Raw

Card Information:
 Held in: ROY WILKENS AUDITORIUM
Location: MINNESOTA, UNITED STATES
          on August 2005 at 9:00pm

Interview:
Cactus, Shane and a shocking arrival...
Click here to see highlights.

Shane McMahon interviews Cactus Jack, but the interview is short-lived, as out
comes Roddy Piper to reveal that he is the new co-commissioner.


Cactus Jack pinned Chris Jericho with the Double Arm DDT in 0:08:57.
Rating: ***

Cactus picks up the win, which should improve his odds for the Elimination
Chamber at Summerslam.


D-Von Dudley pinned Charlie Haas after a flying clothesline in 0:12:38.
Rating: ** 3/4

Haas fought hard, but could not survive against D-Von.  Bubba Dudley came out
for the double team after the match, until Shelton Benjamin ran down to make
the save.


Interview:
Piper makes another match...
Click here to see highlights.

Roddy Piper sets up a battle royal with the winner facing the returning mystery
superstar at Summerslam.


10-Man Battle Royal:
Matt Hardy won a 10-man Battle Royal:
         x London threw out Tazz after a dropkick in 0:00:22
         x Chono threw out Cena after a Samoan Drop in 0:01:41
         x Styles threw out Chono in 0:02:10
         x Tajiri threw out London after a tiger driver in 0:05:21
         x E. Guerrero threw out Tajiri in 0:06:35
         x E. Guerrero threw out Sting in 0:06:56
         x Booker T threw out E. Guerrero in 0:09:02
         x M. Hardy threw out Booker T in 0:09:38
         x M. Hardy threw out Styles after a dropkick in 0:10:38
Rating: *** 1/2

Matt Hardy picks up the win, and he will now move onto Summerslam to face the
mystery opponent.


Chris Benoit defeated Triple H by countout in 0:14:59.
Rating: ** 3/4
Click here to see highlights.

A decent match, with a disappointing ending.  There will be no count-outs in
the Elimination Chamber, so Benoit will have to step up his game if he wants
to win.


Interview:
The IC Champion and the Challenger...
Click here to see highlights.

Pre-taped interviews from Christopher Daniels and Shawn Michaels.


Rey Mysterio and Billy Kidman defeated Steve Austin and Ultimo Dragon when
Kidman pinned S. Austin with the Shooting Star Press in 0:19:52.
Rating: **** 3/4

Amazing tag team match, which shocking saw Kidman defeat Austin again!  Can he
make it three times at Summerslam?


Randy Orton pinned The Rock with the RKO in 0:13:00.
Rating: *** 1/4
Click here to see highlights.

Orton once again showed the world what he was capable of with a clean win over
The Rock.  Can he outlast the People's Champ and four others in the Chamber
though?



Card rating: *** 1/2


Match observations: 

A fantastic night of action, with so much more intrigue now added to the 
Elimination Chamber match at Summerslam.  Cactus Jack pinned Jericho, Benoit
defeated Triple H, and Orton pinned The Rock.  Could we now have three clear
favourites to leave with the title, or will the chaos of the Chamber reign
supreme, leaving us with no way to pick a winner?

Speaking of chaos reigning, Rowdy Roddy Piper has returned to WWE, as the co
commissioner, alongside Shane McMahon.  Shane was clearly shocked by this, and
you can only imagine he'll be trying to find some way to get rid of Piper as
soon as possible.  However, it looks as though the Rowdy one is here to stay,
unless Ric Flair can take him out at Summerslam.  Shane O Mac will be hoping
that he can.  

The card for Summerslam is now full, with the Piper/Flair match and Matt Hardy
facing the mystery superstar now added to the bill.  Only one more Smackdown
between now and the PPV should mean that tempers will be at boiling point, with
everyone involved wanting to get the upper hand before the big match.  None
more so that Stone Cold Steve Austin, who was severely angry about losing again
to Billy Kidman here tonight.  He'll be looking for a lot of revenge at the PPV
and maybe even before!

Also, rumour has it that another superstar we haven't seen in a while will 
return on Smackdown.  Stay tuned to find out who that might be!

Next Show: Smackdown