Raw was actually entertaining tonight.
I loved the opening match and more importantly Triple H's proclamation that this would be the end of the Spirit Squad. A fun match, it was awesome seeing Flair, Michaels and H together and I definitely applauded HBK's somersault plancha. He's still the man.
I also loved the smart mark moment backstage when the "Destination OVW" sticker was placed on the crate. I hope we never see that gimmick again.
Diva Battle Royal was decent, the put over Victoria in a big way.
MNM back together, I could care less, but it should be a good match for the ECW ppv.
Duggan vs. Eugene? What is this, WCW Saturday Night?
The Edge and Orton segment was pretty intense. I really was not expecting that. Good job WWE.
Test vs. Lawler AGAIN...ugh.
I thought the Cryme Time skit was pretty dumb really, especially King and JR disclaimer beforehand.
The Hardy's vs Edge and Orton match was really good. I liked the near falls and the Hardy's high flying. Orton is still as boring as Batista when it comes to wrestling. It was good that Edge and Orton went over as it gives them a lot steam and keeps them strong heading into next week.
A good show overall. I think creative did a fine job this week.
Matt
***********
So after weeks of teasing the split up of the Spirit Squad & Kenny becoming a star of his own...we had DX kill the group off? And of course the match was typical DX...HBK actually sells for the opposition until he makes the tag & SUPER SON-IN-LAW comes in & destroys everyone.
Even though MNM vs. Hardy's sounds interesting, it's funny how WWE.com describes the ECW PPV as "For the first time ever, ECW's new breed will take part in a BRAND-EXCLUSIVE pay-per-view event" but yet the only other match on the card besides the chamber involves non-ECW wrestlers. Would you ever see a SmackDown vs. ECW match on a RAW PPV? This right here shows why ECW...no matter how better the show may be compared to the other brands...is just the new "Velocity" (thanks Lance Storm).
ABOUT TIME THEY PUSHED VICTORIA!!! It's long overdue for her!
Eugene on TV, who cares...it's a gimmick that died two years ago. At least Duggan is a legend that is willing to put over the new generation talent (no matter how stupid the gimmick) unlike other legends...BROTHER!
Carlito is one of the most over people on RAW & the best they can do for him now is a Chris Masters feud...the same feud that happened just a couple months ago?
That's stupid to build up Umaga for months just for him to now do the job & lose to make Cena look stronger...like Cena did to Muhammed Hassan. And your crazy if you think Cena isn't going to come out on top AGAIN (like he has with everyone else).
The bottom line at the end of RAW was this: So Flair, Matt, and Jeff get laid out instead of DX since we all know DX can't look weak or let opponents get heat off of them...and instead of worrying about how those 3 will get back at Edge & Orton, J.R. is selling "What will DX do to Edge & Orton." Not Flair, Not Matt, Not Jeff...but DX, the two guys who weren't laid out tonight!
After coming off a bland Survivor Series (just read the feedback), RAW needed to rebound & instead, another fumble.
-Johnny Blaze
**********
First off, best wishes to Rowdy Roddy Piper in his fight against lymphoma.
To RAW and another bizarre show. Shouldn’t the so-called WWE “Creative team†distribute the same drugs that they are on to the rest of us so we can understand their booking?
First, after weeks of infighting and a teased break up, the Spirit Squad are no more just like that? Sure, the OVW gag was cute but this was such an anticlimactic ending to their run. Although as it was at the hands of DX I guess we shouldn’t be too surprised. The burial is complete now.
Next, MNM reform despite the fact that last time they together, Nitro and Melina were beating Mercury up. Or did they wipe Mercury’s memory while he was in rehab? And how bad is it that we have just TWO matches announced for the ECW PPV in just FIVE DAYS TIME??? Don’t they want any buys for this show?
Victoria was the only valid contender for the Women’s title and I am glad that she was booked as dominant force here. But the division is on life support so there is really little to get excited about. Shame.
Right, so the WWE initially wanted to portray Eugene and a sympathetic character and not have him mocked for his handicap but now we’re supposed to hate him because of his handicap? Huh? No-one cares about Eugene anymore so just kill the character off already!!
The next bit for me sums everything that is wrong with the booking of the WWE right now. Edge and Orton beat up Flair and DX are not there to make the save. Fine, it got Edge and Orton over as sick heels but no-one was around to make the save? Here’s where it falls apart: Later Edge asks Jeff Hardy if he saw the beatdown he and Orton did on Flair. Jeff said he did, which begs the question:
WHY THE HELL DIDN'T HE DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT???!?!?
We're expected to believe that the WWE guys watch this stuff on a monitor yet don’t feel even the tiniest bit compelled to go to the ring and try and stop it? The Hardys were scheduled to face Rated RKO later on in the show so it is perfect sense that they make the save in DX’s absence but instead they sat in the locker room and just watched it on a monitor? Ugh, ugh and thrice ugh!!!
Why is Chris Masters still employed by WWE? He can’t work, can’t talk, draws no heat after nearly two years with the company. The match with Lawler was a dull mess with a predictable finish.
Umaga challenges Cena – Cena accepts and um..that’s it? Does the winner face Kevin Federline on Jan 1st?
And what about the "irony" of a racist stereotype like Cryme Tyme beating up a racist comedian? And JR's spiel about that clip not being akin to "Family viewing" - yet RAW is?
The main event was slightly disappointing to me. The Hardy’s worked hard but Orton is just lousy in the ring. I was wondering where is the guy who had all those great matches in 2004 then I remembered who they were against: Foley, Benoit, Jericho, Edge, Benjamin, Flair, HBK and dare I say it, HHH. He is just lazy in the ring now and Edge has even changed his style and is not as good as he was 2 years ago either.
I’m assuming that this is all (possibly?) leading to the New Year’s Revolution PPV in January but you never know that whatever they were trying to achieve tonight will be blown off before Christmas.
Cheers
LEE RELPH, UK