Vengeance (2004)

Infobox Wrestling event
name=Vengeance (2004)


promotion=World Wrestling Entertainment
brand=Raw
date=July 11 2004
venue=Hartford Civic Center
city=Hartford, Connecticut
attendance=7,000cite web|url= http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wwf/venge.html#2004|title=Vengeance 2004 Results|accessdate=2008-02-02| publisher=Pro Wrestling History]
lastevent=The Great American Bash (2004)
nextevent=SummerSlam (2004)
event=Vengeance
lastevent2=Vengeance (2003)
nextevent2=Vengeance (2005)

Vengeance (2004) was the fourth annual Vengeance professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by American promotion, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). It took place on July 11 2004 from the Hartford Civic Center in Hartford, Connecticut and featured talent from the Raw brand.

The main event was Chris Benoit versus Triple H for World Heavyweight Championship, which Benoit won by pinning Triple H with a roll-up. [cite web|first=Chris|last=Sokol|url= http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/PPVReports/2004/07/12/537080.html|title=Canadians have Edge at Vengeance|accessdate=2008-02-02|date=2004-07-12|publisher=Canadian Online Explorer|work=SLAM! Sports] The predominant match on the card was Randy Orton versus Edge for the WWE Intercontinental Championship, which Edge by won pinfall after executing a Spear. The primary match on the undercard was Matt Hardy versus Kane in a No Disqualification match, which Hardy won after he hit Kane with a steel chair which ricocheted off steel steps, which Kane held, and slammed right into Kane's face to get the pin. [cite web|url=http://www.pwwew.net/ppv/wwf/july/2004.htm|title=Vengeance 2004 Results|accessdate=2008-02-02|publisher=PWWEW.net] The featured match on the undercard was Batista versus Chris Jericho, which Batista won by pinfall after executing a Batista Bomb.

The event grossed $370,000 with 7,000 ticket sales and had a 0.43 buyrate. Following the event, Benoit began a feud with Randy Orton over the World Heavyweight Championship. The two would have a match at SummerSlam, where Orton would win the World Heavyweight Championship and become the youngest World's Heavyweight Champion in WWE history after he pinned Benoit following a RKO. Edge would go on to defend the Intercontinental Championship against Batista and Chris Jericho in a Triple Threat match at SummerSlam. Edge would retain the championship after he Speared Jericho to get the pin. Kane and Matt Hardy would continue their feud at SummerSlam in a "Till Death Do Us Part" match, where the winner would get to marry Lita. Kane would be the victor after he pinned Hardy following a Chokeslam from the top rope.

Background

The main feud heading into Vengeance was between Chris Benoit and Triple H, with the two battling over the World Heavyweight Championship. In January at the Royal Rumble, Benoit won the Royal Rumble match which earned him a World Heavyweight Championship match against Triple H at WrestleMania. [cite web|url= http://www.pwwew.net/ppv/wwf/january/2004.htm|title=Royal Rumble 2004 Results|accessdate=2008-02-02|publisher=PWWEW.net] At WrestleMania, Benoit defeated champion Triple H and Shawn Michaels in a Triple Threat match to win the World Heavyweight Championship. Benoit won the match by forcing Triple H to submit to the Crippler Crossface.cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/wrestlemania/history/wm20/mainevent|title=Chris Benoit vs. Shawn Michaels vs. Triple H - World Heavyweight Championship|publisher=WWE|accessdate=2008-02-01] At Backlash, Benoit defended the World Heavyweight Championship in another Triple Threat match against Triple H and Shawn Michaels. Benoit won the match and retained the championship after he forced Michaels to submit to the Sharpshooter.cite web|date=2004-04-18|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/backlash/history/backlash2004/mainevent/|title=World Heavyweight Champion Chris Benoit defeats Triple H & Shawn Michaels to retain|publisher=WWE|accessdate=2008-02-15] Following Backlash, Benoit had a small feud with Kane, while Michaels and Triple H would finish their feud at Bad Blood. After Bad Blood, Triple H would demand another World Heavyweight Title shot. It would later be granted to him by General Manager Eric Bischoff to fight against Benoit at Vengeance for the championship.

The predominate match was between Randy Orton and Edge with the two feuding over the WWE Intercontinental Championship.

The primary feud was between Matt Hardy and Kane. The storyline surrounding these two was Kane had affections for Hardy's girlfriend Lita. In the weeks prior to the event, Kane and Hardy would have serve fights on Raw.

