Without further adu here is my review of Monday Night RAW which was taped in Mexico City this weekend
In Ring segment with Johnny Ace and Jim Ross
It's nice to see Jim Ross back on the show, but does anyone else find it odd that they would book the American broadcasters in a match in a show that was taped in Mexico? Laurinaitis is still painful to listen to, but I did get a kick out of the hug he forced on Ross and the way he put his arm around him.
1 -- RANDY ORTON & SHEAMUS & JOHN MORRISON vs. World Hvt. champion MARK HENRY & IC champion CODY RHODES & CHRISTIAN -- six-man tag match
WINNERS: Team Henry at 11:20. Although more attention was spent on outside-the-ring happenings, a good six-man tag match to promote a handful of items for the PPV. It was nice to see a hot crowd invested in the action, as well.
2 -- EVE (w/Kelly Kelly) vs. NATALYA (w/Divas champion BETH PHOENIX)
Winner: Eve at 2:10. Although this match was your typical short divas wrestling match it's still told a good story to set up Eve vs Beth Phoenix at the Pay Per View this Sunday Night.
In Ring Segment with C.M Punk which was interrupted by R-Truth/Miz, and Triple H
WWE appears to be pumping in some canned heat for the promo segments. The Truth and Miz really lost something with the way they returned last week. They just don't seem like threats to the Punk and Triple H team in a fair fight. For that matter, that's an ongoing problem for a lot of heels when they work with top talent.
3 -- C.M. PUNK (w/Triple H) vs. THE MIZ (w/R-Truth)
WINNER: No Contest at 8:46. This show was going just fine until they re-visited and replayed everything that went wrong on last week's show in this segment. Is this whole conspiracy angle still in-play with someone still trying to sabotage Hunter, this week via immigration issues?
3b -- C.M. PUNK vs. THE MIZ (w/R-Truth)
WINNER: Punk at 1:55. So I'm supposed to see The Miz and R-Truth as threats when they face C.M. Punk and the almighty Triple H on Sunday when Punk just got the better of them on his own until the post-match beatdown? This would be more effective if Punk didn't take this much punishment on a regular basis. Call me crazy, but if they want to position Triple H as such a big deal, then he should also be the one on the receiving end of a beatdown designed to put heat on the heels.
4 -- JACK SWAGGER (w/Dolph Ziggler and Vickie Guerrero) vs. ZACK RYDER
WINNER: Ryder at 0:32. I just hate squash matches. UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
5 -- U.S. champion DOLPH ZIGGLER (w/Jack Swagger and Vickie Guerrero) vs. MASON RYAN (w/Zack Ryder) -- non-title match
WINNER: Ziggler via DQ at 2:36.
Yes, they're building up Ryan, but they are doing so at the expense of mid-card heels who should be moving up the ladder themselves. If this were an isolated incident than I wouldn't complain. Why can't WWE put some legit heat on anyone other than announcers and general managers?
6 -- WWE champion ALBERTO DEL RIO & MICHAEL COLE vs. JOHN CENA & JIM ROSS -- Winner chooses stipulation at Vengeance
WINNERS: Cena & Ross at 11:37. The hot crowd made this an acceptable main event, even though WWE gave away too much Cena-Del Rio before the PPV, and Ross and Cole played their roles well. As for the purpose of the match, it came across like a last-ditch effort to get some PPV buys to avoid a disastrous domestic buy total. It seems like Cena won't be winning the title after getting a "visual victory" with Del Rio counted down for a ten count and no verbal proclamation to re-take the title. Then again, McMahon could change his mind on Sunday. By the way the match between John Cena and Alberto Del Rio will be a last man standing match this Sunday at the PPV.
FINAL THOUGHTS: This was one of those Raws that lacked spontaneity and energy - despite a very good crowd throughout and a big-arena setting - because it clearly came across like a taped show and WWE blew their top storyline last week. Add in a bland, basic, attempt to sell a PPV with no juice, even more ridiculousness with a top storyline that (a) makes zero sense and (b) no one cares about anymore, and this wasn't a good rebound show. There was definitely a residual effect from last week's bizarreness. The problem is last week's show was supposed to be a definitive "break in the case" with Hunter removed from power and order restored to avoid an extended "walk-out." However, with Hunter still in the exact same authority figure position he was in during the chaos, nothing has technically changed, even though WWE is acting like it has. It wasn't as bad as last week, but WWE has to get away from this storyline as quickly as possible.
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