ST. LOUIS – Bobby Lashley pumped his fists in the air and soaked in our fans’ cheers. A wave of relief and ecstasy swept over his face as he smiled for the first time in weeks. In less than three minutes, he had pinned Shane McMahon with a thunderous Dominator in the 3-on-1 Handicap Match against Shane O’Mac, Umaga and ECW World Champion Mr. McMahon and he – and the rest of our fans in the Scottrade Center – believed he had regained the ECW World Title. And Lashley believed he had exorcised the demons of weeks of humiliation he had endured at the hands of the vengeful Mr. McMahon since he shaved the Chairman bald at WrestleMania 23.
But then he was nearly unconscious and looking up at the arena lights after Umaga attacked him from behind and downed him with a Samoan Spike. And in one instance, Mr. McMahon turned Lashley’s ecstasy into agony – just because he could.
“Congratulations, Bobby Lashley. You have indeed won this Handicap Match, But what you have not done is win this ECW World Title,” the Chairman cackled to the stunned crowd and Lashley. “Because to win this ECW World Title, you have to beat me. So, ladies and gentlemen, still your ECW World Champion, Vincent Kennedy McMahon!”
Lashley shook his head as he looked on in disbelief. He had promised victory over the McMahons and Umaga at Judgment Day. He thought he had redeemed himself and finally put behind weeks of frustration and embarrassment from his ECW World Title loss and ongoing taunts from the Chairman and his son Shane. He had been announced as the new ECW World Champion. Lashley accomplished all his missions – except for one, thanks to the diabolical Chairman. Mr. McMahon had managed to humiliate and demoralize Lashley yet again.
When Mr. McMahon won the ECW World Title last month at Backlash, he manipulated the rules in his favor. In the 3-on-1 Handicap Match at Backlash, Shane McMahon and Umaga did the brunt of the work in the ring while the Chairman stayed in the corner. He only tagged in when Lashley was most vulnerable. The Chairman pinned Lashley for the ECW World Title after the proud gladiator endured a blast to the head with the title by Shane and two splashes from the top rope from the near-400 pound Samoan Bulldozer.
This month, Lashley got his hands on Mr. McMahon only briefly before his son Shane saved him. Mr. McMahon once again proved he is a master manipulator. Boos and "you suck" chants rained down from the rafters at Mr. McMahon. Lashley could only look on while an evil grin crept across the Chairman’s face. Mr. McMahon held the ECW World Title high for everyone, especially Bobby Lashley, to see as he disappeared with Shane and Umaga behind the locker room curtain.
The former Army sergeant took in our fans' cheers as they saluted him before he left the ring. He was victorious and got a measure of revenge. But given the troubled look on his face at the end of tonight’s match, he may have wondered, “What must I do to take the ECW World Title away from Mr. McMahon?”
Still, Lashley remains determined and told WWE.com after the match that his war with Mr. McMahon and his pursuit of the ECW World Title will continue.
"The war isn't over yet," Lashley said. "I've won this battle, but the ultimate battle will come when I win back the ECW World Title."
