ST. LOUIS - Temperatures are seriously scorching with just six days left until the hottest happening this side of WrestleMania. That's right, we're talkin' SummerSlam. In the run-up to the boiling brawl, Raw celebrity guest host Freddie Prinze Jr., turned up the oven and ripped off the knob.

WWE Champion Randy Orton & John Cena def. Unified Tag Team Champions Chris Jericho & Big Show
The summer humidity outside may have hung heavy in the Missouri air, but the tension inside was almost thick enough to choke on. As Unified Tag Team Champions Chris Jericho & Big Show sized up their opponents, WWE Champion Randy Orton & John Cena, The Viper and Cena were busy sizing up each other. And who could blame them?

Although Cena and Orton harbored obvious distrust, the WWE Universe voiced their opinion on WWE e-Vote, affirming that they felt the two would still manage to squeeze out a victory.

To add to the intrigue, Prinze Jr., bravely returned to establish the tag team bout as a Lumberjack Match with the ring surrounded by his handpicked Superstars, all with a suspicious eye on Orton.

Not only do Orton and Cena have a laundry list of complaints about one another, they're set to square off in six days at SummerSlam. With a weary eye on their "partner," both Orton and Cena tried to fend off the sizable challenge of their tag team tormentors. In the end, it was Cena who captured the victory for his team by pinning Jericho. True to form, however, The Viper RKO'd his partner to show his gratitude. As if to prove his mettle, Cena not only rebounded, he also tossed both Jericho and Big Show out of the ring.

Floyd "Money" Mayweather to host next week's Raw
The WWE Universe will remember Floyd "Money" Mayweather as the man who bloodied Big Show's nose and defeated The World's Largest Athlete at WrestleMania XXIV. Now they'll also know him as Raw's celebrity guest host one day after SummerSlam. Tune in Monday night to watch the boxing great take control.

Hornswoggle def. Chavo Guerrero
Oh, Chavo. Losing to a 4-foot-4-inch leprechaun seems to be taking its toll. This week, Guerrero found himself "facing" Hornswoggle, this time in a Falls Count Anywhere Match. The sly 'Swoggle fled the ring early, heading toward the locker room area of the Scottrade Center. With Chavo in pursuit, Hornswoggle locked himself in a room. When Chavo finally opened the door, a can of paint swung down, knocking him unconscious, enabling Hornswoggle to score the victory. When he finally came to, he discovered that 'Swoggle wasn't to blame. Actually, the culprit appeared to be Prinze's pal, Macaulay Culkin!

MVP def. Jack Swagger by disqualification
Montel Vontavious Porter; the name alone seems like a lot to handle. And now Jack Swagger finds himself forced to handle more than just a name. After weeks of trading barbs, last week "The All-American American" underhandedly attacked MVP after his match against Chris Masters. This week, however, The Franchise Playa came prepared. MVP put in a solid effort against Swagger until the arrogant American refused to yield to the referee after displaying relentless aggression to get disqualified.

Divas Champion Mickie James def. Gail Kim
Having teamed with Divas Champion Mickie James just two weeks prior, Gail Kim found herself facing down the sporty stunner for the title. While Kim's efforts were impressive as usual, Mickie proved too powerful for the No. 1 contender and emerged with her title intact.

DX returned to Raw; The Legacy attacked
After months of seclusion, Shawn Michaels finally made his climactic return to D-Generation X and Monday Night Raw, much to the thrill of the WWE Universe. Any celebration, however, would prove short-lived. As Michaels and partner Triple H addressed the crowd, their SummerSlam opponents, The Legacy, attacked DX from behind. Then it was Cody Rhodes & Ted DiBiase's turn at the microphone. They informed the stunned crowd that yes, they ARE ready.

The Miz def. Evan Bourne
The Miz swears up and down that he's, well, awesome! And now, he's out to prove it. After getting banned from Raw two weeks ago, the self-important Superstar earned his way back on the program by defeating Eugene in a WWE Contract-on-a-Pole Match. Now, he claims he will become United States Champion and started by facing off against Evan Bourne. Despite the unpredictable nature of "Air" Bourne, Miz grounded the high-flyer for the victory.

United States Champion Kofi Kingston def. Carlito
Before succumbing to Randy Orton's rage, Raw celebrity guest host Freddie Prinze Jr., arranged for United States Champion Kofi Kingston to defend his title against Carlito. The Caribbean quarrel pitted the jumping Jamaican against a Superstar who lately has shown little respect for anything or anyone, even his brother. A crowd favorite, Kingston managed to overcome the Boriqua Brother to avoid any trouble in paradise.

