One last stand

One last stand

DENVER -- WWE Champion Triple H came face-to-face with Randy Orton on Raw, six days before doing battle in a Last Man Standing Match at One Night Stand for the gold.

In front of a sold-out crowd, both Orton and The Game threw accusations at the other as Todd Grisham attempted to mediate the volatile confrontation. Where Triple H and Orton are both focused on the same thing, the WWE Championship, each Superstar has taken different roads to the ever-dangerous Last Man Standing Match on Sunday.

Both men firmly believe the gold is their destiny, and both claim to be on the right side of the rivalry -- but only one man can stand tall after their showdown this Sunday. And while The Game and the Legend Killer both have something to prove to each other, they will undoubtedly look to prove to themselves that their claims of being the best are not farfetched.

Who will walk away from One Night Stand with the WWE Championship in their hands? Will Orton end Triple H's reign as the 12-time champion? Or, as he claimed, will The Cerebral Assassin's victory make sure the "Age of Orton" is not only dead, but also seem like it never existed?

Tumultuous tag teams

As Jeff Hardy and Umaga head toward a Falls Count Anywhere encounter, and JBL and John Cena look to draw First Blood at the Extreme Rules pay-per-view this Sunday, the unlikely yet formidable duo of JBL & Umaga defeated Hardy & Cena on Raw.

The combination of Umaga & JBL's physically punishing styles was too much for the mixture of Hardy's high-flying offense with Cena's brute strength. JBL took advantage after Hardy missed a Swanton Bomb, delivering the Clothesline from Hell to get the win.

Earlier in the night, JBL assured Cena's close friend, Women's Champion Mickie James that he would make Cena bleed like a stuck pig on Sunday. JBL added insult to his promise, insinuating the relationship between Cena & James was anything but friendship. Has JBL crossed the line and will Cena make the loudmouth pay for it? Will John Cena bring the pain to JBL in their First Blood Match, or will the self-proclaimed "wrestling god" stay true to his promise to destroy "The Champ"?

What will happen when Umaga and Jeff Hardy do battle anywhere in the arena come One Night Stand? Will the Samoan Bulldozer put an end to Jeff's hot streak since his return, or will Hardy defy the odds as he has time-and-time again during his career?

Redeeming qualities

In the past few weeks, Shawn Michaels and Intercontinental Champion Chris Jericho have had their differences in and out of the ring, with much of the issue stemming from HBK's rivalry with Batista. On Raw, the two did battle, with the match ending in a double count-out. When the opportunity arose for Jericho to take his frustrations out on Michaels with a steel chair after the match, Y2J instead showed his respect for The Showstopper as he lifted him to his feet.

As Michaels heads toward a Stretcher Match showdown with The Animal at One Night Stand, he appears to have gained the respect of his on-again, off-again rival. Will HBK carry that with him when he faces Batista on Sunday? Will it help when he faces the enraged Animal?

Priceless

World Tag Team Champions Hardcore Holly & Cody Rhodes defeated the determined duo of Paul London & Brian Kendrick to retain their titles on Raw.

After the match, however, Rhodes & Holly were shocked at the arrival of "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase, who told the champions their days with the gold were numbered. DiBiase then unveiled he and Mr. McMahon had struck a deal, as he introduced the newest member of the Raw roster -- his son, Ted DiBiase.

The offspring of the "Million Dollar Man" showed the same bravado his father did as a legend and three-time tag champion himself, as he guaranteed to become a World Tag Team Champion, too, in his first match.

Hailing the king

On a night where Cryme Tyme robbed the last of the personal effects of former Raw General Manager William Regal's office, Mr. Kennedy, the man who ended Regal's career, continued to roll when he defeated Carlito on Monday night.

After the victory, the man responsible for ridding WWE of Regal was celebrating when the former GM's fellow Brits, Paul & Katie Lea Burchill, set up and attacked Kennedy. Intent to earn revenge on the Superstar responsible for retiring Regal, Paul delivered a Curb Stomp to Kennedy, leaving Raw's outspoken Superstar silent in the center of the ring.

Diva dissention

Despite their friendship, Jillian and Melina went one-on-one on Raw just moments after Melina learned she would face Beth Phoenix at One Night Stand in an "I Quit" Match. Phoenix sat at ringside on commentary, where she explained that nobody could make her say those two words. Melina forced the tone-deaf Diva Jillian to tap out, much to the dismay of The Glamazon.

Mile High millions

WWE Chairman Mr. McMahon was on Raw with two blockbuster announcements for our fans and each and every WWE Superstar and Diva, intent to show his appreciation to our fans in attendance and around the world.

Mr. McMahon promised that the night would end with something extraordinary, and true to his word, it did. In an unprecedented move, the Chairman announced that next week he would begin giving away $1 million each week on Raw. What will this mean for our fans?

The Chairman announced that a Draft will take place at the end of June, and that nobody will be exempt from its grasp. Every Superstar, Diva and announcer can be drafted to any brand, and the unpredictable nature of the Draft is sure to keep the respective locker rooms abuzz in the coming weeks. Read the full story…

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