Taboo Tuesday 2004

Taboo Tuesday 2004 was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), which took place on October 19, 2004 at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was the first annual Taboo Tuesday event, marking the first time in which the fans were given the chance to vote on stipulations for the matches. The voting for the event started on October 18, 2004 and ended during the event. Eight professional wrestling matches were featured on the event's card. The buildup to the matches and the scenarios that took place before, during, and after the event were planned by WWE's script writers. The event starred wrestlers from the Raw brand: a storyline expansion of the promotion where employees are assigned to a wrestling brand under the WWE banner.
==Background==
Unlike most WWE events, where rules and participants for matches were determined by WWE's creative staff, this was the first event where at least some part of each match was determined by votes from WWE fans conducted on WWE's official website. The event was scheduled to feature eight professional wrestling matches. Various wrestlers were involved in pre-existing scripted feuds, plots and storylines leading to the matches taking place at this event. Wrestlers were portrayed as either villains or fan favorites as they followed a series of tension-building events. The event featured wrestlers and other talent from the Raw brand – a storyline division in which WWE assigned its on-air talent to separate television brands
The main event at Taboo Tuesday was a match between Randy Orton and Ric Flair where the online fan vote would determine whether the match was a steel cage match, a Falls Count Anywhere match, or a submission match. On the September 27, 2004, episode of Raw — one of WWE's primary television programs — Orton was given an opportunity to face Triple H at Taboo Tuesday for the World Heavyweight Championship if he was able to win a match against Batista, but he was not able to do so. During the singles match, Ric Flair interfered on behalf of Batista. This led to Orton blaming his loss on Flair. Orton commented on everything Flair had accomplished in the WWE and criticized him for calling Triple H the greatest wrestler of all. Flair responded to Orton's comments. He asserted that despite Orton's claim of being a "Legend Killer", wrestlers whom he had defeated such as Shawn Michaels and Mick Foley are not truly legends and therefore do not make Orton a true "Legend Killer". Flair also announced that he and Orton would meet in a match at Taboo Tuesday and the fans would have the opportunity to choose what type of match they would compete in.
One of the featured matches on the under-card was contested for the World Heavyweight Championship, in which Triple H would have to defend the title against the fans' choice of three possible opponents: Chris Benoit, Edge, or Shawn Michaels. At Unforgiven, Raw's previous pay-per-view event, Triple H defeated Randy Orton to capture the World Heavyweight Championship. The following night on Raw, Triple H had a celebration thrown in his honor, complete with women, confetti, streamers and a giant cake. Orton, however, sought revenge by coming out of the cake and assaulting the three members of Evolution, Triple H's stable with Ric Flair and Batista, which Orton had previously been a part of. On the October 4 episode of Raw, it was announced that because Orton has not won the opportunity to challenge Triple H, fans would be able to choose between three potential contenders for Triple H's World title at Taboo Tuesday. Chris Benoit and Edge were revealed as two of the candidates. Shawn Michaels, however, competed in a qualifying match, which saw him defeat Christian, to become the third candidate. On the October 18 episode of Raw, a standard match involving three wrestlers, called a Triple Threat match, was scheduled between Benoit, Edge, and Michaels. Edge won the match after he pinned Benoit by using the ring ropes for unfair leverage. During the match, Michaels legitimately injured his left knee, tearing his meniscus.
The other featured preliminary match was between Kane and Gene Snitsky. At Unforgiven, Shawn Michaels defeated Kane in a no disqualification match, a match where neither wrestler can be disqualified, allowing for weapons and outside interference. The next night on Raw, Kane demanded that authority figure Eric Bischoff, a portrayed match-maker and rule-enforcer, give him a rematch against Michaels, but Bischoff refused to do so as Michaels was preoccupied with appearing in Chris Jericho's interview segment, The Highlight Reel. Bischoff, however, scheduled Kane in a no disqualification match against an opponent of Bischoff's choice. Kane's opponent was revealed to be Gene Snitsky. During the match, Kane's scripted wife, Lita, who was pregnant in the storyline, entered the ring. This led to Kane accidentally falling on top of her after Snitsky hit Kane with a steel chair, ending the match. Trainers and emergency medical technicians rushed to the scene and took Lita away in an ambulance for medical attention. The following week, Kane was informed by doctors that Lita suffered a scripted miscarriage following the events of the previous week. On the September 27 episode of Raw, in an interview with Todd Grisham, Kane informed Grisham that he sought revenge against Snitsky for his actions. The following week, Lita gave her first interview since the miscarriage and revealed that she and Kane would get payback against Snitsky. During the same episode, Snitsky was interviewed by Raw commentator Jim Ross and told Ross that the death of the couple's unborn child was not his fault. Kane interrupted the interview segment, but Snitsky attacked Kane with a lead pipe in self-defense. This led Bischoff to announce a Weapon of Choice match for Taboo Tuesday, where fans would be able to vote on whether a lead pipe, a steel chain, or a steel chair would be legal for use in the match.
