W W E RAW 5-31-04
Video clip paying tribute to the thousands of soldiers who have paid the ultimate price to defend our freedom.

Opening Montage

YOUR hosts: JR and 'The King.'
JR welcomes us to a special edition of RAW where the superstars will be paying tribute to the soldiers of the US Armed forces throughout the night, along with some very special matches. Cut to a clip of Vince McMahon commenting on all that WWE has been able to do for our troops. Clips shown of the trip to Iraq from this past fall.
Goldberg def Val Venis via Pinfall (Jackhammer)
Val comes out with an American flag in tow. He gets on the mic and tells us that he loves the US because of all the beautiful women. And he wouldn't trade that for the world.

Goldberg comes out and his tights are a representation of the American flag. He enters the ring and annhiilates Val with a series of clotheslines. Val tries to get some offense in and gets speared coming off the ropes. Goldberg signals for the Jackhammer and gets Val up before Kane abmles down to the ring to break it up. Kane goes after Goldberg, but is speared right out of the ring. Val attempts a corss body block of the top rope, and Goldberg catches him! He tosses Val out onto Kane and then brings Val back in the ring and hits the Jackhammer for the win.

After the match Kane comes in the ring to Chokeslam Goldberg, but Goldberg fights out of it. Kane whips Goldberg off the ropes and eats a spear on the return. Goldberg celebrates with Val's Flag on his way up the ramp.
Trish Stratus def Victoria via Pinfall (Stratus-faction) to win the WWE Women's Championship
Victoria comes out to a huge pop and has the American flag as the design on her top. She is in the ring when Trish's music starts, but Trish comes in from the crowd and begins to beat on Victoria. The bell rings and the match starts with Trish getting the upperhand due to her sneak attack. Victoria battels back and gets a side slam for two. She stalks Trish trying to set her up for a Widow's Peak, but Trish rolls through and gets a two count on a small package. Victoria is up wuickly and Trish starts working her over with some suplexes. Victoria in the corner and Trish goes for a charge and gets a boot to the face. Victoria goes up to the high rent district and Trish counters with the Handstand 'Rana. Trich takes her measure and hits the Stratus-faction and we have a new women's champion!
Smack Down! Low Down:
Ultimo Dragon winning the Cruiserweight Championship is featured with footage of the tag team brawl between Cena/Haas and Show/O'Haire. Booker T's defense is shown to close it off. Main event for this week's Smackdown is announced as The FBI v Rikishi & Scotty 2 Hotty for the Tag Team Championship.
Triple H, Randy Orton, Ric Flair, Chris Benoit, Edge, and Christian all talk about what American soldiers have done through the years and how it is an amazing undertaking to put your life on the line to defend people you will probably never meet. Interesting that half of this group are Canadians talking about how big a deal the American troops have to face everyday.
Matt Morgan def Batista via DQ (5 Count Choke)
The match is very eventful with both of the men hitting big time moves all the way through. Morgan lands a huge powerbomb on Batista who rolls outside to collect himself. He comes in and lands a picture perfect DAVE Bomb, but Morgan takes a powder to collect himself. Clotheslines that would decapitate most normal men are exchanged with Batista getting the better of the two. He gets a knockdown and immediately goes to the choke in the middle of the ring right in front of the ref. The ref makes it to a five count and disqualifies Batista and awards the match to Matt Morgan. Batista plants Morgan with another DAVE Bomb to add insult after it's over.

Cut to more video comments from Goldberg, Shawn Michaels, Jerry Lawler, and Eugene. Surprisingly the most insightful is Eugene who talks about how if it weren't for the soldiers, he would not be able to go ahead and try to live his dream of being a wrestler.
Eugene def Kane via Pinfall (Palsy-Plex)
Eugene comes down to the ring while his promo for the troops is playing on the Titan-Tron. He is very excited to see himself on television and celebrates in the ring like he's just won a huge match. While he is celebrating, Kane's pyro goes off and causes him to jump. He falls down and rolls out of the ring while Kane comes down to ringside. Kane taunts Eugene until the bell rings. Eugene goes through his usual change of demeanor once the bell rings and begins to savagely beat on Kane driving the monster back into the corner. Kane fights his way out and goes to chokeslam Eugene who reverses it into a roll up for a two count. Kane is furious and goes after Eugene who retaliates with a pair of drop kicks. Kane is rocking from them as Eugene sets up and lands a Palsy-Plex. as he goes to make the cover Kane sits up. Eugene backs off and as Kane comes after him, hits another Palsy-plex in the center of the ring and slides right into the cover for the pin!
NITRO Nugget:
Matt Hardy winning the ECW Television Championship and Rob Van Dam winning the ECW Heavyweight Championship are both profiled with the Shelton Benjamin/Rene Dupree match sandwiched in between.
Trish Stratus, Gail Kim, Molly Holly, and Victoria all talk about how great it has been to be involved with the armed forces and get to go to the bases and perform for the soldiers. They are really some of the biggest supporters of the company and it's always great to get out there and see them.
Triple H def Chris Benoit via Pinfall (Pedigree) in a non-title match
Triple H challenges Benoit to put the title on the line tonight, but Benoit reminds him that he has promised to face Triple H a second time if he can win tonight. Then it will be for the title.

Triple H takes the early offensive with a series of chops. Benoit returns the chops and then whips Triple H off the ropes. HHH responds with a facebuster and takes the offensive back. He follows Benoit into the corner where he lays a series of shoulderblocks into the stomach of Benoit. He takes Benoit out and hits a MAIN EVENT SPINEBUSTER for a two count. Benoit returns fire after the near pinfall with the Rolling Germans, but he is only able to get a two count out of them as well. Northern Lights Bridge suplex gets two, and Triple H clotheslines him down for good measure afterwards. Reverse suplex and Triple H is in firm control. He plants Benoit with a DDT for two. As Benoit is getting up and trying to fight back, Triple H hits the Pedigree. But before he can make the cover, Shawn Michaels comes down to ringside. Benoit tries to make the most of the distraction with a roll up, but it only gets two. The referee notices Shawn Michaels and sends him packing. Behind the ref, Triple H gets a low blow and then hits another Pedigree to get the pinfall.

JR talks about how Benoit just got screwed by Shawn Michaels' interference, but the King reminds JR that he didn't do anything at all int he ring, so there was technically no intereference. JR notes that now Triple H will get a title shot against Benoit at Bad Blood as per the stipulations of the match. And next week will see Edge defend his Intercontinental Championship against Christian.