Raw celebrity guest host Freddie Prinze Jr., refused WWE Champion Randy Orton's demand, suffered attack
As the star of such movies as I Know What You Did Last Summer and She's All That as well as the upcoming season of Fox's 24, Prinze greeted the enthusiastic crowd in the Scottrade Center and fielded an impromptu acting audition from Santino Marella before being confronted by WWE Champion Randy Orton. The Viper appeared more than a little ticked at the prospect of having to pair with SummerSlam opponent John Cena against Unified Tag Team Champions Chris Jericho & Big Show and not the least bit shy about letting Prinze Jr. know it.

The actor and lifelong WWE fan, however, refused to back down, which seemed only to provoke the erratic Orton and prompted an attack that left Prinze Jr., immobile on the canvas. The actor was subsequently taken to a local medical facility for observation.

Source: WWE.com

In an interview with The Daily Mirror in Great Britain, Batista commented on several topics, including nothing that he was set to make his return at WrestleMania 25 until his appearance was bumped three days before the show.

"I actually went up to see Vince about a month before the show because I felt my leg was healing up so fast. I told him (Vince McMahon) 'I think I could be ready for WrestleMania' and he said that they'd definitely be able to use me. I actually found out the Thursday before WrestleMania that I wasn't going to be in it," Batista said. "I think it was something very similar to what happened that Monday night (where I saved Triple H and the McMahons from The Legacy), but they felt it would work better on Raw than it would at WrestleMania."

Batista also made note of the long-term future of his career, saying he has one year left on his current deal and he'll decide what to do when the time comes near.

"It's something that I've been thinking about a lot. I really just have mixed feelings about it right now," Batista said. "I have just about another year left on my contract which I want to fulfill and when I start getting close to the end of that contract that's when I'll make a final decision."

He also commented on possibly working heel in the future, his recent return to the ring, his injuries and more. You can read the full interview at http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/.

Christian def. Jack Swagger (New ECW Champion)
The self-proclaimed new face of ECW has had a shadow following him named Christian since Captain Charisma returned to WWE. At Backlash, Jack Swagger’s worst fear was realized when the returning Superstar pinned him to become new ECW Champion in front of a sold-out Dunkin Donuts Center packed with "Peeps."

Christian’s first World Title comes after a journey that expands well beyond his two months in the Land of the Extreme. His accomplishments include reigns as Intercontinental Champion, World Tag Team Champion, Light Heavyweight Champion, Hardcore Champion and European Champion. Still, he remained unsatisfied.

After missing opportunities on Feb. 24 in a championship contest on ECW and at the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania in the Money in the Bank Ladder Match, Christian made the third time a charm. He survived a Fatal Four Way Match and a Triple Threat Match in an Elimination Chase to Backlash. Mark Henry and Tommy Dreamer didn’t have such luck. In the finals of the competition to become No. 1 contender, Christian pinned Finlay to advance to the pay-per-view.

This victory sets Christian atop the ECW roster and leaves “The All-American American” with a bad taste in his mouth and a giant chip on his shoulder. Will he make strides in regaining the gold? Find out on ECW on Sci Fi Tuesday at 9/8 CT, and remember its new starting time of 10/9 CT, beginning May 5.

Chris Jericho def. WWE Hall of Famer Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat
After Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat thanked Chris Jericho six days earlier on Raw, the first-ever Undisputed Champion returned the appreciation in his own way at Backlash by making the WWE Hall of Famer tap out in the middle of the ring with the Walls of Jericho.

As Jericho was bidding adieu to Raw and all the WWE Universe members in attendance a week after being drafted to SmackDown, Steamboat interrupted the tongue of the nefarious Superstar to thank him for letting him know he still has what it takes to step in the ring. However, Jericho did not see this as a sincere gesture and thought Steamboat was there to steal his spotlight once again, which prompted the new SmackDown Superstar to challenge the WWE Hall of Famer to the Backlash match.

In recent months, Jericho has made himself an adversary of WWE’s Legends and thought that he had ended his crusade at the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania. But Steamboat also proved that night that he still had the legendary ring warrior prowess that made him a Hall of Famer. “The Dragon” further displayed those skills the following night in a 10-Man WrestleMania All-Star Tag Team Match in which Steamboat’s team was victorious and Jericho was the victim of the pin.

