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Last night's Raw featured all champions of the red brand in action and a pair of major announcements regarding the Unforgiven PPV.
The show opened with World Champion CM Punk taking on John Bradshaw Layfield in a non-title match. The referee prevented JBL from utilizing a steel chair he retrieved from ringside, allowing Punk to capitalize on the distraction and hit his Go To Sleep finisher for the victory. This was easily the best JBL match I have seen in months (possibly the finest since his comeback) and I felt this bout even surpassed the pair’s SummerSlam outing.
Intercontinental Titleholder Santino Marella attempted to assist his girlfriend Beth Phoenix in her match against Kelly Kelly, but the comedic superstar’s interference backfired and Kelly managed to pin the Women‘s Champion. Phoenix attacked Marella following the non-title loss, but later helped Santino retain his I-C belt over Kofi Kingston. “Glamarella” then officially reconciled by exchanging kisses. I only hope the earlier conflict between Santino and Phoenix is not a sign that WWE is already teasing dissension between the two, as they have great chemistry and should stay together for at least a few more months.
Shawn Michaels returned to Raw and cut an in-ring promo challenging Chris Jericho to a one-on-one encounter. Y2J appeared on the TitanTron and agreed to a match at Unforgiven (in what is now being billed as an “unsanctioned” bout), but warned HBK against allowing his children to watch the PPV. This was another tremendous Michaels-Jericho segment, although I do wish WWE had held off their match until No Mercy. Not only would it have provided additional build time, but the focus for Unforgiven is already divided with Scramble bouts on both the Raw and Smackdown sides.
In other news, Cryme Tyme goaded World Tag Team Champions Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase into a title bout at Unforgiven, Primo Colon made his Raw debut with a victory over Charlie Haas (who competed disguised as Colon’s brother Carlito), and Mike Adamle announced that Rey Misterio will replaced the injured John Cena in the Raw Scramble Match at Unforgiven.
Match Results: World Champion CM Punk over JBL via pinfall in a non-title match … Kelly Kelly over Women’s Champion Beth Phoenix via pinfall in a non-title match … Primo Colon over “Charlito” (Charlie Haas) via pinfall … World Tag Team Champions Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase over Jerry Lawler and Jim Duggan in a non-title match via DiBiase’s pinfall on Duggan … Intercontinental Champion Santino Marella over Kofi Kingston via pinfall following interference by Beth Phoenix … Batista over Kane via disqualification.
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