The main Divas feud entering Taboo Tuesday was between Christy Hemme and Carmella DeCesare, the two finalists in the Raw Diva Search. On the September 20 edition of Raw, Christy was announced as the winner of the Diva Search and received a one-year contract with WWE and $250,000. After the Diva Search, Carmella was transformed into a villainess and began a feud with Christy, due to jealousy of Christy winning the Diva Search. On the last edition of Raw before Taboo Tuesday, it was announced that Christy and Carmella would face each other at the pay-per-view with the fans choosing what type of match they would compete in. The choices were a Lingerie Pillow Fight, an Evening Gown Match, or an Aerobics Challenge. After the announcement, Carmella attacked Christy in the ring.
==Aftermath==
Following Taboo Tuesday, Evolution (Triple H, Ric Flair and Batista) were put in charge of Raw, after Eric Bischoff took the night off, following his match the night before. Triple H granted Flair the match of his choice; Flair wanted a rematch against Randy Orton, as he lost a steel cage match to Orton the previous night. Orton accepted Flair's challenge, with a stipulation that if he defeated Flair he would get an opportunity to face Triple H for the World Heavyweight Championship at the November pay-per-view Survivor Series. Orton did not receive the opportunity, as he lost to Flair. On the November 1 episode of Raw, Bischoff scheduled a traditional 8-man elimination tag team match involving Team Orton (Randy Orton, Chris Jericho, Maven and Chris Benoit) facing off against Team Triple H (Triple H, Batista, Edge and Gene Snitsky) at Survivor Series. The winning team would be granted absolute control of running the show for a month, and the winning members would all get a week to be in charge of the program. At the November event, Team Orton defeated Team Triple H and the team were given the opportunity to be in charge of Raw for a week.
On the October 25 episode of Raw, a rematch for the Intercontinental Championship was scheduled between Shelton Benjamin and Chris Jericho. The match saw Benjamin defeat Jericho and retain the title. After the match, Benjamin was attacked by Christian, which led Christian to overhook Benjamin's arms and pivoted him to an 180° thus driving his face onto the mat, a move Christian calls the Unprettier. The following week, Bischoff scheduled an Intercontinental championship match between Benjamin and Christian at Survivor Series. At Survivor Series, Benjamin retained the Intercontinental championship.
In November 2004, Lita returned to the women's division. She began a feud with the evil Trish Stratus after Stratus called Lita "chubby" because of her pregnancy weight gain. Lita challenged Stratus to a WWE Women's Championship match at Survivor Series, however, due to the months of humiliation and being verbally berated by Stratus, Lita was more concerned with doing as much damage as possible, leading to her disqualification.
==Results==
;
;
*Dark Match: Sgt. Slaughter defeated Muhammad Hassan (w/ Daivari) by disqualification.
