Jeff Hardy def. Shelton Benjamin, William Regal
and Santino Marella in a Four-Way Elimination Match for the No. 1
Contendership for the Intercontinental Title
Snitsky def. Val Venis
Randy Orton def. Cody Rhodes
Melina def. Mickie James
Sandman def. Carlito (disqualification)
Mr. Kennedy def. Super Crazy
Results:
Hardy makes The Bash family night with victory
By Corey Clayton
July 16, 2007CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas Jeff Hardy is no stranger to the Intercontinental Championship.
And after successfully fending off challenges from Santino Marella,
William Regal and Shelton Benjamin, hell have the chance to regain the
title for a fourth time at The Great American Bash.
Hardys win in a Four Way Elimination Match secured the No. 1
contendership for the Intercontinental Title. Hell have the chance to
take it from the man that ended his last Intercontinental reign, the
Samoan Bulldozer, Umaga.
After Santino Marella was eliminated by William Regal and Regal was
pinned by Benjamin, Hardy countered a sunset flip attempt with a bridge
pin to catch the Worlds Greatest Tag Team member by surprise and
gained the three-count. Watch the video...
Itll make The Great American Bash a family affair, as both Jeff
and Matt Hardy will be targeting singles gold. Matt will be facing
United States Champion Montel Vontavious Porter at Sundays event in
San Jose, Calif.
WWE Champion John Cena faced off with his Great American Bash
challenger, Bobby Lashley. During an interview conducted by Jonathan
Coachman, Lashley became frustrated and charged up the ramp toward
Coachman, who had stripped him of the ECW World Title on Draft night.
Watch the video...
But Cena challenged Lashley to keep his cool and stay focused on
beating The Champ, or else hed go home from The Bash empty-handed.
After turning toward the locker room, the Dominator charged toward
Cena, then scuffled with The Champ only to be broken apart by WWE
officials. Read more...
Another Bash pairing that threatened to throw down early was The
American Dream Dusty Rhodes and Randy Orton. Rhodes was at ringside
for his son Codys Raw debut, accepting Ortons challenge.
Cody almost scored a surprising upset victory over the former World
Heavyweight Champion with a missile dropkick, but Orton recovered to
kick out of the pin attempt. Orton then countered the youngest Rhodes
with a backbreaker, and took down the rookie with an RKO to score the
pinfall. Watch the video ...
After the match, Orton attempted to kick Cody in the head in a
similar manner that he had done to Shawn Michaels and Rob Van Dam,
putting their careers on the shelf. But Dusty Rhodes stepped in just in
time to stop Ortons charge. The two stared each other down as their
Texas Bull Rope Match looms in just six days. Read more...
Raw started off in royal fashion as Triple Hs entrance music
blared through the American Bank Center. The crowd roared in
anticipation, but it wasnt the The Game that came to ringside. It was
Raws regal couple, King Booker and Queen Sharmell.
Booker issued a proclamation that he alone was to be called King in
WWE. He even issued threats to Triple H, whos known as the King of
Kings.
Booker called Triple Hs moniker blasphemy.
Theres only one king in WWE. Theres only one king on Monday Night
Raw
your foolish reign as King of Kings is over, Booker said.
But then Booker took issue with Raw commentator and WWE Hall of
Famer, Jerry The King Lawler. Booker asked Lawler to discontinue use
of his long-time title.
Lawler, at first, refused. Ive been a king for over 30 years, and I
dont see why theres not any reason we cant co-exist as kings, he
said. Booker replied, There can be only one king. And its not Triple
H, and its not you.
Lawler conceded as a sign of respect, and told Booker he would not
use the title anymore when referring to himself. But then Booker asked
the ring veteran to kiss his ring as a sign of the changing of the
guard.
Lawler refused, and Booker attacked the regal legend. Lawler
responded with haymakers as WWE officials swarmed in to break up the
melee. The flustered Booker left ringside threatening Lawler as the
crowd chanted Jer-ry! Jer-ry! Watch the video...
In other action, Melina defeated Mickie James with her guillotine
leg drop. With Womens Champion Candice Michelle watching from ringside
and Beth Phoenix giving the paparazzi princess some outside assistance,
Melinas win served as notice that her sights are firmly set on
regaining Michelles title at The Bash.
Sandman and Carlito attempted to settle their budding rivalry, but
their match was interrupted by William Regal, who was seeking to exact
some revenge on Sandman for the Singapore cane blow he suffered a week
earlier.
Also, while being eliminated first in the Intercontinental Four Way
Elimination Match, Santino Marella found comfort in the locker room in
the arms of WWE Diva, Maria, who offered to spend the night with the
Milan Miracle.
Mr. Kennedy settled the score with Mexican luchador Super Crazy,
earning a victory with a top-rope suplex. Super Crazy had fooled
Kennedy weeks earlier into thinking hed lie down for a Beat The
Clock Match loss to the Green Bay, Wisc., grappler, only to turn the
tables on Kennedy to cost him a WWE Title opportunity.
Finally, Raws deranged giant, Snitsky, steamrolled past Val Venis
for a rather easy victory. He pinned the sexy Superstar with a
pumphandle slam, then gave Venis another slam post-match for good
measure.
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