As stated here earlier, I thought the route they were going to go with in the McMahon-DX feud was to add a special stipulation to their upcoming match at "Unforgiven." With that said, never did I see coming a handicap-Hell in a Cell match. What a combo. That is exactly what we are going to get in a few weeks as the ending of RAW saw Shane announce that at Unforgiven, its going to be DX vs the McMahons & Big Show is a Hell in a Cell match. Interesting booking on this one, as Show is the ECW champ, and how they could just use him like that is going to take some explanation. Mind you that in a span of three months, Show will have wrestled on a Smackdown PPV (vs Taker at GAB), SummerSlam (vs Sabu as ECW champ), and now on Unforgiven (w/ McMahons vs DX). I guess they just want the whole "monster" angle to continue. I know that Umaga is slated to take on Kane at the event, but with the using of him in this feud over the last month, I would have guessed for sure he would have been the more logical choice as a partner for the McMahons. Guess not.

Overall it was not a bad show, interesting angle to start with Cena coming out with a 3-year deal to go back to SmackDown if he loses to Edge. Not the first time they have ever done any type of angle like that, but at least its interesting, and puts Cena's back against the wall to win the match, which I think he will. Could Edge have telegraphed the whole TLC angle anymore. Anyone else NOT think he would pull a table out after hitting Cena with a chair and ladder. You also have to love J.R. and Lawler covering for the steroid less Chris Masters saying that he was on break and is back "faster and leaner." Uh, no, he's back smaller and off steroids. You could easily tell the difference when he was posing at the top of the ramp with his titan tron images behind him the difference between what he looked like before he was suspended, and now. He and Cena had a pretty solid match, but you knew to protect the return of Masters it would likely end in a no-contest or DQ, which of course it did.

Interesting the route they are taking with the retiring of Trish Stratus. Most times when a wrestler is stepping away, they do not even acknowledge it, much less make an angle out of it. Her and Lita are set for a final battle at the PPV, and one has to wonder if Trish wins then retires with the belt and they do a mini-womens tourney on RAW the next few weeks after the match. Either that or they could do a stupid women's battle royale for the title like they did a few years back when Gail Kim made her debut and came out of nowhere to win the belt with no buildup or fanfare whatsoever. We all know how that ended up.

Randy Orton vs Jeff Hardy was easily the best wrestling match of the night. Orton seems to be refocused after coming back from his little suspension. Hardy looked good in this role, and now the PPV looks like Nitro vs Hardy for the IC, and Carlito vs Orton. Hardy's return is getting over for now, so I guess they feel with an IC title run his popularity will continue. We'll see. The Nitro-Melina act was bad, and the crowd hated it from the start. Funny line was Nitro pointing out that Foley has retired "16 times." I'd have to check but he may be close on that number.

The main event was interesting, as they brought guys from another show over for one night, simply to lose to the hot tag team. They have been doing more of that as of late, bringing guys, and girls even, to other shows in the attempt of a cheap pop for the fans to get over. Last week on ECW it was Torrie, Big Show has been on every show as of late, Taker has been on ECW, as has Candice, Flair, Batista, and others. It has not been as pronounced between RAW and SmackDown, but it may be a trend that continues.

Overall it was a pretty good show, and now things are getting even more clear with two plus weeks to go till the PPV. The PPV should be the end of the DX-McMahon feud, and push the Cena-Edge feud to another level as I think Cena gets the belt by the end of the night and the back and forth between the two continues.

Posted by Matt Loede on Tuesday, August 29, 2006 at 6:55 AM | Permalink