Once again at Backlash, and perhaps infuriating Jericho even further, Steamboat proved that he has the chops to stand toe-to-toe with any of WWE’s best Superstars in one-on-one action as he did against the nefarious Superstar. Unfortunately, in the end, “The Dragon” may have showcased his in-ring abilities that are still as crisp as they were in his prime, but just like at WrestleMania, proved not to be crisp enough to outshine the first-ever Undisputed Champion. Though he wasn’t victorious in his efforts, the WWE Universe still showed him the respect that he deserves as he left the ring in Providence to a standing ovation following the match.

Kane def. CM Punk
After losing the Money in the Bank Ladder Match at the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania and a singles match on Raw to CM Punk, Kane was craving retribution. And retribution is exactly what The Big Red Monster got when he decimated Punk in the center of the ring at Backlash.

His previous victories over Kane had clearly lit a fire under The Straightedge Superstar and from the opening bell he attacked The Big Red Monster with the intensity of an uncaged animal, unleashing a barrage of thunderous shots that could be heard throughout the Dunkin Donuts Center. But while Punk used his fortitude and heart to battle The Big Red Monster, he simply couldn’t overcome Kane’s size and strength advantage. In the end, a massive chokeslam sealed Mr. Money in the Bank’s fate — and the win for The Big Red Machine.

To his credit, CM Punk came to Providence with a strategy. The Straightedge Superstar targeted his opponent’s right arm, throwing dangerous kicks at Kane in an attempt to take away the 7-footer’s most effective move — the chokeslam. Yet, Punk used his educated feet one too many times. After suffering through a barrage of kicks, The Big Red Monster finally grabbed Mr. Money in the Bank with both hands and chokeslammed him to the canvas on his way to victory.

Clearly, Kane had gotten the vengeance he was seeking at Backlash. And as the referee counted three, The Big Red Monster smiled, satisfied with the carnage he had left in his wake.

Jeff Hardy def. Matt Hardy ("I Quit" Match)
With every member of the WWE Universe on the edge of their seats at Backlash, Jeff Hardy emerged victorious from the smoke of unspeakable sibling rivalry, making his rage-filled brother, Matt, say the shocking words “I quit.”

The explosive match proved to be an absolutely epic battle from start to finish, fueled by a deeply personal animosity that could only be found inside the extreme dysfunction of blood brothers gone awry. After both Superstars attempted everything they could to make the other utter the dreaded words, Jeff pulled out the heavy artillery, securing Matt to a table before threatening to descend upon him from the top of the ladder. After pleading in fear, Matt finally had no choice but to say “I quit” for all of the capacity crowd to hear. Despite his brother’s surrender, Jeff chose to plunge down upon him anyway, finally earning his retribution.

The intense hatred that Matt Hardy had for his brother first came to light when he stunned the WWE Universe at the Royal Rumble, hitting Jeff with a steel chair to cost his own younger brother the WWE Championship. In the weeks to come, the elder Hardy began using an unspeakable combination of unending jealousy and ruthless wrath to attempt to erase Jeff from both his memory and that of the WWE Universe. Although Jeff resisted battling Matt at first, once it became clear that his brother may have been responsible for the recent tragedies that have consumed his life, he came back at Matt with absolute fury.

The two brothers faced off in two brutal confrontations, first a larger-than-life Extreme Rules battle at WrestleMania and then a crippling Stretcher Match of complete carnage on SmackDown. Both matches saw Matt emerge triumphant. The Hardys also traded guerrilla-like attacks across all brands and even brought their intensity into tag team action, all leading to their fateful Backlash showdown.

Jeff Hardy has found victory over Matt by utilizing one of the most personal tests of intestinal fortitude that the squared-circle can offer. But after three monumental clashes, the question remains whether it will be enough to quell the raging fires of animosity living inside both Hardys.

Santina on Khali Kiss Cam
If Beth Phoenix has an enemies list, “Santina” Marella is surely bubbling to the top.

Santino’s “twin sister” socked The Glamazon with a shot of humiliation in front of a capacity crowd in the Dunkin’ Donuts Center. To her credit, the fairer Marella had actually shown up to explain to an enamored Great Khali why she couldn’t kiss him: She wasn’t who she claimed to be, in fact, she was in love with another man, announcer Jim Ross. Before she could prove her love for Ross with a kiss, however, Beth barged in.

Beth, who had earlier informed her boyfriend Santino that as long as he continued to pretend to be Santina she would not kiss him, proclaimed that the charade had gone too far and demanded a rematch with Santina for the “Miss WrestleMania” title.