Event

Before the Pay-per View went on live. Tyson Tomko defeated Val Venis on Sunday Night Heat, by pinfall after performing a Kick to the face.

The first match was Tajiri and Rhyno facing Garrison Cade and Jonathan Coachman in a tag team match. The match didn't last very long. Tajiri's team won after Cade got delivered a High impact shoulder strike ,called a "Gore", by Rhyno, but when Coachman turned around he got delivered a Spinning kick to the face by Tajiri and Tajiri pinned Coachman to pick up the victory for his team.cite news|title=Vengeance 2004 Results|url= http://www.wwe.com/shows/vengeance/history/vengeance2004/results/|publisher=WWE|accessdate=2007-07-29]

The second match of the night was the encounter of Batista and Chris Jericho. The match started with Batista getting the advantage by hitting some big moves. Jericho would then play around with Batista by getting Batista to fall out of the ring. Jericho would then follow up by hitting a kick onto Batista on the apron, which made Batista fall to the ground. Batista would then put Jericho in a choke hold. Jericho got out of the choke hold and grabbed Batista's legs under his arms and turned him on his stomach ,dubbed the "Walls of Jericho" onto Batista, but Batista would reverse the Walls of Jericho and picked up Jericho and slammed him on his back. Near the end, the match would go back and fourth, but at the end Batista would win the match after putting Jericho on his shoulders and slamming him down, whilst sitting down. Jericho would have his foot on the bottom rope but the referee didn't see it.

The next match was Eugene and Ric Flair going up against champions La Résistance (Róbert Conway and Sylvain Grenier) for the World Tag Team Championship. The match started with Eugene using Flair's taunts to anger La Resistance, but La Resistance would get the advantage for about a while until Eugene got the upper hand. At the end, Eugene got himself intentionally disqualified after he pushed the referee. After the match ended, Eugene put Grenier's arm over his head and slammed him down and grabbed Conway's head and performed a sit-out jawbreaker and then got momentum from the ropes and slammed his elbow into Conway's chest.

The next match was a No Disqualification match between Matt Hardy and Kane. The match started on the outside with Kane getting the upper hand. Moments later, Hardy would run Kane's head into the steel post followed by Hardy hitting Kane with a television monitor. Kane and Hardy would get on the Spanish announce table. Hardy attempted to grab Kane's head and slam him down ,called a "Twist of Fate",but Kane would then push Hardy off the table into the security wall head first. Kane would then deliver Hardy an uppercut, which made Hardy fall over the security wall. At the end, Kane brought the steel steps into the ring, but after a distraction by Lita Hardy hit Kane with a steel chair which ricocheted the steel steps off his face. Hardy then pinned Kane to win the match.

The predominant match of the night was for the WWE Intercontinental Championship between Randy Orton and Edge. The match started off with Edge getting the upper hand, by locking in an armbar on Orton. Edge then hit a Shoulder block, but then Orton got the upper hand. Edge then delivered Orton multiple Shoulder blocks, which made Orton fall out of the ring. Near the end, Orton attempted to jump and grab Edge's head to slam him down ,which Orton calls an "RKO" but instead Edge pushed Orton into the ropes. Edge then went to hit Orton with his shoulder,dubbed a "Spear", but Orton jumped over Edge. Orton went for another RKO, but was countered into a backslide pin. Orton then tried to throw Edge into the exposed turnbuckle, but Edge threw Orton into the exposed turnbuckle. Edge then executed a Spear onto Orton and pinned Orton to become the new WWE Intercontinental Champion.

The sixth match of the night was the encounter of Victoria and Molly Holly for the Number 1 Contendership for the WWE Womens Championship. The match was a short match. The match ended when Victoria executed a high angle kick to the jaw and pinned Molly to earn the right to face Women's Champion.

The main event was between Chris Benoit and Triple H for the World Heavyweight Championship. In the match, Benoit inadvertently knocked the referee out of the ring. Triple H then put Benoit's head between his knees and slam him down , but there was no referee to count the pin. Triple H then called out Eugene. Triple H told Eugene to get a steel chair. Benoit then knocked over Triple H, and then Eugene climbed into the ring. Benoit wanted the steel chair but Eugene hung onto it. Benoit then knocked Eugene off the apron. Triple H then hit Benoit in the groin, which allowed Triple H to grab the steel chair. Triple H was going to hit Benoit with the steel chair but Eugene caught the chair. Triple H knocked Eugene off the apron. Eugene then jumped back into the ring and grabbed the steel chair. At the end, Eugene and Benoit were fighting over the steel chair, but Benoit would let go, which made Eugene smash the steel chair into Triple H's face inadvertently. After Eugene smashed the steel chair into Triple H's face he run out of the ring, which then allowed Benoit to execute a Roll-up onto Triple H, thus retaining the World Heavyweight Championship. [cite news|title=World Heavyweight Champion Chris Benoit defeats Triple H to retain|url= http://www.wwe.com/shows/vengeance/history/vengeance2004/mainevent/|publisher=WWE|accessdate=2007-07-29]

