RAW's climax to WrestleManiaXX

This week’s edition of WWE RAW didn’t seem like the climax of the build to Wrestle Mania XX which we are now just one week away from.

We start with a casket in the ring with the lights turned down and the Gregorian druid chants playing. Kane than comes out inspects the casket to find an urn in it. He destroys the casket and yells that it’ll take more than an urn to scare him. The ring then starts shaking with Kane in it!
First match of the night is an 8-man tag featuring the 4 teams in the tag title fatal four way at WMXX. The team of Jindrak, Cade & La Resistance beat the Dudleys and RVD & Booker (who came out to a horribly mixed theme) when Jindrak pinned Booker with ONE clothesline after a cheapshot from one of La Resistance.
Chris Jericho gets attacked backstage by Christian while on the phone with Trish Stratus. This is probably a rare moment where we actually SEE who it is that lays out someone backstage, unlike the mystery blindsider on SmackDown. Christian than made a run for it as there was a car waiting for him outside and someone in the driver’s seat. They sped off. How much you wanna bet Edge was the driver?
We than get a fun backstage segment where the Rock encounters his ‘arch nemesis’, the Hurricane! Hurricane commented that Rock’s new look (goatee & haircut) resembled someone he knew. In steps Jonathan Coachman! Fun segment!
Next up is a handicap match pitting Evolution (Orton, Flair & Batista) VS Hurricane & Rosey. This was a total squash and Rosey didn’t even get tagged in.
Next match is Chris Benoit VS Matt Hardy. Benoit beats Hardy with the Crossface after 3 rolling Germans. You just have to know if this was Smackdown, they probably would have given them at least 5 minutes instead of the minute and a half here.
Post match, JR interviews Benoit in the ring (how long has it been since he’s done that?), only to get interrupted by HBK Shawn Michaels, who in turn gets interrupted by Triple H. For the first time I would have to agree with HHH when he says it’s a total croquet that he has to defend the title against two men. Rest is HHH standard banter. Though I was thinking he was gonna bring out Edge when he said he had an edge over Benoit & HBK.
Molly Holly then beat Lita in a short, ok bout when she used the ring ropes for leverage. God I hope she doesn’t get her head shaved.
Austin comes out next and says he’s got beef with both Goldberg and Brock Lesner, and that he’s going to Smackdown to get his four-wheeler back.
Next match and Steven Richards scores probably his biggest singles win against Chris Jericho when Christian came out and distracted Y2J with Trish Stratus’ intro theme.
The new WWE Hall of Fame entrants were listed. They are Jesse Ventura, Harley Race, Superstar Billy Graham, Tito Santana, Sgt. Slaughter, Bobby Heenan, Don Muraco, Greg Valentine, Big John Studd, the Junkyard Dog and Pete Rose.
Backstage segment with Stacy & Jackie as they meet with Johnny Spade (One week ago he was Johnny Blaze). He gives them a pep talk and Bischoff is impressed by his enthusiasm. Spade now claims himself a ‘star-maker’. Does that mean he’s gonna job and put everyone over when he finally wrestles?
We then get the much anticipated ‘This Is Your Life’ segment hosted by the Rock for Mick Foley. This really didn’t do anything for me, though it was fun seeing Superfly Jimmy Snuka. Evolution run in and beat down the Rock ‘N’ Sock Connection to close the show.

Japanese stars at WWE
Kenzo Suzuki worked a dark match on RAW against Nick Dinsmore, and the initial reaction was that he was horrible. He won with a Shinning Wizard that was said to be way off mark.
Kendo KaShin was also backstage. He is said to have officially quit AJPW cause he didn’t like the way Mutoh was handling business (Mutoh probably asked him to drop the belt clean). He now has interest to make a name for himself in America, and worked a match against Jamie Noble a few months back putting him over. Adding him to Tajiri’s heel group would be real interesting, though KaShin would have to get used to losing A LOT if he does sign with WWE.

In case you don't already know, the big situation going on now in the US Indy scene is the Rob Feinstein/ROH situation, which you can read all over the internet about. Their big show on 3/13 should be interesting to say the least to see how the matter effects business and fan loyalty.

Despite doctor's warnings, stubborn Shinya Hashimoto still refuses to go for surgery to get his shoulder fixed. To me this shows that he has absolutely no faith in his workers to handle things while he's not around. And the more he delays the surgery, the sooner you can expect his career to end.

Also, as I expected, Takeshi Morishima is now scheduled to defend the WLW title against Jun Izumuda on 3/13. Izumuda tapped him out the other day with a crab hold. The winner of that match is expected to fly to America and work two WLW shows in Iowa and Missouri. Hopefully the belt will get dropped and left there as it does nothing for the NOAH title scene.