This was awfully uneventful for a 20th anniversary show.
We had Rock and CM Punk preparing for their match in their own unique ways. Punk actually wrestled against Brodus Clay, who took umbrage to Punk's comments last week. Brodus put in a good showing, but eventually fell to the Savage Elbow and Anaconda Vise. Post-match, Punk danced, just to be a jerk. Just marvelous!
Rock built up his match through...sigh...a Rock Concert. These things drag on when the shows are two hours, but a Rock Concert segment after a THREE-HOUR SHOW was just DEATH! After a lot of silliness, Rock calls out CM Punk and we get a pull-apart brawl to end the show. That segment recovered nicely at the end, but God bless anyone that managed to stick around that long.
Vince McMahon also booked John Cena/Dolph Ziggler in a steel cage, for reasons known only to him. Because Cena overcoming everything Ziggler threw at him last week and finishing with the AA wasn't fun enough the first time. Big E Langston ran interference throughout the match, even though we kept hearing throughout the show that the cage was meant to PREVENT interference. Ziggler used the Zig Zag, Sleeper Hold, the spike DDT from the second rope, and a kitchen sink and NONE OF IT could put Cena away. AJ eventually distracted the ref (even though there are no disqualifications) and heel miscommunication saw Ziggler accidentally bop Big E with the briefcase. Attitude Adjustment, goodbye. Say it with me: John Cena overcomes the odds! Again! Just like he's been doing for the last 7+ years! Rise Above Hate! Hustle, Loyalty, Respect! Brush Your Teeth! Bite me.
MizTV saw Miz bring Ric Flair on. The novelty with Flair is wearing off. Antonio Cesaro interrupted to continue setting up the Miz feud. Segment ended with Miz clamping the Figure-4 (WOO!) on Cesaro while Flair strutted.
Dr. Shelby was very proud of Hell No's progress, but had one last test for them. He brought the Rhodes Scholars to test their anger issues. Unfortunately, the Rhodes Scholars run afoul of Dr. Shelby (DR. PHIL???) and Hell No clear them out.
Mick Foley was named the first member of the 2013 HOF class. The Shield came out for a heel beatdown, but it was interrupted by Ryback, Randy Orton, and Sheamus. Afterwards, Ryback vowed payback for the Shield. FEED ME BORE SHIELD!
Originally posted by John OrquiolaAlso, Cole said several times that this was RAW #1025. Who's right? Maybe you're both wrong and it's actually RAW #2024.
I believe I've found the problem. The Slammy Edition of Raw was labeled #1021, but the next week's Raw thread was also labeled #1021.
Now that our numbering is straight, next week's Raw should be labeled #1026.
Raw1000 was the anniversary show. This was just one of their regular excuses to have a fake big show, like the Slammys or the annual Arbor Day Raw. I think they even reused some of the video retrospectives.
Cena/Ziggler was a spectacular match. Cena should beat Ziggler at the end of their feud. Cena should get comeuppance for losing to Ziggler. Ziggler is a cheater and Cena is a hero. But 1) pick one clean blowoff, either last week's match or this week's. And 2) beating him the way he did both times didn't do much to get Big E over as a differencemaker since Cena kicked out of or crossed up all his interference. You're supposed to do that after you've established the guy.
Awesome, awesome match though. If the last two weeks are the regular matches that Cena and Dolph have been doing on the house shows, that's quite the effort for a house show. Between their two matches, Punk/Ryback, Sheamus/Ziggler on TME, and Del Rio/Show, it was an amazing week for TV matches. Something tells me Orton/Cesaro is going to be great too.
Speaking of, Orton losing clean to Wade Barrett was good for a double-take, especially coming off rumors that Orton will "be taking time off to handle a personal family issue having nothing to do with injury or a wellness policy violation." (PWinsider)
HEATH SLATER IS GOING TO WRESTLEMANIA BABAY ::air guitar at Wrestlemania sign::
Speaking of, Orton losing clean to Wade Barrett was good for a double-take, especially coming off rumors that Orton will "be taking time off to handle a personal family issue having nothing to do with injury or a wellness policy violation." (PWinsider)
Ahhh, was wondering why "Sheamus vs Orton" suddenly turned into "Sheamus vs 3MB as the only four people competing in the Rumble".
Originally posted by It's FalseNow that our numbering is straight, next week's Raw should be labeled #1026.
Wildcard
This was awfully uneventful for a 20th anniversary show.
I don't feel as bad for falling sound asleep on the couch like an old person and waking up in a weird and totally lost state at midnight. Made it over halfway though.
To continue the theme of me not paying attention. When did Del Rio enter the title picture? I was totally expecting Big Show to be complaining about Sheamus. It was actually a pretty good opening talky segment. I like Big Show on the mic and Del Rio might be a really good face after all.
