Took another look at Vengeance 04 this afternoon. 2004 was a solid year all-around, especially on the Raw end. This particular card featured two very strong 30-minute matches - Edge vs. Randy Orton and Chris Benoit vs. Triple H.
 
What did everyone think of the show?
 
 

 
Vengeance 04 (Raw) - Hartford, CT - Civic Center - July 11, 2004 (7,000)
 
Sunday Night Heat - included Jonathan Coachman & Al Snow on commentary; featured a pre-taped promo by Kane regarding Lita's baby and his match against Matt Hardy later in the night; included Lilian Garcia conducting a backstage interview with Victoria regarding her 1 contender's match later in the night, during which Steven Richards interrupted and wished Victoria good luck; featured Coachman announcing he and Garrison Cade would face Tajiri and a partner of his choice in the opening pay-per-view contest:
 
Tyson Tomko (w/ WWE Women's Champion Trish Stratus) pinned Val Venis (w/ Nidia) at 2:52 with a boot to the face after Venis became distracted by Trish on the floor; after the bout, Maven made the save for Nidia and knocked Tomko to the floor with a dropkick (Vengeance 04)
 
Pay-per-view bouts - featured Jim Ross & Jerry Lawler on commentary; included a backstage segment with Triple H, Ric Flair, WWE IC Champion Randy Orton, and Batista in which the rest of Evolution took argument with Triple H for Flair having to team with Eugene later in the show, with Triple H eventually going off to find the missing Eugene; moments later, Triple H hid while watching Eugene speaking backstage with World Heavyweight Champion Chris Benoit in which Benoit repeatedly told Eugene to be careful and that Evolution was using him; featured Triple H speaking with Eugene backstage in which he tried to convince Eugene Benoit was lying to him; moments later, somewhat against Flair's wishes, Triple H gave Eugene his own Ric Flair robe to wear to the ring; included an ad for Ric Flair's autobiography, To Be the Man:
 
Tajiri & Rhyno (mystery partner) defeated Garrison Cade & Jonathan Coachman at 7:32 when Tajiri pinned Coachman with the kick to the head after Cade sustained Tajiri's green mist, when Coachman moved out of the way, and the Gore from Rhyno
 
Batista pinned Chris Jericho at 12:13 with the sit-down powerbomb; referee Earl Hebner didn't notice Jericho's foot on the bottom rope during the cover
 
WWE Raw Tag Team Champions Rob Conway & Sylvian Grenier defeated Eugene & Ric Flair via disqualification at 12:30 when Eugene shoved referee Mike Chioda to the mat while assaulting both champions, moments after Flair was illegally double teamed and sustained the Aur Revior; after the bout, Eugene dropped the champions with the Stunner and Rock Bottom
 
Matt Hardy pinned Kane in a No DQ match at 10:36 when, as Kane held the ring steps above his head with intent to hit Hardy, Hardy hit the steps with a steel chair, knocking them into Kane's face; during the closing moments of the bout, Lita appeared and begged Kane not to use the steps on Hardy; immediately after the bout, Hardy argued with Lita backstage over her risking herself and her baby by getting in the ring and said he needed some time to himself
 
Edge pinned WWE IC Champion Randy Orton at 26:37 to win the title with the spear after Orton hit an exposed turnbuckle back-first
 
Victoria pinned Molly Holly at 6:23 with a superkick after her injured shoulder gave out as she attempted the Widow's Peak; due to pre-match stipulations, Victoria became the 1 contender to the Women's title
 
World Heavyweight Champion Chris Benoit pinned Triple H with a roll up at 29:04 after Eugene, who appeared late in the bout, pulled a steel chair away from Benoit, accidentally striking the challenger with it; during the final moments of the contest, Benoit fought off an interfering Ric Flair and Batista with the chair; after the match, a furious Triple H locked eyes with Eugene, who was visibly upset over costing Triple H the match