Prior to the start of the match, Beth questioned Khali’s intelligence over his feelings for Santina. As one might imagine, The Punjabi Giant didn’t take kindly to the criticism and knocked out The Glamazon. With Beth momentarily out of commission, Santina called for the starting bell and quickly secured the pin. Her time in the ring, however, was not without incident. An enamored Khali, perhaps turned on by Santina's victory, attempted to restrain her, but her top broke in a wardrobe malfunction and sent the Italian scurrying up the entrance ramp topless

While Santino’s sister may have avoided the kiss of Khali, as long as she remains on Beth’s hit list, it’s unlikely she’ll avoid the kiss of death.

Randy Orton & The Legacy def. Triple H, Batista & Shane McMahon (Randy Orton new WWE Champion)
Randy Orton went into Backlash with the odds stacked in his favor, with numerous ways to take away the only part of Triple H’s life he had been thus far unable to touch: The Game’s WWE Title. Ultimately, however, all “The Viper” needed to seal the deal and walk away from Backlash as the new WWE Champion was the same devastating punt he has used in the past to put Mr. McMahon, Batista and others out for the count.

Before the match could even begin, Triple H chased Randy Orton from ringside, rendering the contest a 3-on-2 match-up, with The Game, Batista & Shane McMahon taking on Cody Rhodes & Ted DiBiase. However, even in The Legend Killer’s absence, he still had a chance to walk away with championship gold on account of the match’s unique stipulations. If any member of Orton’s Legacy were to pin any member of Triple H’s team, it would result in “The Viper” becoming the new WWE Champion. As Rhodes & DiBiase struggled to hold their own against their opponents, Orton rushed back to the ring, ready to compete.

With such heated, personal rivalries in play, it should come as no surprise that the match dissolved into chaos, with fights spilling out of the ring. As Batista prepared to clobber DiBiase with a steel chair, Triple H intervened, taking the chair from his opponent. As decreed by Raw’s General Manager Vickie Guerrero, if The Game’s team were to become disqualified, it would result in Orton leaving Backlash as the new WWE Champion. This brief distraction was all The Legend Killer needed to strike, leveling his nemesis with a RKO. To the amazement of Orton and the WWE Universe alike, Triple H managed to kick out of the subsequent pin. Refusing to accept defeat, “The Viper” lashed out once again, striking The Game in the temple with a sadistic punt.

As The Legacy made their way up the ramp, with Orton clutching the WWE Title, the fans in attendance kept their eyes glued on the ring, where Triple H lay motionless after “The Viper’s” attack. Suffering from the same maneuver that has put so many Superstars out of commission – some permanently – The Game was loaded onto a stretcher, quickly removed from the ring and taken from the Dunkin Donuts Center in an ambulance as his partners and the WWE Universe looked on in grave concern.

After failing to defeat Triple H for the WWE Championship at the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania, Randy Orton was starving for a rematch. Meanwhile, the McMahon family was still unsatisfied, and demanded further retribution for the third-generation Superstar’s cowardly attacks on Mr. McMahon, Shane McMahon and even The Game’s wife, Stephanie McMahon. Hoping for his family to get their pound of flesh from Orton at Backlash, the WWE Chairman set a match with himself, Triple H & Shane McMahon taking on The Legacy.

More was put on the line that very night as Vickie Guerrero announced that The Game’s WWE Title would be defended in the match, with Orton winning the championship if he, Rhodes or DiBiase pinned any of their opponents. Later in the evening, the match underwent another drastic transformation as Mr. McMahon forewent his spot in the match, substituting in the returning Batista. The Animal was eager to get his hands on The Legend Killer as it was Orton who put him out of commission for months last year.

With his colossal win at Backlash, the devious Randy Orton has proven that he and The Legacy are indeed a force to be reckoned with. By incapacitating Triple H and taking his WWE Title, “The Viper” has succeeded in destroying everything The Game holds dear, and appears well on his way to establishing a true Age of Orton.

Edge def. John Cena in Last Man Standing Match (New World Heavyweight Champion)
For most athletes, using hatred as a motivating factor usually doesn’t equal success. But most men aren’t like The Rated-R Superstar and new World Heavyweight Champion Edge.

With help from Big Show, Edge defeated John Cena in a Last Man Standing Match in front of thousands of members of the WWE Universe to get what he came for – championship gold.

The last-chance win makes Edge a nine-time world champion.

During the brutal battle for gold, Cena brought a section of the steel ring steps into the ring. It was Edge who first used them to assault Cena. But Cena retaliated, tossing the steps over the top ropes right onto the head of The Rated-R Superstar, knocking him to the arena floor.

From there on out, the battle got even uglier with both Superstars dishing out hellacious and vicious attacks on one another. Each time, they both somehow summoned from deep within to avoid the match-ending 10-count.