At least I'm not as lost as Orton seems to be these days. I think he is perfectly rated on the card, but it doesn't feel right now having him force fed to me by WWE, which makes me think he has zero good will built up.
You finally get people to chant feed me more, so why not change it to the nonsensical Feed Me Shield?
Did somebody screw up and not realize Kaitlyn is from Houston, Texas and they were in Houston Texas? This isn't how homecomings are supposed to go.
Originally posted by BigDaddyLocoDid somebody screw up and not realize Kaitlyn is from Houston, Texas and they were in Houston Texas? This isn't how homecomings are supposed to go.
Had a similar thought. Maybe Creative got confused and booked AJ like she was Houston instead.
I'll say this about this year's the "Rock" concert, at least it didn't have modified lyrics to a karaoke version of a classic Queen song. It was also way shorter than that concert during the Rock v. Cena feud.
I don't even feel like commenting on the Superman Cena no-selling anymore. Yeah whatever, Cena needs the push. That Ziggler character is going nowhere with the fans. I guess I did comment on it then. Just fuck right off Vince.
Man, Eve was having the best year of her career and now suddenly she's gone? I wasn't a huge fan of hers but her heel turn last year was easily one of two major developments in the women's division last year and she took full advantage of it as an actress and in ring worker. Good luck Eve I never thought you were a hoeski.
Add me with the disappointed crowd over this 20th anniverary Raw.
What was up with Foley staying/hiding outside of the ring the whole time while Ryback, Orton and Sheamus were saving him? I kept expecting him to come back into the ring swinging a chair or something.
And when Rock ran into Mick backstage and was giving him that glaring stare. I was sure this was setting up some sort of storyline and Rock was gonna demand to know why Foley didn't get back in there and join the fight.
But I guess maybe Foley is just too frail these days to participate in a brawl?
"You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life." - Winston Churchill
Cena/Ziggler was a spectacular match. Cena should beat Ziggler at the end of their feud. Cena should get comeuppance for losing to Ziggler. Ziggler is a cheater and Cena is a hero. But 1) pick one clean blowoff, either last week's match or this week's. And 2) beating him the way he did both times didn't do much to get Big E over as a differencemaker since Cena kicked out of or crossed up all his interference. You're supposed to do that after you've established the guy.
I couldn't have put it better myself. Why do essentially the same finish two weeks in a row? What do you accomplish by that?
Originally posted by Tenken347 Why do essentially the same finish two weeks in a row? What do you accomplish by that?
For me it boils down to Cena, after winning the match, when he looked into the camera at the top of the aisle and said "Just another day at the office."
There it was right there. "Just another day at the office."
To which I replied, "Motherfuckers, this is THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY SHOW! It's NOT just another day at the office! You were supposed to do something special!"
Sandow. Sandow Sandow Sandow. Forget this wrestling stuff, get him on commentary. I need to hear this guy talk for 3 hours a week.
I loves Ziggler. Lord knows I do. But this one-sided Cena angle is killing me and him and AJ. Losing to Cena and beating up Khali and Hornswoggle and then losing to Cena again ... even if we're just treading water until the Rumble title match, give him something else to do.
"To be the man, you gotta beat demands." -- The Lovely Mrs. Tracker
Cena dropping some Beastie Boys on the way to the ring was more entertaining than either of Rock's songs. The hyenas on commentary didn't help, either.
I like Cena, but I have to agree the booking of the 2 matches between him & Ziggler is a little curious. Last week should've been a Ziggler win due to Big E-nterference, setting up the blow-off cage match last night for the Cena win.
Anyone else really surprised at Del Rio's seemingly smooth transition from heel to face? It seems the fans are really taking to him - even doing "Si" chants.
"What does the letter C have to do with anything?"-Big Show
Wow, I really enjoyed this Raw, and I'm pretty sure I can be way more negative than most on here. There were some good to great matches (Eve/Kate, Orton/Wade and of course Cena/Dolph), and some good segments (Shield vs. Team RyShOrton, Dr. Shelby). I had no problem with this Raw outside of Rock getting some material so bad even HE couldn't save his own concert.
"Put on your helmets, we'll be reaching speeds of 3!" "It was nice of you to give that dead woman another chance." "All right, look alive everybody...oh sorry Susan."- MST3K: Space Mutiny Click Here (facebook.com)
It was better than Raw X mainly, because I was in a nice safe house instead of freezing in the windy NYC night being lied to about who was inside. So, that is a plus. I hated Mick's non-speech, but I did the Rock N Sock Reunion. Raw is just there right now and I doubt it will get better even if Rock is champ and back full time. Instead of awesome Punk promos, we will get more lame ass Cena promos.
The Wee Baby Sheamus.Twitter: @realjoecarfley its a bit more toned down there. A bit.