WWE 3-Hour RAW Results: April 23, 2012

Lesnar’s extreme demands.

Six nights before Extreme Rules, the 988th edition of WWE Monday Night RAW was a three-hour special and it came to you, live, from the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, MI. On this three-hour extravaganza, the Extreme Rules Match between Brock Lesnar and John Cena would become official as Cena and “The War Machine” would meet in the middle of the ring at the start of the show to sign the papers necessary to wage their war at Extreme Rules. Also, what will happen between WWE Champion CM Punk and Chris Jericho before their Chicago Street Fight for the WWE Championship at Extreme Rules?

Match Results

• Chris Jericho def. Kofi Kingston by submission to the Walls of Jericho.
• Lord Tensai def. R-Truth by pin with The Claw.
• Big Show & The Great Khali def. Cody Rhodes & Alberto Del Rio (with Ricardo Rodriguez) by Big Show pinning Cody Rhodes following a chokeslam.
• Divas Championship: Lumberjill Match: Nikki Bella (with Brie Bella and the Lumberjills) def. Beth Phoenix (c) by roll-up to win the Divas Title.
• Non-Title: Special Referee- Daniel Bryan: Mark Henry (with Daniel Bryan) def. Sheamus by fast-count pin following a clothesline.
• Non-Title: Santino Marella & Zack Ryder def. Primo & Epico (with Rosa Mendes) by Santino Marella pinning Primo following the Cobra Strike.
• Brodus Clay & Hornswoggle def. Dolph Ziggler & Jack Swagger (with Vickie Guerrero) by DQ after Vickie Guerrero slaps Brodus Clay.

Detailed Results

The show kicks off with Theodore Long who, as an employee of John Laurinaitis, would mediate the official contract signing between Brock Lesnar and John Cena for their Extreme Rules Match at Extreme Rules. Theodore Long first introduces John Cena, who joins Long in the ring and, as Cena takes a deep breath, Long introduces Brock Lesnar, but after Brock’s music plays for a while with no Brock, General Manager John Laurinaitis comes out and scolds Long for trying to have the contract signing with Brock Lesnar yet to arrive in the arena. Laurinaitis continues that the contract signing will take place later on and on Brock’s “terms”. The GM then tells Theodore Long to tell Cena that Cena should not be too eager to sign the contract for the match anyways because it could mean his last appearance on RAW. Laurinaitis then tells Long to tell Cena to leave Laurinaitis’ ring and a dejected Long asks Cena to leave the ring. Laurinaitis then welcomes everyone to RAW and begins to introduce himself in true Laurinaitis fashion, but the GM is interrupted by a surprising arrival as 2012 WWE Hall of Famer “The Rated-R Superstar” Edge comes out!

The Hall of Famer states that he is not supposed to be out there and revealing that, in a couple of days, he won’t even be under contract with the WWE anymore. Edge continues that he came to talk to John Cena, but he does not even know who the Cena that stands before him is, saying that he came to talk to the Cena that was his “greatest rival” and the Cena that defeated him in a TLC Match in his hometown. Edge then says that he knows guys change after a big loss, but Cena cannot change. Edge continues that they both love the business and have since they were kids, but Brock Lesnar does not “give a damn” about the WWE or its fans and, if Cena does not “wake up”, then it is a “slap to the face” to all the greats of the business. Edge then shouts at Cena to “wake up” before saying that he is “telling” Cena to beat Brock Lesnar! Will Edge’s words resonate with John Cena? Will a different John Cena emerge to combat Brock Lesnar?

With his Chicago Street Fight for the WWE Championship against champion CM Punk six nights away at Extreme Rules, Chris Jericho went one-on-one with Kofi Kingston in the opening match of the night. In the end, Kofi Kingston would attempt a springboard off of the top rope, but Chris Jericho catches Kofi in mid-air with the Codebreaker. Jericho then locks the Walls of Jericho in on Kofi, leaving Kofi no choice but to tap out to pick up the win. After the match, Chris Jericho states that he just proved why he will be the new WWE Champion at Extreme Rules, adding that CM Punk knows all about being “extreme” since Punk has an “extremely alcoholic” father and an “extremely drug-addicted” sister and Punk is a “failure” as a champion and as a human being. Jericho continues that, in front of Punk’s friends and family in Chicago, Punk will get an “extreme beating”. Jericho then says that he has gotten Punk a “gift” that will help Punk “cope” with the embarrassment of knowing that he lost the WWE Title to Jericho before Jericho vows that he will prove that is the “best in the world”. What will be Chris Jericho’s “gift” for CM Punk?