At one point, Cena tossed Edge out into the WWE Universe, where the battle raged on throughout the arena. Just when it looked like The Ultimate Opportunist was down for the count, he rose again to deliver a vicious Con-Chair-To.

Ultimately, it was a stunning appearance from Big Show that helped finish off Cena. The World's Largest Athlete viciously chokeslamed The Champ into an arena spotlight. The attack was so brutal that after the 10-count, Cena – amidst shards of broken glass – had to be removed from the arena on a stretcher by medical personnel.

At the start of the night, Edge’s former tag team partner, Christian, called him a bitter, raving lunatic and recalled how Edge used to be a lot of fun. The Ultimate Opportunist didn’t refute Christian’s assessment of his personality and blamed it all on one man – John Cena.

In the weeks leading up to Backlash, Edge admitted to being driven by desperation and hatred. On the April 24 edition of SmackDown, he said that without championship gold, he has nothing in his life.

And, on the April 10 edition of SmackDown, he vehemently expressed his disdain for Cena, saying he hates everything about the Raw Superstar.

Now that The Rated-R Superstar got what he wanted and is back on top, what’s next? Which Superstar is going to come knocking on Friday night? And, now that John Cena and Big Show are both on Raw, what will unfold? Don’t miss the next edition of SmackDown at 8/7 CT on MyNetworkTV, and the next Raw at 9/8 CT on USA Network. With brand rosters now locked via the 2009 WWE Draft, things are sure to get even more interesting.

Source: WWE.com

HOUSTON – It was just one day after the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania, and only a week before everything changes in the 2009 WWE Draft, but the Superstars of WWE were already looking toward Backlash on Monday Night Raw. As the show received its new permanent General Manager, Vickie Guerrero, two matches were set for the upcoming pay-per-view. More shocking however, was the return of Batista, who after rushing to the aide of Mr. McMahon, WWE Champion Triple H & Shane McMahon, was awarded the WWE Chairman's spot in their Six-Man Tag Team Match against Randy Orton & The Legacy.

Randy Orton began to brutalize Mr. McMahon but was interrupted by WWE Champion Triple H, Shane McMahon and the returning Batista, who will take Mr. McMahon's place at Backlash
In the night's main event, Randy Orton attempted to prove his point about Mr. McMahon's in-ring abilities. In the midst of putting a hurting on the WWE Chairman, he was interrupted by McMahon's son, Shane, who attacked The Legend Killer. But Orton had help of his own waiting in the wings in the form of Cody Rhodes & Ted DiBiase, who rushed to their leader's aid, teaming up on Shane O'Mac. WWE Champion Triple H then emerged, but he too fell victim to the combined might of The Legacy.

As Orton and his cohorts pummeled The Game, they were shocked to find out there was more opposition that they hadn't counted on: The returning Batista. The Animal stormed down the entrance ramp, evening the odds by chasing Orton & DiBiase from the ring and laying out Rhodes with a Batista Bomb. As the WWE Chairman recovered, he announced that Batista would be taking his place in the Six-Man Tag Team Match at Backlash.

Miss WrestleMania Santina Marella def. Beth Phoenix
Raw was graced with an appearance of the newly honored Miss WrestleMania, Santino Marella's twin sister, "Santina." In the midst of thanking the WWE Universe, she was interrupted by Beth Phoenix. The Glamazon was furious about Santina dumping her out of the 25-Diva Battle Royal and challenged her to a match. Santina went on to prove why she holds the title of Miss WrestleMania by pinning Beth for the win.

Vickie Guerrero announced that she is the new permanent General Manager of Raw and that John Cena will defend the World Heavyweight Title against Edge in a Last Man Standing Match at Backlash
Though she has been acting as both SmackDown General Manager and interim General Manager of Raw in recent weeks, Vickie Guerrero announced that WWE's Board of Director's had told her that she would have to choose one show to run. Promising to bring her own unique vision to the program, Guerrero revealed that she would be staying on Raw.

As her first act as the show's permanent General Manager, she placed World Heavyweight Champion John Cena into a Last Man Standing Match against her husband Edge at Backlash with the title on the line. The Raw GM also added a stipulation to the Six-Man Tag Team Match announced earlier in the night, placing the WWE Championship on the line. She clarified that if anyone on Triple H's team wins, he will retain the title, but if Orton or The Legacy taste victory, then the WWE Title will go to The Legend Killer.

