Raw

Card Information:
 Held in: BLAISDELL CENTER
Location: HAWAII, UNITED STATES
          on April 2005 at 9:00pm

Interview:
The new era begins...
Click here to see highlights.

Shane McMahon reveals the fate of the former nWo members, and announces a No 1
contenders tournament, which will begin tonight.


[Contenders Tournament - Round 1]:
Edge defeated Triple H by disqualification in 0:04:13.
Rating: ** 1/2

Triple H was furious at the DQ decision, despite his actions towards the ref,
and decided to pedigree Edge twice after the match.  Can Edge make it to the
semi final?


[Contenders Tournament - Round 1]:
Steve Austin pinned Rhyno with the Stone Cold Stunner in 0:05:07.
Rating: ** 3/4

Austin had to fight through some questionable officiating, but he advanced to
face Edge.


Interview:
The former nWo decides...
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Former members of the nWo choose their own fates.


[Contenders Tournament - Round 1]:
Kane pinned Bret Hart with the Choke Slam in 0:01:51.
Rating: ** 1/4

The monsterous Kane did a number on the Hitman to advance to the Semis.


[Contenders Tournament - Round 1]:
Vader pinned Chris Jericho with the Vader Bomb in 0:13:26.
Rating: ***

Though Jericho put in a fantastic effort, he could not stop the force of Vader,
who advances to face Kane in the semi finals.


Interview:
A championship request...
Click here to see highlights.

William Regal is granted a WWE title shot, but gets a friend of his into a spot
of trouble by saying too much.


[Contenders Tournament - Semi Final]:
Steve Austin pinned Edge with the Stone Cold Stunner in 0:11:58.
Rating: ***

Despite the best efforts of Edge, it was Stone Cold who advanced to the final
on Smackdown.


[Contenders Tournament - Semi Final]:
Vader pinned Kane with the Vader Bomb in 0:06:08.
Rating: ****

A very good match between two big monsters, which saw Vader come out with the
win.  He'll now face Stone Cold on Smackdown.



Card rating: ***


Match observations: 

And so we're down to just two in the search for a Number 1 contender to the
WWE title.  After Stone Cold Steve Austin outlasted Rhyno and Edge, he will
go one on one with Vader, who bested Chris Jericho and Kane, with the winner
to face the champion at Backlash.

But who will that champion be?  Chris Benoit will square off against William
Regal this Thursday, with the Championship on the line.  Regal has been owed
a shot at the gold since winning the Royal Rumble, and it's likely he'll go
all out in his attempts to get the belt.  However, it was Regal's mouth that
got his friend Lance Storm into trouble here tonight.  After he revealed that
Storm had set up his tag title loss to Regal and Steven Richards, Shane McMahon
decided that Storm would be taught a lesson inside of a steel cage by Val
Venis this Thursday night.

Most of the former nWo members chose their fate tonight.  We know now that 
X-Pac is gone completely, Brock Lesnar, the Outsiders and the Big Show are all
suspended for two months, and Hollywood Hogan, Scott Steiner and Ted DiBiase
are banned from competing for titles for 6 months.  The only members to not
yet choose their fates are Jamie Noble and Marty Jannetty, who will fight each
other to determine what happens to them.

Also scheduled for this Thursday is Goldberg vs Steiner, and allegedly an 8
man Cruiserweight Tag Match.

Next Show: Smackdown