Batista made a surprise appearance on Raw tonight as the Special Guest Host. Sporting a protective brace on his left arm Batista was greeted by a loud crowd that was happy to see him.

Taking up the mic, Batista promised that “We’re going to have some fun tonight,”  He said there would be a four-man tournament to determine the No. 1 contender for Randy Orton’s title at the Night of Champions pay-per-view.

He said he initially turned down Vince’s request to be the guest host because he didn’t want to come out in a suit, he’s a fighter! Before he could continue, a shaky Randy Orton with Rhodes and DiBiase came out. “You shouldn’t have come back, Batista,” Orton said. He asked what was stopping them from coming to the ring and tearing him apart. “Nothing, I guess,” Batista said. “Except that if you even look at me the wrong way, I’m going to fire all three of you.”

Randy whined about how his life was a nightmare since getting beat up by HHH and Batista made fun of his whining. Batista announced Orton would face three of the new draftees in a three-on-one gauntlet match.

Later Batista showed up in the Legacy dressing room to needle Orton some more then again at the end of the show to applaud Mark Henry beating Orton.

Excerpt from my Raw IM conversation:

*thud*

He’s in a suit, he has sideburns he has hair sorta’….*guh*  No beard.  He looks so very at ease.

Raw Coverage and Photos from WWE.com

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Randy Orton(-!) and Legacy start the show off. Starting the timer now… orton says peeps who pay to see him are losers, he’s going to end the Mcmahon era…Oh hey, it’s that video package of Orton crushing Shane’s ankle, bet we’ll see that again tonight.

Randy talks about Vickie’s “no contact clause” between himself and Batista and out comes Batista to a loud crowd chant!!! Randy offers Batista a spot on Legacy. Muey generous! Even better, Randy wants Batista to be his enforcer.

Batista said that while Randy’s offer was nice, he didn’t want to be his enforcer because he doesn’t like, he despises, he LOATHES! Randy

Vickie is not so hawt this week, all that normally gorgeous hair looks like a wig. She makes a handicap match of Rhodes and DiBiase vs Batista for a chance at another handicap match in the main event. It was all screwy like last week. Now….then we go to ads and come back to the match in progress. I’ll have rewind this to be sure but I think the stip is if Batista beats Legacy he get’s Randy one on one?  Anyway, DiBiase and Rhodes target Batista’s hamstring then Rhodes goes for a chair. Batista takes the chair away just in time for the ref to see him and DQ him. So tonight it’s batista versus all 3 members of Legacy. “Fine.” Batista said.

Ads then a diva tag match. Guh, I heart Marsye, she’s really good as a heel. Mickie and Kelly Kelly get the win.

Whoa- goffy looking Josh Matthews backstage interviewing Randy -Uh oh, Ted has news, Cody has gone missing and Batista is the prime suspect. Dundun dunnnnn! Ads.

We’re back and they’re showing recaps of Big Show and Cena from last week. Now Chavo blowing smoke up Vickie….Zoned out but now the announcers are running down the PPV and back to Legacy backstage. They find Cody only to have Ted taken out by Batista! Batista is the stealthy assassin tonight!

Kennedy is coming back. Whoo. Carlito and Primo…nope, just Carlito is coming out now and THE BRIAN KENDRICK!!!! TBK get a win and another week of mic work -*loves*

At this point I had to leave the TV to go answer the door. I got back to the screen in time to see Cody patroling the backstage area where the stealthy assasin Batista attacks him from behind then locks him in the zamboni room to do more damage.

I’m zoned out again except the times I look up and try to figure out some of the more obscure fan signs on screen. Installing new do-dads to my IM program and chatting about stuffs as I wait for the main event.

Batista’s not even playing around in this main event. He signals at his entrance that he’s going to break Randy in half then gets to the ring and starts the breaking. Because he can’t win the belt tonight Batista goes for damage instead. I dig this tactic because it makes sense. Batista goes for a chair and gets himself DQ’d but he doesn’t care! OUCH!  he uses the chair to beat the stuffing out of Orton then goes for the ring steps. Oh Noes! the steps aren’t cooperating and Batista is angry! He kicks and kicks the steps, finally dislodging them then heaves the heavy steps into the ring. Works Orton over with the chair again until DiBiase and Rhodes show up. Batista doesn’t care! he fights them both off then THROWS~! the steps out of the ring at a scrambling Randy Orton. “You’re done!” Batista roars as Raw goes off the air.