Backstage, General Manager John Laurinaitis tells Eve that he and David Otunga were looking for an “Executive Administrator” before Eve gladly accepts the new job position in Laurinaitis’ administration. What will Eve’s job be as the new Executive Administrator?

Backstage, WWE Champion CM Punk reveals that Chris Jericho’s “gift” to him was a liquor basket. The champion says that he is going to “hand deliver” a gift of his own to Jericho at Extreme Rules as Punk hangs onto the Jack Daniels bottle from the basket, giving the rest to interviewer Josh Mathews.

After picking up his biggest win to date, with the help of David Otunga, in an Extreme Rules Match against John Cena, “The Lord of Disaster” Lord Tensai, with his deshi, Sakamoto, in his corner, went one-on-one with R-Truth on RAW. In the end, it was Lord Tensai planting R-Truth with the Disaster Bomb before Tensai spews the mystical green mist onto his hand, using it to squeeze the skull of R-Truth in The Claw, pinning Truth to pick up another dominant win.

Six nights before he faces Randy Orton in a Falls Count Anywhere Match at Extreme Rules, “The Big Red Monster” Kane appears on RAW. Kane states that Extreme Rules is his “favorite night” of the year and he proved at WrestleMania that Randy Orton cannot defeat him “with rules”, much less without them at Extreme Rules. Kane continues that he has discovered Orton’s “one true weakness” when he assaulted Orton’s father a couple of weeks ago, but he was disappointed to discover that Orton was not a “man”, but Orton is a “scared little boy” who is begging for the “nightmare” to end. Kane then says that he is the “nightmare” that Orton will never wake up from. Randy Orton then appears on the TitanTron, telling Kane that there is “no turning back”. Orton then says that he had to “return the favor” before Orton reveals Kane’s father, Paul Bearer, tied to a wheelchair behind him. Orton then advises Kane to get back there before Orton rolls the bound Bearer into a freezer. Kane laughs off the whole thing, saying that he considers his father to be the devil himself, so he could care less about Paul Bearer, adding that he has “no intention” of saving his father! Kane then exits the ring, but Kane is met on the ramp by Randy Orton as the rivals trade blows before Orton pulls a lead pipe from underneath the ring, driving it into the mid-section of Kane. Orton then bashes Kane in the back with the pipe before knocking Kane over the ringside barricade with a lead pipe shot to the skull before Kane retreats through the crowd! What will happen this Sunday at Extreme Rules when there is nowhere to run for either Kane or Randy Orton when they face off in a Falls Count Anywhere Match?

Backstage, Alex Riley informs Chris Jericho that he spotted CM Punk drinking a bottle of liquor from the liquor basket Jericho gave him. Riley then leads Jericho to Punk’s locker room, where Jericho spies in on Punk, who is drinking the booze out of a red plastic cup!

In a match with an unknown Extreme Rules stipulation, Big Show will defend the Intercontinental Title against former champion Cody Rhodes at Extreme Rules and, on RAW, Big Show teamed with The Great Khali to face Cody Rhodes and “The Mexican Aristocrat” Alberto Del Rio. During the match, Alberto Del Rio refuses to tag Cody Rhodes before Del Rio and Ricardo Rodriguez leave Cody Rhodes alone to deal with Big Show and The Great Khali. In the end, it was Big Show planting Cody Rhodes with a chokeslam en route to picking up the win for the titanic team.

As announced during RAW, there will be a special half-hour Extreme Rules pre-show this Sunday night at 7:30/6:30c exclusively on YouTube and the pre-show will feature Santino Marella defending the United States Title against The Miz! In the Extreme Rules pre-show, can Santino Marella survive The Miz or will Miz be crowned the new United States Champion?

Backstage, Chris Jericho confronts General Manager John Laurinaitis, telling the GM that he spotted WWE Champion CM Punk drinking alcohol and, thus, Punk should be stripped of the WWE Title! While Laurinaitis originally says he cannot do that, new Executive Administrator, Eve, explains that she has been studying WWE policy and it states that, if a Superstar has been drinking alcohol within twelve hours of working, then action can be taken against that competitor. At the suggestion of Jericho, Laurinaitis agrees to administer a field sobriety test for CM Punk in the middle of the ring and, if Punk fails, then he will be stripped of the WWE Title! However, when Theodore Long asks if Laurinaitis is really going to humiliate Punk with a live sobriety test, the GM assigns Theodore Long to do the job! After being spotted drinking alcohol by Chris Jericho, will CM Punk find a way to pass the sobriety test or will Punk be stripped of the WWE Title?