World Heavyweight Champion John Cena, Intercontinental Champion Rey Mysterio, Jeff Hardy, CM Punk, & Ricky Steamboat def. Edge, Big Show, Chris Jericho, Matt Hardy & Kane
Many of the Superstars who just competed on The Grandest Stage of Them All took part in a WrestleMania All-Star Tag Team Match on Raw that featured new World Heavyweight Champion John Cena, new Intercontinental Champion Rey Mysterio and new Mr. Money in the Bank CM Punk on the same powerful team. All that championship gold didn't slow them down at all though, as The Master of the 619 hit Edge and Chris Jericho with a double 619 to pick up the win.

Women's Champion Melina, Kelly Kelly, Mickie James, Layla & Jillian def. Divas Champion Maryse, Maria, Eve, Gail Kim, & Natalya
Just one day after they all competed in a massive 25-Diva Battle Royal, five Divas from Raw took on five of their counterparts from SmackDown in tag team action. The ladies of Raw successfully defended their home turf as Mickie James pinned Natalya for the win.

WWE Unified Tag Team Champions Carlito & Primo def. The Miz & John Morrison in a Lumberjack Match
At the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania brothers Carlito & Primo made history by unifying the WWE and World Tag Team Titles with their defeat of The Miz & John Morrison in a Lumberjack Match. On Raw the following night, the "Dirt Sheet" duo had a chance to regain Tag Team gold in another Lumberjack Match against the brothers from Puerto Rico. Unfortunately for the self-proclaimed "chick magnet" & The Shaman of Sexy, they must return to ECW empty-handed after another defeat at the hands of the WWE Unified Tag Team Champions.

Mr. McMahon set a Six-Man Tag Team Match for Backlash and pitted himself against Randy Orton for Raw's main event
Randy Orton opened Raw, bitter over his loss to WWE Champion Triple H the night before at the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania. Before he could get further into his threats against The Game and the entire McMahon family however, he was interrupted by the WWE Chairman himself. Mr. McMahon told the venomous Superstar that he wouldn't be getting a rematch, but that he would get to face Triple H again at Backlash, only in a Six-Man Tag Team Match, featuring Triple H, Mr. McMahon & Shane McMahon vs. Randy Orton & The Legacy. The insolent Superstar then began to insult his employer for both hiding behind his family and being too old to compete on his own. Not one to stand down from a challenge, Mr. McMahon placed himself into the night's main event against Orton.

Source: WWE.com

PITTSBURGH – In Pennsylvania's city of steel, the sturdy metal that gives the metropolis its nickname is forged in the searing flames of a sweltering mill. When Raw rolled into town just one day after Armageddon, the WWE Universe saw that the confines of a ring can prove to be just as much of a crucible – and the mettle forged inside just as unbreakable.

World Heavyweight Champion John Cena & Batista def. Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes & Manu by disqualification; Orton punts Batista in head
Randy Orton was determined to make a statement. In a 2-on-3 Handicap Match, in which he teamed with Cody Rhodes & Manu against Batista & World Heavyweight Champion John Cena, he made his statement loud and clear. As Cena tangled with Rhodes and Manu outside the ring, Orton took aim at a dazed Batista as if he were sizing up a Super Bowl-winning field goal. Then, in a matter of seconds, the Legend Killer punted Batista in the head, dropping The Animal into a lifeless puddle.

Stephanie McMahon announces Fatal Four Way Elimination Match to determine who will face John Cena
While disciplining Chris Jericho for not facing off against "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, Stephanie McMahon told the cocky former World Heavyweight Champion that next week there will be four matches, all involving former champions. The winners of those matches will then go on to a Fatal Four Way Elimination Match the following week to determine who will face current World Heavyweight Champion John Cena for his title.

Dolph Ziggler def. Santa Claas
Donning a Santa Claus costume, Charlie Haas (Santa Claas) hoped to find a win over Dolph Ziggler under his Christmas tree. Unfortunately for Haas, the match only served up lumps of coal for him when the exciting newcomer laid him out.

JBL presents exclusive footage from Armageddon in which Shawn Michaels confesses working for the Longhorn Loudmouth
JBL was all too happy to unspool footage of a tortured confession by Shawn Michaels at Armageddon, in which HBK admits that not only is he financially bust, but, perhaps worse, he is working for JBL to pull himself out of the hole. Having lost his fortune in the spiraling stock market, The Showstopper told the rapt audience that he had turned to the investment guru. Read more about HBK's confession here.

