threat Match for the World Heavyweight Title at WrestleMania would face off as World Heavyweight Champion Edge took on Big Show in a non-title match.

RAW opened with WWE Hall of Famer "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair. "Naitch" announces that Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka, Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, & "Rowdy" Roddy Piper have accepted Chris Jericho’s challenge to a 3-on-1 Handicap Match at the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania. Flair added that he would be honored to be in the corner of his friends at WrestleMania, who he vowed would win come April 5. Chris Jericho interrupts and states that he is better than Snuka, Steamboat, & Piper. Jericho reitterates that no one cares about Flair or any of the Superstars of the past. Jericho stated that the legends keep popping up because they are worried that they will become "nobodies". Jericho then promises a "disgusting" beatdown of the legends come WrestleMania. Jericho then proclaims that Mickey Rourke started it all with his movie- "The Wrestler". Jericho added that he will "youthanize" the legends at WrestleMania. Flair responded by saying that Jericho is wrong and that Jericho will never be a Hall of Famer like him and the other legends. Flair vows that himself, Mickey Rourke, Jimmy Snuka, Ricky Steamboat, & Roddy Piper will all stand over a beaten Jericho at WrestleMania. Jericho then hits Flair with a right hand and commences a hideous assault on "The Nature Boy". The attack got even more unsightly after Jericho ejected Flair from the ring and bloodied the face of Flair. With Flair’s blood on knuckles, Jericho continued to assault the Hall of Famer in a fit of insanity. Jericho capped off the assault by blasting Flair with a television camera. Jericho then took the gold Rolex off of the wrist of the broken and bloody Flair; the Rolex that Flair received from Shawn Michaels the night after his retirement. Jericho then smashed HBK’s present into pieces. After being decimated by Chris Jericho, will Ric Flair even be at WrestleMania?

Enraged by the attack he had just witnessed, fellow Hall of Famer Jerry "The King" Lawler challenged Chris Jericho to a match on next week’s RAW. Will Jericho accept the challenge of "The King"?

As if the opening moments of RAW were not "extreme" enough, the opening match of the night was an Extreme Rules Match that saw Jeff Hardy destroy Dolph Ziggler with various weapons. After the match, Jeff told his brother and WrestleMania opponent Matt Hardy that what Matt feels at WrestleMania will be nothing short of "extreme".

RAW also hosted a special preview of the Money-in-the-Bank Ladder Match at WrestleMania as all eight participants in the match faced off in an 8-Man Tag Match. In the end, it was the team of Christian, CM Punk, new United States Champion MVP, & Kofi Kingston defeating the team of Kane, Finlay, Mark Henry, & Shelton Benjamin. After the match, Finlay came into the ring wielding a ladder, laying out all of the opposition. Will Finlay be the one standing tall come WrestleMania?

Backstage, Randy Orton states that Triple H does not realize who Orton is and that he will prove he is not a "coward" like Triple H claims. Orton then promised that he will be responsible for an attack so heinous that it will make his prior attacks on the McMahon family look "tame".

Then it was time for World Heavyweight Champion Edge to take on one of his WrestleMania opponents- Big Show in a non-title match. Before the match got underway, both Edge & Show tried to get a kiss from the object of their affection, but was denied from a still-seeting Vickie Guerrero. The two then commenced in trying to destroy each other. After Big Show tied Edge up in the ropes (a la John Cena from last week), Vickie sent in her nephew Chavo Guerrero to try and prevent Show from his assault on her husband. Chavo entered the ring and tried to reason with Big Show, but Show swatted Chavo away. Chavo then made the mistake of attacking Big Show. Big Show backs Chavo up, but Show sidesteps when Edge tried to spear him, causing Edge to hit Chavo with an inadvertant spear. After accidentally spearing his second Guerrero in a row, Big Show knocked the champion out cold with his vicious right hand.

Rey Mysterio was also in action, defeating William Regal. After the match, Rey Mysterio got a piece of his WrestleMania opponent- Intercontinental Champion JBL by hitting the Millionaire with a baseball slide.

The Undertaker also made an appearance on RAW. "The Deadman" stated that Shawn Michaels’ arrogance has upped their WrestleMania match to a new level and proclaimed that Michaels has opened up the "gates of Hell". Shawn Michaels then appears on the big screen in Undertaker’s territory- a graveyard. HBK proclaims that The Undertaker does not intimidate him, nor does the sixteen men Undertaker has defeated at WrestleMania. Michaels then promises that "The Streak" will be "buried" come WrestleMania and that it will "rest in peace". Undertaker is then shown in the ring, completely irate. Has Michaels done the near-impossible and gained the psychologicial edge over The Undertaker two weeks before they meet at WrestleMania?