Backstage, Brock Lesnar arrives in the arena and is greeted by Josh Mathews, who asks “The War Machine” where Lesnar was earlier. Lesnar then tries to step around Mathews to avoid the question, but Mathews asks Lesnar if he is worried that, if Brock loses to Cena at Extreme Rules, if Brock will still be considered the face of the WWE. Lesnar responds by grabbing Josh Mathews and pinning him against a production truck, getting in Mathews’ face before walking away. Mathews then mutters that he is just trying to do his job before he is grabbed by Lesnar and hurled into the backstage interview! Paramedics then descend on the scene, strapping Josh Mathews in and loading Mathews onto a stretcher. What is the status of Josh Mathews following this heinous attack?

The Divas Championship was up for grabs on RAW as Beth Phoenix defended the Divas Title against Nikki Bella, with Brie Bella in her corner. Before the match begins, new Executive Administrator Eve comes out, saying that, given the tendency of The Bellas to “cheat” and with several Divas doing “nothing” anyways, Laurinaitis has approved Eve’s decision to make the match a Lumberjill Match as Divas come out to surround the ring. During the match, Beth Phoenix hops to the outside of the ring in pursuit of Nikki Bella, but Phoenix apparently lands on her ankle awkwardly. Phoenix still hobbles to her feet where she incurs the wrath of Brie Bella as Brie attacks Phoenix, leading to a Divas pile-up on the outside. After the Lumberjills roll Nikki Bella back into the ring, Brie Bella hoists Phoenix back into the ring as well. When asked by the referee if she was okay to continue, Phoenix said she was fine and the match would continue, but not for long as Nikki Bella would take advantage of Phoenix’s injury, rolling “The Glamazon” up en route to being crowned the new Divas Champion!

With a red line placed in the center of the ring and two police officers joining Theodore Long in the ring, it was time for CM Punk’s public sobriety test, but Chris Jericho comes out, saying that he is out there to make sure that the sobriety test is done “right” and he is also out there to see Punk stripped of the WWE Title. Theodore Long then asks CM Punk to come to the ring and the WWE Champion comes out, looking a little inebriated, even dropping his title belt. Punk then slurs that the whole thing is “ridiculous”, saying Jericho isn’t “cool” and the entire “WWF” knows that it is ridiculous. One of the officers then asks CM Punk to recite the entire alphabet backwards, but after a failed attempt, Punk says that no one can recite the alphabet backwards. The officer then asks CM Punk to walk a straight line. Punk says that he has seen Cops before, so he knows how to do it. Punk then tries twice, but fails to walk the line successfully. An impatient Chris Jericho then demands that Theodore Long strip Punk of the WWE Title. Long then asks the other officer for his expert analysis and the officer says that there is no doubt that Punk is “intoxicated”. Having no other option, Theodore Long then asks CM Punk to hand him the WWE Title and Punk hesitatingly does so. Long almost hands the title belt to Chris Jericho, but CM Punk asks for one more chance to prove his sobriety and Punk passes both sobriety tests with flying colors before the clearly sober CM Punk attacks Chris Jericho, beating Jericho in and out of the ring before Jericho is able to escape the WWE Champion. After pulling the wool over everyone, including Chris Jericho’s, eyes, CM Punk appears focused and determined to get his revenge against Chris Jericho, but can Punk defeat Jericho in a Chicago Street Fight at Extreme Rules to retain the WWE Title?

With his 2-out-of-3 Falls title defense against Daniel Bryan at Extreme Rules looming, World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus went one-on-one with “The World’s Strongest Man” Mark Henry in a non-title match. Before the match begins, it is revealed that General Manager John Laurinaitis has named Daniel Bryan the Special Referee for the match and, per Sheamus’ permanent probation, he is forbidden to put his hands on a referee and, if he does, he will be fired! During the match, Daniel Bryan would provoke an argument between himself and Sheamus as Bryan repeatedly dares Sheamus to hit him. This distracts Sheamus long enough for Mark Henry to knock Sheamus down with a clothesline, Henry then goes for the pin and, in lightning quick fashion, Bryan counts the fall, awarding the match to Mark Henry! After the match, Daniel Bryan throws his referee shirt at Sheamus, which makes the champion realize that Bryan is now fair game as Sheamus chases Bryan down and rolls him back into the ring. Sheamus then dispatches Mark Henry with the Brogue Kick, but this allows Daniel Bryan the time he needs to chop block Sheamus, delivering a series of kicks to the World Heavyweight Champion before Bryan locks in the Yes Lock on Sheamus. Will Daniel Bryan be able to make Sheamus tap out this Sunday at Extreme Rules in their 2-out-of-3 Falls Match for the World Heavyweight Title?

