On June 19, 2005, Raven turned face and fulfilled his self-proclaimed destiny when he won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship at TNA Slammiversary 2005, defeating A.J. Styles, Abyss, Sean Waltman and Monty Brown in a five way King of the Mountain match. The unique part of this situation was that Raven was previously suspended by Director of Authority Larry Zbyszko for attacking him, and was inserted into the match on the pay per view pre-show when Jarrett was removed for attacking a fan (the fan was really indy wrestler Sal Rinauro).
After successfully defending the title at TNA No Surrender 2005 on July 17, 2005, against Abyss in a brutal Dog Collar Match, he was gored by Rhino, who aligned with Jeff Jarrett in yet another effort to get Jarrett into the title picture. Jarrett would get a title shot if he pinned Raven in a tag-team match at TNA Sacrifice on August 14, where Raven teamed with Sabu and Jarrett teamed with Rhino. Ultimately Rhino got the pin on Raven after goring him through a table, and was given the title shot at TNA Unbreakable on September 11, 2005.
At Unbreakable, Raven made the request of making the match a "Raven's Rules Match", to which Rhino agreed. Raven's Rules means no-disqualification, with Raven pushing a shopping cart to the ring containing various normally-illegal foreign objects. In the match, Rhino got sliced in the face by a pizza cutter, while Raven was split open by a shot from a garbage can and shot in the forehead twice with a staple gun. In the end, after unsuccessful interference by Jeff Jarrett, Rhino suffered the Raven Effect DDT, and Raven retained the NWA World Heavyweight Championship once more.
On September 15, 2005 Raven lost the NWA Title to Jeff Jarrett in Oldcastle, Ontario, Canada, at a special event of Border City Wrestling. America's Most Wanted ("Wildcat" Chris Harris and "Cowboy" James Storm) came out and made and interfered on Jarrett's behalf. TNA Director of Authority Larry Zbyszko was immediately contacted by BCW officials, who declared the title change official.[1]
Raven was enraged by this acceptance, and went on the rampage backstage during the weeks leading up to Bound For Glory. As a result, when challenger Kevin Nash went down to illness and forfeited his title shot, Larry Zbyszko refused to grant Raven a rematch. Rhino came out and berated Raven, asking where the sick person that crucified The Sandman in ECW went, and saying Raven now was pathetic.
During this, and a segment with Cassidy Riley on the following episode of iMPACT, it has been hinted that Raven has "gone soft" as a result of his involvement with an as-yet unrevealed woman (This storyline has not been completed and is not expected to be). On the December 3 addition of iMPACT, he lost a "Clockwork Orange House of Fun Match" against The Diamonds in the Rough.
Feuding with Larry Zbyszko, Raven was repeatedly pressured to sign a release form and leave TNA. He steadfastly refused, and Zbyszko brought back some of Raven's past cronies (P.J. Polaco (Justin Credible) and Chris K. (Chris Kanyon)) in an attempt to "punish" him.
Raven was set to face an opponent of Zbyszko's choosing at Final Resolution. If Raven won, he would have gotten a NWA World Heavyweight title match, but if Larry's choice won, Raven would be kicked out of TNA.
Raven's opponent was Sean Waltman. Halfway through the match, the referee was knocked out and Larry Zbyszko became the ref and constantly gave Raven a slow count. However, he would give Sean Waltman the same count, showing some objectivity. It ended when Sean Waltman gave Raven an X-Factor through a table off of a ladder. Sean went for the pin, and Raven got his foot on the rope but Zbyszko counted the fall anyway. Afterwards, Raven ran into Jackie Gayda, who informed him that they had something in common - they were both being screwed by "TNA Management".
After successfully defending the title at TNA No Surrender 2005 on July 17, 2005, against Abyss in a brutal Dog Collar Match, he was gored by Rhino, who aligned with Jeff Jarrett in yet another effort to get Jarrett into the title picture. Jarrett would get a title shot if he pinned Raven in a tag-team match at TNA Sacrifice on August 14, where Raven teamed with Sabu and Jarrett teamed with Rhino. Ultimately Rhino got the pin on Raven after goring him through a table, and was given the title shot at TNA Unbreakable on September 11, 2005.
At Unbreakable, Raven made the request of making the match a "Raven's Rules Match", to which Rhino agreed. Raven's Rules means no-disqualification, with Raven pushing a shopping cart to the ring containing various normally-illegal foreign objects. In the match, Rhino got sliced in the face by a pizza cutter, while Raven was split open by a shot from a garbage can and shot in the forehead twice with a staple gun. In the end, after unsuccessful interference by Jeff Jarrett, Rhino suffered the Raven Effect DDT, and Raven retained the NWA World Heavyweight Championship once more.
On September 15, 2005 Raven lost the NWA Title to Jeff Jarrett in Oldcastle, Ontario, Canada, at a special event of Border City Wrestling. America's Most Wanted ("Wildcat" Chris Harris and "Cowboy" James Storm) came out and made and interfered on Jarrett's behalf. TNA Director of Authority Larry Zbyszko was immediately contacted by BCW officials, who declared the title change official.[1]
Raven was enraged by this acceptance, and went on the rampage backstage during the weeks leading up to Bound For Glory. As a result, when challenger Kevin Nash went down to illness and forfeited his title shot, Larry Zbyszko refused to grant Raven a rematch. Rhino came out and berated Raven, asking where the sick person that crucified The Sandman in ECW went, and saying Raven now was pathetic.
During this, and a segment with Cassidy Riley on the following episode of iMPACT, it has been hinted that Raven has "gone soft" as a result of his involvement with an as-yet unrevealed woman (This storyline has not been completed and is not expected to be). On the December 3 addition of iMPACT, he lost a "Clockwork Orange House of Fun Match" against The Diamonds in the Rough.
Feuding with Larry Zbyszko, Raven was repeatedly pressured to sign a release form and leave TNA. He steadfastly refused, and Zbyszko brought back some of Raven's past cronies (P.J. Polaco (Justin Credible) and Chris K. (Chris Kanyon)) in an attempt to "punish" him.
Raven was set to face an opponent of Zbyszko's choosing at Final Resolution. If Raven won, he would have gotten a NWA World Heavyweight title match, but if Larry's choice won, Raven would be kicked out of TNA.
Raven's opponent was Sean Waltman. Halfway through the match, the referee was knocked out and Larry Zbyszko became the ref and constantly gave Raven a slow count. However, he would give Sean Waltman the same count, showing some objectivity. It ended when Sean Waltman gave Raven an X-Factor through a table off of a ladder. Sean went for the pin, and Raven got his foot on the rope but Zbyszko counted the fall anyway. Afterwards, Raven ran into Jackie Gayda, who informed him that they had something in common - they were both being screwed by "TNA Management".
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