411’s LIVE Raw Coverage 08.29.05 | Carlito’s Cabana: Shawn Michaels

We start with a little video recap of John Cena beating Chris Jericho in a “You’re Fired Match,” and Eric Bischoff promptly firing Jericho and introducing Kurt Angle as Cena’s next challenger.

PYRO! We are LIVE in St. Petersburg, Florida, at the St. Pete Times Forum, with our hosts, Jim Ross, Jerry “The King” Lawler & Jonathan Coachman.

Carlito is here, and it’s Cabana time! “Now that Carlito’s good friend Chris Jericho has been fired, there’s no more Highlight Reel. And that — that’s cool! But you know what’s even cooler than that? It’s my guest tonight. Ladies and gentlemen, the one and only, HBK — Shawn Michaels!”

And, as promised, Shawn Michaels comes out in a suit.

[“HBK!”] “Wow. This is truly an honor. Last week, Carlito had the 16-time world champion Ric Flair” — [“WOO!”] — “OK, Woo, whatever, but tonight, Carlito has the icon, the showstopper, H – B – K. You know, Shawn, Carlito has to admit, I admire you.”

“Well, I, I’d like to think there’s a lot to admire about the Heartbreak Kid, Shawn Michaels. But I’m just kidding. Not sure. There is a lot to admire –“

“OK! OK! Alright. But seriously. Things you’ve done have paved the way for guys like Carlito. You see, the things you’ve accomplished have allowed Carlito to accomplish everything he has ac – accomplished in such a little time. But now, isn’t it ironic that you’re a guest on my Cabana? Here you are, the great HBK, standing in awe of Carlito, because I’m the Intercontinental Champion. You see, I looked up to you, and now, you look up to Carlito.”

“Easy! Easy, egomaniac. Look. I’m begging you and everybody else to be a little sympathetic of what I’ve been throuhg in the last month. I could not handle any more ego in my career, if you know what I mean. I simply came out here to congratulate you on being the Intercontinental Champion.”

“Thank you!”

“And I just have a couple questions for you. I mean, how long ago did you win that championship?”

[“HOGAN!”]

“Until he needs another payoff, he ain’t coming back. So anyway, what I’m saying is, I wanted to ask you — are people, since you won that, are people talking about your matches? And the answer is no, and not just because they’re too busy talking about my matches, because they’re still talking about matches I had ten years ago. The reason they’re not talking about your matches is because you haven’t had any to speak of! You see, son, what you need to understand is it isn’t the title that makes the man, it’s the man that makes the title. So I just wanna know, when is the last time you even defended the Intercontinental Championship?”

“I – I – what’s the next day? No. Nononono. It doesn’t matter when Carlito defended his title. The problem is nobody has the cojones to face Carlito. I mean, even the 16-time World Champion, Ric Flair, backed down to Carlito. You see, Shawn, guys like you need to learn there’s a pecking order around here. A ladder, so to speak. And Carlito’s… up here. You, Shawn, you’re… down… here.” He rubs the floor to make the point. “But you see, Shawn, you coming onto my show, Carlito’s Cabana, and insulting the Intercontinental Champion?” He grabs an apple and tosses it a few times. “That’s not cool.”

“You even think of taking a bite out of that apple, and I’m gonna kick it down your throat.”

“Whoa. Whoa. Easy. Easy. Whoa. Easy. Easy there, tough guy. You should save all that aggression. You see, you’re not the only guest on the Cabana tonight. My next guest is the man you’re gonna be facing in the Masterlock Challenge. Ladies and gentlemen, the Masterpiece… Chris Masters.”

Chris Masters is here, and he gets an abbreviated, pyro-free, posing-free version of his entrance.

“Y’know, Carlito, Shawn Michaels talks real tough. Let’s see how tough you talk tonight after you pass out to the Masterlock.”

“Y’know, after 21 years of doing this, you’d think I’d be smart enough not to get myself in these situations.”

Shawn attacks Masters, slugs Carlito, and beats on Masters in the corner. Carlito comes from behind with a shot, and when Shawn turns, Masters slugs him. Carlito comes with a kick and a DDT, and Masters kicks over a stool to clear some space. “Masterlock time!” Carlito doesn’t mind.

But Ric Flair is here! He runs in and intercepts Masters. He slugs it out with Carlito. Shawn gets up to dump Masters, and Flair and Michaels dump Carlito! Shawn and Flair hug in the ring.

Strong segment there to further both feuds, set up the Masterlock challenge nicely and keep the Carlito push going. Maybe we’ll get Carlito-Shawn not too long. I approve.

Promised for tonight:
– Shawn Michaels vs Chris Masters (Masterlock Challenge)
– Edge vs Matt Hardy (Street Fight)

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