The WWE Tag Team Champions were in action on RAW as Primo & Epico, with Rosa Mendes in their corner, faced United States Champion Santino Marella and “The Long Island Iced Z” Zack Ryder in a non-title match. In the end, it was Santino Marella hitting the Cobra on Primo en route to picking up the win for himself and Zack Ryder. After losing to Big Show & The Great Khali last week and Santino Marella & Zack Ryder this week, are Primo & Epico’s reign as WWE Tag Team Champions coming to an end sooner than later?

Backstage, Kane looks around before opening the freezer where Randy Orton put his father, Paul Bearer, as Kane wheels Bearer out of the freezer, but tells his father that he is saving Bearer from himself before “The Big Red Monster” rolls Bearer back into the freezer, slamming the door shut.

Then it was time for RAW to get funky and a half as “The Funkasaurus” Brodus Clay teamed with Hornswoggle to face Dolph Ziggler & Jack Swagger, with Vickie Guerrero in their corner. During the match, Vickie Guerrero gets in the ring, slapping Brodus Clay. Vickie then finds herself surrounded by Brodus, Hornswoggle, and The Funkadactyls, Cameron & Naomi. Vickie then tries to make nice by placing Brodus’ hat on “The Funkasaurus”, but Vickie still gets her rear-end bitten by Hornswoggle.

Then it was time for the official contract signing for the Extreme Rules Match between Brock Lesnar and John Cena with RAW & SmackDown General Manager John Laurinaitis presiding over the contract signing. Laurinaitis first introduces the man who Laurinaitis pegs as the “new face of the WWE”, Brock Lesnar, who makes his way to the ring before Laurinaitis introduces John Cena. However, Cena does not show up, which causes confusion between Laurinaitis and Lesnar. Lesnar says that Cena is “too scared” to come out there, but he still has some business to conduct with John Laurinaitis. Lesnar then asks Laurinaitis to sit down as both men take a seat. Lesnar then says that he has not been happy with a few things since his return, so he has a few “business demands” and he wants some changes made before he agrees to the Extreme Rules Match. Lesnar then explains that he is not the same “naïve farm boy” that joined the WWE eight years ago because he is an “enterprise”, adding that the WWE “needs” Brock Lesnar. Lesnar then lists his demands as Brock says that any major decision that John Laurinaitis makes has to be ran by him first! Lesnar’s next demand states that he gets the use of WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon’s private jet to and from the venue whenever he is booked to appear on RAW. Lesnar then tells Laurinaitis that he got the chance to beat somebody up already, saying that he does not like people and especially dislikes “stupid people”. Lesnar continues that he will show up on RAW when he wants and how he wants. Lesnar then tells Laurinaitis that the GM will not be fining him anything and the GM will actually be paying him more. Lesnar then tells Laurinaitis that, if his demands are not met, there will be no match between him and Cena at Extreme Rules. Lesnar then makes the demand that RAW no longer be called “Monday Night RAW”, instead it will be called “Monday Night RAW, starring Brock Lesnar”! Brock then tells the GM that, if Laurinaitis makes him happy by agreeing to the new terms, then he will make Laurinaitis “happy” by agreeing to the Extreme Rules Match against John Cena. Laurinaitis then shakes Brock’s hand and, at the insistence of Lesnar, Laurinaitis announces that he agrees to Lesnar’s terms. Lesnar then sticks to his end of the deal by signing the contract for the match.

With the vintage padlock and chain around his neck, a somber-faced John Cena then makes his arrival as Cena wraps the chain around his fist after entering the ring. Cena then looks at the contract, grabs the pen to sign, but puts it back down. Lesnar then orders Cena to sign the contract before saying that he can feel that Cena is “scared” and he is the reason why. Cena then signs the contract before tossing it at Lesnar and readying his fist as Lesnar tips the table over, laughing at Cena before making his exit. After making extreme demands of John Laurinaitis and accusing John Cena of being “scared”, what will happen this Sunday at Extreme Rules when Brock Lesnar and John Cena finally collide in an Extreme Rules Match?

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