World Tag Team Champions The Miz & John Morrison def. CM Punk & Kofi Kingston; Kane attacks Miz
Defending their newly acquired waist wear, World Tag Team Champions The Miz & John Morrison defeated former champions CM Punk & Kofi Kingston. The punishment didn't stop there, though. Just minutes before, a crazed Kane had intimidated Kelly Kelly into confessing the identity of her secret Superstar love. The encounter left the Diva a nervous wreck as she begged the Big Red Monster not to hurt her paramour. After the match, the defiant giant barged into the ring, ominously sizing up Punk and Morrison before quickly turning and Tombstoned Miz. Later in the night, Kelly Kelly hastily packed up her possessions and was comforted by fellow Divas Mickie James and Candice. The flustered Diva seemed repulsed by the suggestion that her secret Superstar lover is The Miz. Did Kane have the right man?

Chris Jericho refuses to compete against "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan
Chris Jericho is just brimming with sorry excuses. This week proved no exception. The Slammy Award-winning Superstar of the Year refused to compete against "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan by saying the bout was beneath him. Jericho then went on to state that he should be the No. 1 contender to the World Heavyweight Championship and will not compete again until he's handed an opportunity to battle John Cena. Later in the night, Duggan met with Shad & JTG, who seem determined to help the veteran. The Cryme Tyme duo told the veteran that "it's time" before the trio walked off together.

Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes and Manu jump Batista; John Cena runs in to help
After suffering a humiliating loss to Batista at Armageddon, Randy Orton challenged The Animal to a rematch. When confronted by Batista, however, Orton instead slapped his rival and scurried off. Unfortunately for Batista, the whole ploy proved to be a trap. As he tracked down his nimble nemesis, Batista was jumped by Rhodes and Manu. As all three men bombarded The Animal, John Cena, who suffered a similar fate two weeks prior, charged into the fray and unleashed fury, freeing Batista and sending the trio scurrying for an exit.

Kane stalks Kelly Kelly
The strange drama between Kane and Kelly Kelly continues to unfold. The Big Red Monster appeared to have the young Diva trapped in a squalid room as he sat across from her and confessed that he felt a romantic chemistry between the two last week when they presented the Slammy Award for Couple of the Year. When Kelly Kelly tried to end the uncomfortable encounter, Kane became enraged, preventing the Diva from leaving.

Rey Mysterio def. Sim Snuka by disqualification; Cody Rhodes and Manu interfere; Mike Knox attacks Mysterio after match
Deuce appears to have gotten in touch with his roots. As the son of WWE Hall of Famer "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka, the former '50s throwback told the WWE Universe that moving forward he'd like to be called by his real name, Sim Snuka. With Cody Rhodes and Manu looking on from ringside, the younger Snuka went on to tangle with the Master of the 619. But the two second-generation Superstars just couldn't help themselves, interfering in the bout, ensuring Mysterio the win by disqualification.

Just as Mysterio escaped his first three tormentors, however, Mike Knox appeared and brutally attacked him, leaving his battered body strewn on the entrance ramp.

Kelly Kelly & Melina def. Women's Champion Beth Phoenix & Jillian Hall; Kane stalks Kelly Kelly
Women's Champion Beth Phoenix may have beaten out fellow nominee Kelly Kelly for Diva of the Year honors during last week's Slammy Awards, but tonight proved much more of a winner for the quick-learning Diva. Teaming up with Melina, Kelly Kelly avenged herself in a tag team match against The Glamazon & Jillian Hall. The spunky Diva, however, had little time to celebrate. After the match, a maniacal-looking Kane chased off Kelly Kelly's adversaries and then proceeded to corner the nervous Diva, eventually stalking her out of the ring and up the entrance ramp.

Taken from: WWE.com

MANCHESTER, England – As part of WWE's tour of the United Kingdom, Monday Night Raw appeared in Manchester, England, before a sold-out crowd. In the absence of a General Manager, following Mike Adamle's resignation, Stephanie McMahon appeared early in the show to set the tone for the night. Though she denied Batista's request for a rematch against World Heavyweight Champion Chris Jericho, she did make matches intended to put an end to two of Raw's most heated rivalries: World Heavyweight Champion Chris Jericho vs. Shawn Michaels in a Last Man Standing Match and Rey Mysterio vs. Kane in a No Disqualification Match. WATCH all of the action now in the Raw Quick Cut and check out WWE.com's exclusive ringside PHOTOS.

World Heavyweight Champion Chris Jericho def. Shawn Michaels in a Last Man Standing Match
Though Chris Jericho's World Heavyweight Title wasn't being defended, there was still a lot on the line as these two Superstars faced off in one of WWE's most grueling matches. Designed to put an end to the long-running, extremely personal rivalry between Jericho and HBK, the ring warriors gave their all in front of the WWE Universe in Manchester. As has been his modus operandi, however, Jericho refused to fight fairly, and was assisted during the match by JBL, who was eager to do damage against his opposing Survivor Series team captain, Shawn Michaels. Though HBK hit Jericho with Sweet Chin Music, The Showstopper was subsequently the victim of a steel chair shot from JBL, allowing the World Heavyweight Champion to pull himself to his feet for the win.

