Throwing down the gauntlet

Throwing down the gauntlet

MOLINE, Ill. -- Survival was the name of the game for Bobby Lashley as the ECW Superstar invaded Raw. Lashley's trip to Moline was definitely not a vacation as Mr. McMahon forced the powerful Superstar to compete in a grueling Gauntlet Match.

If Lashley survived an onslaught of Raw Superstars, he would earn the right to face Mr. McMahon for the ECW World Title at One Night Stand. Constant attacks from Mr. McMahon and his cohorts haven't stopped Lashley's relentless pursuit of the coveted title the Chairman stole from him at Backlash, and Raw was no exception.  

For most men, facing four talented competitors would be unthinkable, but Bobby Lashley is no ordinary man. The former Army sergeant didn't even flinch when the chiseled form of Chris Masters stepped toward the ring. Earlier this year, Masters was humiliated when Lashley became the first and only Superstar to break the infamous Master Lock. When all was said and done, Lashley pinned Masters to pick up his first win in a series of intense matches that would push an ordinary man over the limit. But once again, Bobby Lashley is no ordinary man.   

Later in the night, Lashley faced the nearly 500-pound Viscera. Big Vis threw his weight around and displayed surprising athleticism, managing to get a weakened Lashley into a number of pinning predicaments. When facing an ultra-heavyweight like Viscera, any ordinary man would have given up. Instead, the former ECW World Champion pinned Big Vis and prepared for his next challenge.    

Lashley's next opponent was his WrestleMania 23 foe, Umaga, and the former ECW World Champion seemed to be in a bad way going into his third match of the night. Once the brawl left the ring, Umaga smashed Lashley in the head with a steel chair, leading to his disqualification and a win for Lashley. With Lashley sprawled out, our fans wondered if he would be able to meet another opponent.

Casting away all doubts, Lashley stepped into the ring with the Chairman's son, Shane McMahon for the final leg of the gauntlet. Lashley took quite a beating during his fourth match of the night, and just when it looked like Shane had victory within his grasp, Lashley delivered an amazing mid-air spear and pinned the younger McMahon.

As a result of running the gauntlet, Lashley will now face Mr. McMahon in a Street Fight for the ECW World Title at One Night Stand. The WWE Chairman's impressive Street Fight record would scare away most ordinary men, but as he proves day in and day out, Bobby Lashley is no ordinary man, he is a Superstar.

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