Aftermath

The next night on "Raw", Eugene told Evolution (Batista, Ric Flair, and Triple H) that he was sorry for the things that he did to them over the past weeks. Triple H then told Eugene that he had to see Eric Bischoff. Bischoff said to Eugene that he does belong in the business. Bischoff told Eugene that it was him versus Chris Benoit later that night for the World Heavyweight Championship. [cite web|first=Adam|last=Martin|date=2007-08-27|url= http://www.wrestleview.com/results/raw/raw2004/1089703900.shtml|title= Raw results: Benoit vs. Eugene World Championship match|publisher=WrestleView|accessdate=2008-03-02] At the end of the match, Eugene executed a Rock Bottom on Benoit. Benoit put his foot on the bottom rope when Eugene had him pinned. Evolution then come out and attacked Eugene and Benoit. William Regal then come out to Eugene's aid, but was stopped by Evolution. Orton then executed an RKO on Regal. Batista then executed a Batista Bomb on Eugene, followed by Triple H performing a Pedigree to Eugene. [cite web|first=Adam|last=Martin|date=2007-08-27|url= http://www.wrestleview.com/results/raw/raw2004/1089703900.shtml|title= Raw results: Benoit vs. Eugene World Championship match (aftermath)|publisher=WrestleView|accessdate=2008-03-02] The feud between Triple H and Eugene lasted until SummerSlam, where they had a match, which Triple H won by pinfall. [cite web|url= http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/PPVReports/2004/08/16/585826.html|first=Dale|last=Plummer| coauthors=Tylwalk, Nick|title=SummerSlam 2004 results|publisher=Canadian Online Explorer|work=SLAM! Sports|date=2007-08-27|accessdate=2007-10-24]

On the July 26 edition of "Raw", 20 men competed in an over the top rope Battle Royal to determine who would be the Number 1 Contender for the World Heavyweight Championship at SummerSlam. Randy Orton won the match by last eliminating Chris Jericho. [cite web|first=Adam|last=Martin|date=2007-08-27|url= http://www.wrestleview.com/results/raw/raw2004/1090899174.shtml|title= Raw results: July 26 Battle Royal|publisher=WrestleView|accessdate=2008-03-02] At SummerSlam, Orton faced Chris Benoit for the World Heavyweight Championship, which Orton won by pinfall after performing an RKO.cite web|date=2004-08-15|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/summerslam07/history/2004/mainevent/|title=SummerSlam main events|publisher=WWE|accessdate=2008-02-15] On the August 16 edition of "Raw", Orton defeated Chris Benoit in a rematch to retain the World Heavyweight Championship.cite web|url= http://onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/raw/040816.html|title=Raw results - August 16, 2004|accessdate=2008-01-15| publisher=Online World of Wrestling] After the match, Batista, Ric Flair, and Triple H, threw Orton a mock celebration, only to reveal that they were not pleased with his new victory. While Batista had Orton propped on his shoulders, Triple H gave him a pleased thumbs up, but abruptly changed it to a thumbs-down and told Batista to drop Orton to the mat. Flair and Batista then attacked Orton as Triple H told him that he was nothing without Evolution. On the August 23 edition of "Raw", Triple H told Orton to give him the title or pay the price.cite web|url=http://pwwew.net/tv/raw/040823.htm|title=The Wedding Bell Tolls|accessdate=2008-01-15|date=2004-08-23|publisher=PWWEW.net] Orton refused and spat in Triple H's face followed by hitting him with the title belt. General Manager Eric Bischoff then booked a match between Orton and Triple H for the title at Unforgiven. At Unforgiven, Orton lost the title when he was pinned by Triple H. [cite web|url=http://pwwew.net/ppv/wwf/september/2004.htm|title=WWE Unforgiven 2004|accessdate=2008-02-16|publisher=PWWEW.net]

Results

References

External links

* [http://www.wwe.com/shows/vengeance/history/vengeance2004/ Vengeance 2004 Official website]