Women's Champion Beth Phoenix def. Mickie James
Both members of Glamarella were forced to defend their titles on Monday night, with Santino Marella losing the Intercontinental Title to William Regal, and Beth Phoenix defending her Women's Championship against Mickie James. The Glamazon was able to retain some of Glamarella's glory, by defeating James and retaining her gold.

Batista def. Cody Rhodes who took Randy Orton's place in the match
Randy Orton came to the ring ready to face Batista, but after his entrance, Cody Rhodes & Manu joined them in the ring. Rhodes then told the Legend Killer that he would take on Batista and show Orton how it's done. Unfortunately for Rhodes, however, he was unable to tame The Animal, who not only defeated the second-generation Superstar, but also speared Manu, as Orton looked on from the ramp.

Rey Mysterio def. Kane in a No Disqualification Match
In a contest designed to put an end to the months-long rivalry between Rey Mysterio and Kane, the Master of the 619 faced the Big Red Monster in a No Disqualification Match. Though the two ring warriors had faced one another in traditional singles competition and tag team matches, never before had they been given such complete freedom to do damage to one another. Though there were no fetters holding back the outrageous power of the 7-footer, it was the speed and ingenuity of Mysterio that won the day, with the Ultimate Underdog pinning Kane for the win.

Following the match, Randy Orton was confronted by Cody Rhodes and Manu in the locker room area. The two second-generation Superstars told Orton that they weren't going to let him get away with punting their associate, Ted DiBiase, in the head the week before. The Legend Killer claimed that DiBiase was the weak link in their group and that he did them a favor by taking him out of commission. Rhodes responded by slapping Orton in the face. The youngest World Heavyweight Champion in history moved toward the younger Superstar with rage in his eyes, but reluctantly decided to back off after an angry Manu placed himself in Orton's way.

Mike Knox def. D-Lo Brown
In Mike Knox's first match as a member of the Raw brand, he faced D-Lo Brown. The Desert Destroyer steamrolled over Brown, making clear his intention to become a force to be reckoned with on Monday nights.

After the match, Women's Champion Beth Phoenix attempted to console her beau, Santino Marella over his lost Intercontinental Title. The Italian Superstar had just gotten off the phone with Shane McMahon, and alerted The Glamazon that she would be defending her title later in the night against Mickie James.

William Regal def. Santino Marella to become the new Intercontinental Champion
Santino Marella came to the ring as he normally does, accompanied by Women's Champion Beth Phoenix, and flaunting the length of his Intercontinental Title reign. The Italian Superstar even discarded the Honk-A-Meter for the new Honk-A-Perfect-Mountie-Meter, combining the title reigns of Honky Tonk Man, Mr. Perfect and The Mountie for a total of 123 weeks, which Santino was only two years and four months from beating. Marella's hopes were dashed, however, by William Regal, who competing in his homeland of England and accompanied by fellow Brit, Layla, quickly defeated the braggadocios Italian to become the new Intercontinental Champion.

Stephanie McMahon denied Batista his rematch for the World Heavyweight Championship and made two huge matches for the night's show; Batista challenged Randy Orton to a match and then speared the Legend Killer
After losing the World Heavyweight Championship to Chris Jericho in a Steel Cage Match the week before, Batista was eager invoke his rematch clause on Raw. However, Stephanie McMahon appeared on the TitanTron to address The Animal, alerting him that due to her brother Shane's promise that whoever won the Steel Cage Match would go on to face John Cena at Survivor Series, she was unable to grant Batista's request until after the pay-per-view event. Though the WWE Universe wouldn't see the World Heavyweight Championship defended, Stephanie did make two matches designed to bring closure to some of Raw's most heated rivalries: Rey Mysterio vs. Kane in a No Disqualification Match and World Heavyweight Champion Chris Jericho vs. Shawn Michaels in a Last Man Standing Match.

After those announcements, Randy Orton made his way to the ring, dredging up bad history from he and Batista's days in Evolution. The Legend Killer then told The Animal that after Cena, it was his turn for a title opportunity, not Batista's. Since Stephanie McMahon had already made the night about settling old scores, The Animal challenged Orton to a match live on Raw. The third-generation Superstar accepted the challenge with an insult to Batista, who then attempted to hit Orton with a Batista Bomb, before the Legend Killer escaped and fled the ring.

Taken from: wwe.com