*Shelton Benjamin defeated Chris Jericho (c) to win the WWE Intercontinental Championship (10:55)
*Trish Stratus (c) defeated Molly Holly, Stacy Keibler, Victoria, Gail Kim, Jazz and Nidia in a Fulfill Your Fantasy Battle Royal for the WWE Women's Championship (05:30)
*Gene Snitsky defeated Kane (w/ Lita) in a Weapon of Choice match (14:17)
*Eugene defeated Eric Bischoff in a "Choose the Loser's Fate" match (02:01)
*Chris Benoit and Edge defeated La Résistance (Sylvain Grenier and Robért Conway) (c) to win the World Tag Team Championship (16:15)
*Christy Hemme defeated Carmella DeCesare in a Lingerie Pillow Fight (01:48)
*Triple H (c) defeated Shawn Michaels to retain the World Heavyweight Championship (14:05)
*Randy Orton defeated Ric Flair in a Steel Cage match (10:35)
===Voting results===
Poll 	Results	Results	Results
Opponent for Chris Jericho 	
*Shelton Benjamin (37.48%)
*Batista (20.11%)
*Jonathan Coachman (7.01%)
*Christian (6.69%)
*Rhyno (5.77%)	
*Maven (4.23%)
*William Regal (3.81%)
*The Hurricane (3.77%)
*Tyson Tomko (2.49%)
*Tajiri (2.36%)	
*Steven Richards (2.24%)
*Val Venis (1.69%)
*Rosey (1.10%)
*Chuck Palumbo (0.68%)
*Rodney Mack (0.58%)
Outfit for the Fulfill Your Fantasy Diva Battle Royal	
*School girl (53.10%)
*French maid (30.03%)
*Nurse outfit (16.87%)	
*School girl (53.10%)
*French maid (30.03%)
*Nurse outfit (16.87%)	
*School girl (53.10%)
*French maid (30.03%)
*Nurse outfit (16.87%)
Weapon for the Weapon of Choice match 	
*Chain (40.84%)
*Steel chair (29.93%)
*Lead pipe (29.24%)	
*Chain (40.84%)
*Steel chair (29.93%)
*Lead pipe (29.24%)	
*Chain (40.84%)
*Steel chair (29.93%)
*Lead pipe (29.24%)
Stipulations for Eugene versus Eric Bischoff 	
*Loser has to have their head shaved (58.73%)
*Loser has to wear a dress (20.77%)
*Loser has to be the winner's servant (20.50%)	
*Loser has to have their head shaved (58.73%)
*Loser has to wear a dress (20.77%)
*Loser has to be the winner's servant (20.50%)	
*Loser has to have their head shaved (58.73%)
*Loser has to wear a dress (20.77%)
*Loser has to be the winner's servant (20.50%)
Stipulations for Christy Hemme versus Carmella 	
*Lingerie Pillow Fight (56.48%)
*Evening Gown match (33.22%)
*Aerobics Challenge (10.30%)	
*Lingerie Pillow Fight (56.48%)
*Evening Gown match (33.22%)
*Aerobics Challenge (10.30%)	
*Lingerie Pillow Fight (56.48%)
*Evening Gown match (33.22%)
*Aerobics Challenge (10.30%)
Opponent for Triple H 	
*Shawn Michaels (38.72%)
*Edge (33.42%)
*Chris Benoit (27.86%)	
*Shawn Michaels (38.72%)
*Edge (33.42%)
*Chris Benoit (27.86%)	
*Shawn Michaels (38.72%)
*Edge (33.42%)
*Chris Benoit (27.86%)
Stipulations for Randy Orton versus Ric Flair 	
*Steel cage match (68%)
*Falls Count Anywhere (20%)
*Submission match (12%)	
*Steel cage match (68%)
*Falls Count Anywhere (20%)
*Submission match (12%)	
*Steel cage match (68%)
*Falls Count Anywhere (20%)
*Submission match (12%)
==Other on-screen talent==
;Commentators
*Jim Ross
*Jerry "The King" Lawler
*Carlos Cabrera
*Hugo Savinovich
;Interviewers
*Jonathan Coachman
*Todd Grisham	
;Ring announcer
*Lilian Garcia
;Referees
*Mike Chioda
*Jack Doan
*Chris Kay
*Earl Hebner
*Chad Patton
==See also==
*List of WWE pay-per-view events
*WWE Event History
*Taboo Tuesday
*Event gallery
==DVD release==
* Taboo Tuesday 2004 on DVD
==External links==
* Taboo Tuesday 2004 at CAGEMATCH.net
* Taboo Tuesday 2004 at Online World of Wrestling
* on WWE Network
Category:World Wrestling Entertainment pay-per-view events
Category:Cyber Sunday
Category:2004 pay-per-view events
Category:Events with Steel Cage matches
Category:Events with Pillow Fight matches
Category:Events with Battle Royal matches