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LOOKING AT THE GOALS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR THIS WEEK'S RAW

RAW - 09/07/2012                E: revinsamuel@rogers.com
What this show needs to accomplished?

•Money in the Bank go home show. That’s right, it’s the go home show for a pay per view, not Raw 1000. I might be in the minority here, but I think WWE has done a good job of multi promoting Raw 1000 and MITB, but I’ve felt they’ve been a bit more focused on Raw’s 1000th episode. Tonight I hope they are more focused on the pay per view then the Raw’s 1000th episode, which they have next week to sell hard
•Daniel Bryan-AJ-CM Punk. I know this is unlikely to happen, but I really hope they put some emphasis on the WWE Title tonight and not what side AJ will choose, although I know that’s the better story to tell for trained writers as oppose to traditional wrestling bookers. I’m not sure what is the better way to go, but I think long term emphasizing the title is smarter than the short term gain of how will AJ call the match?
•WWE Title MITB matches. Tonight is another chance to elevate this match and highlight the importance of the outcome. It’s all about pushing the pay per view and the focal point matches

Show Breakdown

1. Two straight weeks where the opening video package has nothing to do with John Cena’s storyline. It’s too bad it took getting AJ involved for Vince McMahon to consider the Bryan-Punk, WWE TITLE program worth of a priority video package to start the number one show.

2. Good to see in this video package they at least included what happened on Smackdown as part of it.

3. AJ out to start Raw and my first thought was WWE needs to be cautious here. We don’t need a third straight week of AJ being cramped down our throats. This is starting to look very similar to the summer of Eugene and we all know how that ended up. WWE has a good thing with her, if they overexpose her; it’s going to come off as force feeding the audience.

4. I like that AJ took a big pause during her dialog to Punk to allow for the “AJ’s crazy” chant to gain momentum. I’m assuming she didn’t improvise that so whoever told her to pause if a chant picks up, good on ya!

5. A weird twist with AJ proposing to Punk, but I guess that’s to showcase further how crazy she is. Punk should actually accept as it would be something different for the babyface to take advantage of this turn of events.

6. And I guess it falls right in line with the Bryan character to want the WWE title so badly that he’s willing to marry AJ.

7. The anonymous GM returns and the crowd groans. This gimmick is go away heat and is around purely for the entertainment of The Bubble in my view.

8. Ah yes the predictable opponent’s team together from the four way Money in the Bank match. It will be interesting to see if WWE acknowledges the John Cena-Kane feud from earlier this year.

9. Sheamus kills Jack Swagger like Ryback kills two guys. Not very smart long term thinking from where I sit, but The Bubble doesn’t really have a grasp on the long term health of the company sometimes.

10. Alberto Del Rio with a short and sweet promo to briefly give some focus to the World Title match. It wasn’t enough focus, but hopefully they cover that on Smackdown.

11. Santino is going to find the anonymous Raw GM and I’m sure the outcome of this will only have the people in the back chuckling.

12. Big News....The Rock will return for the 1000th Raw.  WWE is really loading that one up with Rock, Foley, Brock, Bret and Shawn already being publicized as appearing.

13. WWE showcases their priorities of where each MITB match stands. The WWE Title one will be one of the main events and gets a graphic to start the show. Meanwhile Christian and Tyson Kidd vs Tensai and Dolph Ziggler don’t even get ring introductions.

14. Back to back weeks where Christian is pinned and he’s the IC Champion. If it was someone else I’d suggest Christian is winning Money in the Bank, but I still don’t believe Vince McMahon sees him as anything but a good hand.

15. Lawler vs Cole for later...oh joy.

16. Brodus obliterates Drew McIntyre. Lots of squash matches today. Wouldn’t WWE be better off using jobbers if they are going to lose so quickly rather than talent with potential upside like Drew McIntyre and Jack Swagger?

17. I’m dreading that this Santino comedy is going to get bad, but so far it’s been short and that’s the best use of Santino in my opinion.

18. Good to see Chris Jericho bring up the past tag team of Jerishow. Show’s response was also great. Hopefully Cena and Kane have the same meeting acknowledging their past heated feud from just MONTHS ago!

19. Another Raw moment and once again we hear from Stephanie and her condescending voice. Only Stephanie could ruin these flashbacks for me! This flashback does give us a reminder of Vince staring down at his daughter’s boobs, but that’s about it.

20. John Cena trying hard to sell this pay per view and has guaranteed he’s winning MITB and so in the Pick’em pool, he’ll be my pick, because WWE wouldn’t have Cena fail on a promise especially after the Wrestlemania failed promise.

21. Well Michael Cole in passing mentioned the Cena-Kane feud and I guess that’s all we can expect from old McMahon and company.

22. WWE once again emphasizing to us how dominant Big Show is. I feel like I’ve seen this scene before. Move it along.

23. Well WWE surprised me and had John Cena stand tall at the end. My only issue with that is that Cena has guaranteed victory so therefore Cena is standing tall on the go home show and he’s promised victory? Weird booking...and very overprotective. It’s all about Show and Cena here, Jericho and Kane aren’t being given much respect.

24. Interesting that Daniel Bryan and Eve vs Punk and AJ is headlining Raw. When was the last time two divas were in the main event match of a Raw?

25. Uh Oh, Eve is shooting on Punk in the back. More weird booking. Its odd when WWE goes down this road, hopefully there is a bigger story to be told then Eve just tearing down Punk and devaluing the WWE title.

26. Santino and Khali in a backstage skit together....someone backstage thinks it’s funny.

27. Sin Cara was destroyed last week and he’s back this week looking fully healthy.

28. Interesting that Truth and Kingston are defending their tag titles in the YouTube match against Hunico and Camacho. They’ve only announced four matches for this show so I figured them defending the tag titles against the Primetime Players would be a good match to announce on this week’s show, but I guess not.

29. WOW it infuriates me to see Heath Slater in this match! WWE way off tonight. Why is the man that has been losing or getting beat up by legends, left, right and center in a MITB qualifying match? WWE once again all about entertainment and not thinking at all about the ramifications of wins and losses. I guess beating Doink earns you a chance to get into MITB.

30. Sin Cara, a little more flashy this week and hopefully it’s a sign that he’s going to pick up his game, because he hasn’t been anything special to me since his return.

31. This isn’t the original music I remember Bob Backlund using and I’m unsure why WWE decided to change it up.

32. Bob does look like he’s in good shape! Bob also getting a “You still got it” chant before he’s even done anything. Clearly this crowd is desperate to cheer about something.

33. At least Heath Slater learned not to shake hands unless you are going to get a cheap shot in after last week.

34. It looks like the crowd has voted for Cole vs Lawler and I was hoping against hope that they wouldn’t.

35. This match is going to take place with both men in their commentator gear as Josh and Booker take over commentary.

36. You’d think the King would want to get more punishment in then just an airplane spin. After praising WWE for the attention to detail last week, they’ve really dropped the ball this week.

37. Hornswoggle is the anonymous Raw GM and I just fast forwarded through the whole thing.

38. WWE Creative really needs to hire a content editor, because this is the third time in a matter of four to five weeks that they’ve done the tag partner bails out escape route. Bryan just did it to Eve, Otunga did it to Laurinaitis and Rhodes did it to Otunga just last week!

39. Also why doesn’t Eve care that Bryan bailed on her? She just leaves the ring area, because oh that’s what fits the storyline. Modernize WWE!

40. Well AJ kisses both men last week and slaps both men this week as the hook for the pay per view remains which side is AJ on.
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42. What this show accomplished?