It was a an action packed Monday Night Raw in front of a capacity crowd at the Mohegan Sun Casino.

With Jonathan Coachman’s edict that neither Superstar can come in contact with one another until Jan.1 unless it’s during a sanctioned match, Umaga and John Cena were forced to divert their pent up angst onto other competitors. The Champ took on Armando Alejandro Estrada and the Samoan Bulldozer battled Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy.

Beating Estrada to a pulp was the only way Cena could to send Umaga a message, and the match was nothing less than lopsided with Cena easily getting the pinfall after a devastating FU. As The Champ was putting the exclamation point with an STFU on Estrada after the bell, Johnny Nitro rushed the ring and gave Cena a cheap shot to the head.

“There’s more where that came from,” Nitro said as he backpedaled up the ramp to the locker room area. He then informed Cena that he was personally training K-Fed for their match on Jan. 1.

For the interference, Cena challenged Nitro to a match. Competing for the second time in one night, The Champ was able to score a decisive victory against Nitro, but it wasn’t without a hard-fought effort from the former Intercontinental Champion. Although Nitro displayed his relentless determination to win at all costs and an aerial display that ranks with the best high-flyers, nothing could stop John Cena.

Umaga took his own aggravation out on Jeff Hardy. Umaga made it clear that he wasn’t interested in obtaining a pinfall; his only goal was to punish Hardy – and he did. Hardy fought valiantly but was unable to hand Umaga his first defeat. The Samoan Bulldozer’s beating left Hardy unable to defend himself, and the referee stopped the match, giving Umaga another victory.

Triple H’s collision in a singles match with Rated-RKO member Edge got ugly fast. After the battle made its way up the ramp, Randy Orton joined Edge in taking on The Game. HBK came to Triple H’s defense, but former Spirit Squad member Kenny joined Orton & Edge. That brought Ric Flair out to join DX in taking on Rated-RKO. The last time WWE fans saw Flair, he was a bloody mess from Edge & Orton’s wicked attack that left the “Nature Boy” motionless and unable to compete. The attack was so disgusting it looked as if Flair would never be able to compete at the same level again.

But in his return, the future WWE Hall of Famer picked up right where he left off, and as a grueling battle broke out between all six Superstars, Jonathan Coachman emerged to declare the match a Six Man Tag Team Match.

As Edge & Orton attempted to zero-in on Flair in hopes that old injuries were still ailing, the “Nature Boy” proved there is no keeping him down. Kenny, desperate to become part of Rated-RKO, tried to pin Flair but was unsuccessful. Flair countered Kenny’s figure four leg-lock attempt and turned it into a small package for the pinfall.

After the match, Kenny helped Edge & Orton set up HBK for a Con-Chair-To like they did to Flair a few weeks ago. Fortunately, Triple H had his equalizer and sent the three Superstars rushing from the ring. What will happen when DX and Rated-RKO go head to head at New Year’s Revolution?

Flair wasn’t the only one making a return to Raw; former WWE Tag Team Champions the World’s Greatest Tag Team – Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas – made their triumphant return by defeating The Highlanders.

In other action, Chris Masters and Viscera lost to Carlito and Jerry “The King” Lawler in a tag team match. Later, Masters clamped the Master Lock on Torrie Wilson after Victoria defeated her in a singles match. Victoria’s “hit list” has gone through Candice and Maria, and now Torrie can be added to the list. The cowardly attack from Masters on Torrie was broken up by Carlito, who rushed to the ring to help his love interest.

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