Santino Marella also appears with one hand tied behind his back. Marella reveals that he went to GM Vickie Guerrero and requested that he be placed in the 25-Diva Battle Royal at WrestleMania! Marella then announced that if he beats Mickie James with one arm tied behind his back, then he can compete in the Battle Royal and prove that he is "man enough to become Miss WrestleMania". Early on in the match, Mickie tied the other arm of Marella behind his back. Though Marella made a valiant effort in beating the former Women’s Champion with no hands, Mickie was able to defeat Marella to keep a man out of the Diva Battle Royal.

Then it was time for the main event- a 2-on-1 Handicap Match between WWE Champion Triple H and Randy Orton & Ted DiBiase. However, neither side had any interest in competing in a match as they immediately started brawling back and forth. Triple H would pick up the upper hand and then he would go under the ring for his trusty sledgehammer. However, when he reached under the ring, "The Game" was ambushed by Cody Rhodes! Orton & Legacy then commenced a horrible assault on Triple H. Then they handcuffed "The Game" to the top ring rope and continued the vicious assault. Orton then stated that there is only one person who can help Triple H and "she better hurry". Orton then gets a sledgehammer and readies himself to blast Triple H with it. However, Stephanie McMahon rushes to ringside to try and stop the unrelenting assault. Stephanie then gets on the apron, but is snatched by Orton, who DDT’s Triple H’s wife into the canvas, much to the extreme dismay of Triple H, who was forced to watch the heinous attack. Orton then puts the sledgehammer down and kisses Stephanie, watching Triple H the entire time! Orton then picks the sledgehammer back up and, with an insane look in his eyes, blasts Triple H with the sledgehammer, which knocks "The Game" out. Orton then exits, leaving husband and wife unconcious in the ring. Orton promised and delivered an unbelievably heinous attack, but what will Triple H do once he and Orton are in the same arena again? At this pace, will either Triple H or Orton be able to compete come WrestleMania?

The 146th edition of ECW on Sci-Fi came to you from the Sprint Center in Kansas City, MO. Confirmed for ECW was a special edition of The VIP Lounge featuring the participants in the Money-in-the-Bank Ladder Match. Also, ECW Champion Jack Swagger would team up with Tyson Kidd to take on the team of Evan Bourne & Tommy Dreamer. WWE Tag Team Champion Carlito would also take on World Tag Team Champion John Morrison.

The opening match of the night saw WWE Tag Team Champion Carlito take on World Tag Team Champion John Morrison. In the middle of the contest, Miz, Morrison, & Nikki Bella tried to walk away from the match, but they were stopped by ECW General Manager Theodore Long, who made the major announcement that the Unified WWE Tag Team Championship Match at the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania would now be a Lumberjack Match! GM Long then restarted the one-on-one match as a Lumberjack Match. With a little help from the Lumberjacks at ringside, Carlito was able to pin John Morrison for the win.

The final 2009 Hall of Fame Inductee was announced on ECW as legendary ring announced Howard Finkel will be inducted on April 4 in Houston.

Evan "Air" Bourne & "ECW Original" Tommy Dreamer defeated the team of ECW Champion Jack Swagger & Tyson Kidd.

Then it was time for The VIP Lounge featuring all eight competitors taking part in the Money-in-the-Bank Ladder Match at WrestleMania. Seven of the eight competitors all vowed to walk out of Houston as "Mr. Money-in-the-Bank", but in the end, it was a pyrotechnics display by Kane that left Kane standing tall in the middle of the ring. Will "The Big Red Machine" be the one standing tall come WrestleMania?

The 501st edition of WWE SmackDown came to you from the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, TX. Confirmed for SmackDown was a special 8-Man Tag featuring the eight participants in the Money-in-the-Bank Ladder Match as CM Punk, new United States Champion MVP, Mark Henry, & Kofi Kingston teamed up to face the opposition of Kane, Christian, Finlay, & Shelton Benjamin. SmackDown would also host a 6-Person Mixed Tag Match, where WWE Tag Team Champions Primo & Carlito would team with Brie Bella to take on the team of World Tag Team Champions The Miz & John Morrison and Brie’s twin sister Nikki Bella.