-Post Raw second thoughts: I ended up rewatching the show because I was in and out during the live broadcast. On the second watching I figured out what was weird but good about Raw.  Batista and Orton carried the entire show. Like, no Shane or McMahon silliness, Cena and his goofiness was all confined to the Miz/Big Show angle. Sure it was akward at parts, Raw, but …wow, BATISTA and ORTON carried the show. Like, that’s pretty exciting.

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Vicki comes out and she looks good tonight.   Orton and Legacy come out and spend for-ever  celebrating Orton’s Backlash win.  Orton and his giant pores on the mic is just as bad as HHH doing his monologues. It’s been eight minutes now and he’s still talking. Finally  Vicki sets up tonight’s main event and Holy Smokes! she managed to say OrTon!! Batista vs. Big Show with the winner meeting Orton at Judgement Day. MVP breaks up the Orton lovefest and gets himself a match with the champ tonight.

THE Brian Kendrick vs Kofi. Oh how I worried when they moved my boy Kendrick to Raw but if it means more fun matches like this I can be a happy fan.

There’s a gang of girls in the ring. I was really enjoying Maryse on Smackdown and I hope she gets to do more than these fifty girl tag matches….Ok. Hornswaggle is involved in this monkey business too. This is all lame but I do like Santina, she makes me laugh.

Ads, specifically the Fusion razor ad… Why can’t they book Batista for something like that, he shaves too!

Back to the show and Matt Hardy is out next. I don’t know how i feel about Matt’s new spandex gear. Oh no, Matt sounds so sad! Boo Jeff Hardy, hand breaker! Goldust!!!! I mark.  How I love some Goldust, I don’t know why but I do. Matt wins.

Backlash recap then ads.   I’m excited about the new Star Trek movie next month.  Then we’re back for Orton vs. MVP…..  Wow…. I really dislike watching Randy on TV,  he always seems so phoney baloney. This is a great opportunity for MVP though, ballin’! We went to ads. I tried to stay interested in the match but instead  Carol and I  started playing with Chris Jericho’s Facebook.  Sorry MVP. Oh, it’s Shane O. Shane the Avenger annoys me. He’s angry at Orton for punting the rest of the family? Fire Orton then, all this guerrilla ring attack stuff hurts my brain. Shane did make me giggle last week when he tried to intimidate Batista in the backstage hall.

Smackdown ad -facepainted Jeff looks like a whackjob. All the non USA/WWE ads tonight are for fast food, action movies and razors.

Raw feels strange without Chris Jericho. Just sayin’.

The Miz is out.  Never paid much attention to The Miz before so this is a plus of the draft. He’s talking smack and challenging Cena – I like this guy already!

….That Miz bit went on way too long, Cena never came out. More ads then the European tour recap. Rock on for European fans, they’re getting fairly regular visits now.

The Colons vs Chavo and Noble. I guess this is why Vickie walked this week, Chavo had to warm up and couldn’t push the wheelchair. I’ve zoned out again. IMing about Neil Patrick Harris now. Colons win.

Business picks up BATISTA IS WALKING!.  Josh Mathews ask him if he feels responsible for HHH’s injury at Backlash. Batista says he feels for HHH and tonght he’s going to beat Big Show so that at Judgement Day he can take away the thing Orton treasures most.

Ads then Vickie is back. I revise my Hawt comment, only hawt from the knees up. Those capri pants are not so hot on her. Booo!!!!!!  They show the Orton Punts Everybody video recap again.  Double Booo! and Monkey business. Next week it’s Shane vs. Orton. Enough already.

Big Show is out. ARGGGH! and they go to ads.*riots*  Rewinding to watch the Batista interview again.

Finally Batista comes out, the camera is all over the crowd during the intro. Show’s warming up for his knock out punch. The bell rings and they lock up, exchange a few moves and then we go to ads again!!! WTF!  This is where it pays to be in the live crowd because I bet those cats are seing some cool Batista stuff whilst I look at sparkplug ads.

Back from ads and Big Show is in control of the match.  Show catches Batista in a bear hug and cinches it tight. Batista mounts a shortlived comeback, corner Show for some shoulder blocks then Big Show tosses Batista to the floor.  Show clambers out of the ring to finish the job but is surprised by the return of John Cena. Show and Cena stare each other down which gives Batista time to roll back into the ring as the ref counts Big Show out. Angry Show goes back to the ring and gets a Batista Spear for his troubles. Batista rolls out of the ring and disappears, the show ends with Cena and Show staring at each other again.

So I was excited for my Batista fix this week but hated the ending of  Raw. Just feels like Batista has been wedged into everybody else’s storyline instead of coming back to a strong story of his own. I’m hoping he can start divorcing himself from the HHH/Orton stuff after Judgement Day, maybe come out with the belt even.