WWE Raw House Show - Live Report From Cape Girardeau, MO - March 27, 2004

Hey everyone. It's time for the live WWE report as I promised everyone. This is a pretty in depth report so it could get long. I attended the WWE Raw brand house show Saturday night in Cape Girardeau. I was really impressed with the Show Me Center. It's a nice venue. It was the first WWE show there in 3 years and it was a near sellout. The place had very little empty seats. We were about 6 rows off the floor. First, I have to say that this crowd was hot!! One of the loudest crowds I've been in at an event. Many wrestlers made comments on how great the crowd was. Jericho even got on the mic after his match and thanked the fans for being so great. He said it was one of the best live crowds they've had in a while. This was the first Raw brand show since the roster changes.

So, now on to the actual show. It's as if they knew I was coming when the first match came to the ring. Matt Hardy opened up the show. We jumped out of our seats as he came to the ring. Let me tell you that he got a great reaction. I just don't understand with that kind of reaction why they can't find something to do with him. He took on Tajiri. They had a great back and forth match with Tajiri getting the pin with his feet on the ropes. Tajiri was cracking us up with all of his talking. Next we saw Garrison Cade take on this new guy named Eugene. I have found out that it was Nick Dinsmore playing the Eugene character. He is a developmental talent and will be doing some TV stuff soon is what the word is. I've heard Dinsmore's name mentioned quite a bit when it comes to developmental guys. Eugene's character was sort of a happy to be here kind of character. Just a fun character and has some comedy to him. He was constantly playing to the crowd and messed with Cade's mind all through the match. He actually went and sat in the front row at one point in the match. The crowd really got behind him in this match. Cade pulled out the win with an off the top rope elbow. Rob Conway took on Chuck Palumbo. Palumbo was the face in this match of course and the crowd hated Conway with a passion. Palumbo gets the victory here. Shelton Benjamin wrestled against a guy named Horshu. Horshu was a big guy for sure. Benjamin wrestled a great match. He faked out shaking the Coach's hand a bunch of times before and after the match. It was funny. Benjamin wins with a superkick. Rhyno came out and got us on his side quick when he mentioned that he was going to win ECW style. Any mention of ECW got a pop from us. There were quite a few ECW fans in attendance as a big ECW chant rang out. Well, the whole ECW style win soon went out the door as his opponent was Kane. They had a good match with Kane winning with the chokeslam. Kane got a huge reaction too. You wouldn't know that he's a heel with the way the crowd was with him. So, I then went to the merchandise stand as Coach said they were about to take an intermission. Well, apparently it was after the next interview. He introduced Chris Benoit. His music hit just when I got out the door. I was already committed to the merchandise stand so I continued on but could hear the interview while I was in line. I got back in time though to see Benoit finally have enough of Coach and put him in the crossface. I walked in right when he took the Coach down. The ref then got on the mic to tell us that the Coach needed a 10 minute intermission. Then, there was a pause and then he said that we'd better make that 15.

After the intermission, Coach returned with his arm in a sling. ha ha. The next match was a women's tag match. Victoria and Nidia vs. Molly Holly and Jazz. I mentioned last week that I thought Nidia could really have a chance in the women's division and how she was the best pick off of Smackdown to bring over. Well, after seeing Nidia in this match, I'm even more sure of this. This is the best match I've ever seen Nidia have. Really impressed with her. Molly wore this wig that looked like her normal hair. When she came down the aisle, it looked completely real. Molly of course had the wig pulled off. Then, Victoria hit her with the Widow's peak for the win. That move looks even nastier in person. Victoria went around ringside talking to the fans. Really cool to see. Next was Hurricane against Batista. Let me tell you. Every one of Batista's moves look nasty in person. He hit a nasty power bomb on the Hurricane for the win. He was going for another one after the match but Rosey came out for the save. Then, Rosey was destroyed with a spinebuster. Next was the match of the night. Jericho vs. Christian. It was fun to see Trish as a heel. She is really good and has adapted quickly to being a heel. The crowd was all over her. Jericho got a huge ovation!! I think he might have gotten the biggest of the night. He got on the mic and called Christian and Trish a bunch of names reminiscent of the Jericho/Stephanie days. Trish did a great job of playing off of it. These two guys had a great match and the crowd was eating it up. It was loud during this one. There were huge Y2J chants all through this. There were many teases of the walls of Jericho. It ended when Christian rolled up a distracted Jericho and hooked the tights for the win. Trish then found herself accidentally in the ring with Jericho after the match. She backed into him and then reached up blindly to check if it was who she thought it was. Jericho then grabbed her and threw her over his knee and spanked her. It was funny.

On to the main event, Benoit defending the world title against Triple H. Not a bad main event at all. I was hoping this would be the main event. Triple H got a good reaction but it's not at the level of the last show I went to. He got a monstrous roar at the last show I was at. Benoit got a good reaction. The end of the match was Triple H going for the pedigree. Benoit reversed it into the crippler crossface and Triple H tapped after about 30 seconds or so. Benoit retains the title. The crowd went nuts when Triple H tapped. Batista ran out to interfere but Benoit knocked him off of the apron.

Then, the fun continued after the show. We went out to the parking lot and it was surrounded by fans waiting for the wrestlers to come out. We saw just about everyone. Nidia came out and put her gear in her car. Then, she ran over and signed some autographs. She was having a lot of fun and doing a lot of goofing off in the parking lot. It was funny. Shelton Benjamin was also out there with her. Molly came out and she was really nice. She talked to the fans and signed some stuff. Trish came out and waved at everyone and left. Hurricane and Rhyno came out and were riding together. Hurricane signed some stuff and then made a run around the parking lot slapping hands with everyone. Rob Conway was getting in his car when Hurricane ran by and slapped him on the back. Conway gave him a great stare. Conway never broke character. It was great. Coach came out and signed autographs. He went around the whole parking lot and signed for everyone who wanted an autograph. I got to meet him. Really great guy. He was great with talking to the fans. Just a really classy guy. Then, out comes Chris Jericho. He waves at everyone and then goes over to one side to sign autographs. The swarm of people running over there was hilarious. Chris Benoit came out and got in his car. It looked like he was going to leave. He drove right over to the side of the parking lot and got out and started signing away and taking pictures. Earl Hebner and Tim White were also out there talking to fans. Triple H came out but he had a car parked up by the door away from the fans. He put his gear in. I noticed a female in the passenger seat and it was indeed Stephanie McMahon with him. Just a lot of fun getting to see everyone interact with the fans.

Overall, I had a great time. The crowd was great!!! Jericho and Christian was one of the best live matches I've seen. The merchandise was disappointing. They just didn't have a lot to pick from. That's the way it's been lately at live events. No Edge or Matt Hardy shirts. Very little actual stuff that actually had Raw on it. They did have a hat but that was it. No posters.