The night kicked off with a special WrestleMania preview of the Money-in-the-Bank Ladder Match as the eight participants squared off in an 8-Man Tag Match that saw the odd team of Kane, Christian, Finlay, & Shelton Benjamin defeat the equally as odd team of CM Punk, United States Champion MVP, Mark Henry, & Kofi Kingston. After the match, a "Bank Brawl" broke out between the eight Superstars. Christian then went under the ring and got a ladder and attempted to climb it to the briefcase hanging above the ring. However, Finlay tipped the ladder over, sending "Captain Charisma" flying onto the six other participants. In the end, Finlay and his son Hornswoggle stood atop the ladder. Will we see the same scene come WrestleMania?

It was announced during the 8-Man Tag Match that, on next week’s SmackDown, Shelton Benjamin will get his rematch for the United States Title as he takes on new champion MVP for the gold. With two days to go before WrestleMania, can the "Gold Standard" regain his gold and gain momentum heading into Houston?

The #1 Contender for the World Heavyweight Title Big Show was also in action, getting a decisive victory over Jesse & Festus in a 2-on-1 Handicap Match.

Backstage, Matt Hardy vows to extinguish the "fire" burning inside his brother Jeff come WrestleMania. Matt also calls his brother a "selfish child" and promises to go "extreme" on Jeff. Both of these brothers’ actions have been "extreme" since their family imploded in January; who will come out the better brother after the two have done battle in an Extreme Rules contest at WrestleMania?

Rey Mysterio also made a special appearance on SmackDown, picking up a hard-fought victory over old rival Chavo Guerrero. After the match, Rey’s WrestleMania opponent; Intercontinental Champion JBL laid out Rey with a big boot, sending a clear cut message to his #1 Contender.

Matt Hardy was also in action, defeating R-Truth.

John Cena made an appearance on SmackDown. Cena states that he had to resort to blackmail to even make it into the World Heavyweight Title Match at WrestleMania and he would do it again if need be. Cena says that the love triangle between World Heavyweight Champion Edge, #1 Contender Big Show, & General Manager Vickie Guerrero has taken the World Heavyweight Title "hostage" and he will "rescue" the title come WrestleMania. Cena says that Edge & Big Show are going to WrestleMania to win the heart of Vickie, but he is going to WrestleMania to win the World Heavyweight Title. Big Show then makes his way to the ring and tells Cena that Vickie’s love makes him stronger. Show then challenges Cena to find out on RAW. Cena accepts the challenge to a match against Big Show this Monday night on RAW. Big Show starts to exit, but Cena grabs the gargantuan leg of Big Show and shoves "The World’s Largest Athlete" off of the apron and sends him tumbling to the arena floor. An irate Big Show screams "you shouldn’t have done that". Did Cena make a mistake in further angering Big Show or did he make a statement to Big Show? Either way, can Cena survive the wrath of the 441 pound Goliath on RAW?

In a 6-Person Mixed Tag Match, WWE Tag Team Champions Primo & Carlito teamed with Bella Twin- Brie to defeat World Tag Team Champions The Miz & John Morrison and the other Bella- Nikki.

Jeff Hardy also made an appearance and said that it was time he took something from Matt Hardy in exchange for everything that Matt has taken from him. Jeff then proclaims that him and Matt are not brothers on the grand stage of WrestleMania.

The Divas Title was also up for grabs as Michelle McCool received her long-awaited rematch for the title against reigning champion Maryse. However, the match came to a screeching halt when Gail Kim made her return to SmackDown, laying out both of the bad blondes and holding up the Divas Title. It’s obvious what Gail wants, but will Gail get it?

Shawn Michaels made a special appearance on SmackDown to present a "tribute" to his WrestleMania opponent- The Undertaker. White druids surrounded the ring and then Shawn Michaels made his entrance in a white version of The Undertaker’s traditional entrance attire. After mocking the legendary entrance of "The Phenom", HBK proclaims that he and The Undertaker represent darkness and light. Michaels states that Undertaker represents the darkness and all things evil, while Michaels craves the spotlight. HBK then vowed that the WrestleMania undefeated streak of The Undertaker will meet a "grisly end" come April 5 in Houston. HBK then proclaimed that he would take "The Deadman" to the "depths of hell" and he will "ascend victorious". Undertaker then came straight from hell as he popped up through the ring apron and went after Shawn Michaels! Undertaker went to hoist HBK up for the chokeslam, but Michaels made a hasty escape from the grip of "The Phenom". A classically cocky Michaels then exuded confidence as he posed on the staging area, aware of the fact that he is in the head of The Undertaker. Undertaker promised to attack Michaels when Michaels least expected it and his promise was for filled, but HBK was able to escape. What will happen when neither man is able to escape the other come WrestleMania? Will "The Streak" die or will the seventeenth victim be laid to rest?

Superstar of the Week: Shawn Michaels