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Why is Vince so jacked about being the champion of a brand that he has been bashing since day one??
I don't know what ethnicity he was trying to imitate, but I'm pretty sure he offended everyone everywhere. At least he didn't say "What's up my ni**er??" again.
For those of you waiting for Randy Orton to be fired, forget it. It's not going to happen. He wrestled at the PPV and was beaten by Edge tonight. Maybe that was his punishment. The writers could've very easily written him out of his storyline, but they didn't. He's not going anywhere.
I guess Cade & Murdoch didn't read the part of the script where they were supposed to double team Jeff Hardy and lay him out with his own tag belt. What kind of heel team lets someone get out of the ring without attacking him??
Umaga beats RVD. Big surprise. I hope RVD goes to TNA.
Carlito turning on Flair shocked nobody. It was never a matter of IF it would happen, but more like WHEN.
I'll give the short version of some backstage action. Over the course of the show, HBK, Edge & Orton were all found unconscious. Who - oh who - is responsible?? Stay tuned.......
Ken Kennedy comes to the ring and announces his MITB cash in will be at Wrestlemania 24.
Mickie James & Candice beat Victoria & Melina. How come the babyfaces can always win except when the title is on the line?? Candice - not looking as hot as usual. I came in mid match, and didn't know who she was until I heard Lawler.
Cena tells the backstage mystery attacker to come on out. It's Great Khali. Oh God. This is going to suck. And it did. And in a true moment of horror, I thought Khali was going to ask for the microphone. He lays out Cena, and boy I hope the writers were smoking pot tonight, and this'll be out of their system by next Monday.
**********
Really strong Raw tonight, I hadn't watched any wrestling since the day after Mania (and that was mostly because I wanted to see how we sounded since I was there).
Decent opening segment with Vince, Cena and Shawn, I couldn't believe they were going to give us Cena-Michaels III already.
Super opening bout, Orton's strongest outing since Backlash 04 against Foley. You can't even say that Edge carried him, Orton more then held his own. Nice bump onto the commentators table and a nice gusher, looked hardway too.
Eh segment with Santino ... if anyone actually bought him not being a plant, it was all lost today ... yea I'm sure all those coincidences can really happen.
I did laugh at the Vince-Shane segment, there was just something about it that got to me.
Good Edge interview ... I don't normally care for her much, but Maria was looking rather nice today.
Decent match with Nitro (he's been a total afterthought lately) and Jeff. Murdoch and Cade on commentary were above average, I enjoyed them. I'm pretty sure no one buys them as sincere, but hey, it could get intriguing.
Umaga and Van Dam was really good as well, just as good as Edge-Orton. Sweet finish as well. Van Dam was kept pretty strong, WWE might just figure out that the only way to keep Van Dam is by having him win, then again he did wait until the last minute to sign his new contract last time as well. Only time will tell I guess.
Good Flair-Carlito segment, kinda gave away the turn later, Carlito just looked way too happy.
The Michaels injury segment was well done, I would have preferred Cena saying that he doesn't have to resort to sneak attacks to win, he's beaten Michaels before and he can do it again on his own, then again I was expecting something else (more on this later).
Carlito finally turns on Flair. I didn't agree with the way it was done though, Carlito should have destroyed and dismantled Flair, left him in blood.
Edge is knocked out too, now I was getting a little excited.
Solid Kennedy promo. Nice OJ remarks to where it had me thinking maybe it was him. I was expected a "no, I don't suck, I've actually won something lately (points to briefcase), now the Titans, they suck", but eh, well done anyway. Giving away when he was going to cash it in killed the anticipation level as well, I would have him preferred to play it for a little while longer, as well as who he would cash it in against, which I guess is still open.
Orton is out cold (and there's Kenny!), now I'm really excited as I played fantasy booker in me head.
Diva match was ... okay I suppose. I was still preoccupied with my fantasy head booking and all I saw was Victoria grab Candice by the hair as she was running around the ring.
Totally dug the ECW promo, Dreamer looked ready to cry and Sandman got his point over well as well. And Sabu ... threw a ladder, I prefer him silent anyway.
Now at this point, I was expecting A LOT. I expected Cena to say that we were all waiting to see who did it. Sneak a shot to the entrance and when no one came out, Cena would admit it, it was him. He was tired of being the nice guy. He was tired of playing it by the book. He was tired of being the hero. He was tired of being told he couldn't fight and then he beat Umaga at the Rumble in a brutal match. He was tired of being told he can't wrestle, but last week he wrestled the Match of the Year and the best match in Raw History and he held up his own. He was tired of being told, he's not the Rock, ("Well your right, I'm not the Rock, I'm John Cena). But most importantly he was tired of being booed. If we really wanted a reason to boo him, now he'd give us a real reason. Then I'd have him end it with the same ending Sting gave us in 1996; That all the people that stuck by him, he'd stick by them, but for everyone who booed him, they could stick it or something a little more 2007 like.
To be honest, I was disappointed, when I first heard Khali's music, the first thing that went through my mind was "Oh cool, they resigned Muhammad Hassan!". I had completely forgotten about Khali and when I saw him and I just didn't care anymore. That was a rather snug looking elbow that Cena got to the face ... the match will be interesting to see though, that's for sure, just maybe not for the right reasons, who's gonna carry who?
Randy H
Badnewz, Virginia
*********
I think the WWE had better watch out for the fans turning Kennedy face. His promo, short and sweet, was easily the highlight of the night for me. Even in the midst of a good Orton/Edge match, a fun build-up for the Great Khali (it was like Clue; who didn't like playing Clue?), the introduction of a new number one contender, the Carlito turn, a good Umaga/RVD match, a good WWE.com video package of the Originals' outrage, a good Edge promo, a good women's match, and a good showing between Nitro/Hardy, it was Kennedy that I rewound to in order to hear the promo three times! Wow!
Wyatt Angle
Bowling Green, Ohio
**********
Some thoughts on last nights Raw.
Until Kali came out and beat up Cena this was a very entertaining RAW. Even though it was Kali who came out at the end I feared it would be VKM himself in a typical backwards logic storyline.
There was good wrestling on tonight's show. Could it be possible that the first "W" in WWE again stands for wrestling with the booking committee noticing how the fans appreciated last weeks one on one wrestling match and were ready for more of the same. Orton versus Edge was the best match Randy Orton has had in quite a while.
I liked the old fashioned heel tactic of Cade and Murdoch wanting to shake Jeff Hardys hand but Hardy being suspicious of the two and refusing to do so. I'd love to see either Dusty or Barry Windham revealed to be C&M's mentor/manager.
Another tag team Haas & Benjamin seemed off their game. Especially Shelton who did some moves on Carlito that didn't click. At least Flair and Carlito are finally feuding.
RVD versus Umaga was a decent match but considering Rob hasn't resigned with WWE I expect we'll see Rob doing the job more often.
Mr Kennedy shows up and takes the surprise element out of the MITB concept. THANKS creative for screwing up one of your few original and creative ideas.
The ladies had a good match which showed Candace Michelle development ............ as a wrestler in the ring. As usual Victoria got pinned.
More on Kali versus Cena. Jeez. I was impressed that John Cena deadlifted the Great Kali. Does this mean the fans will be cheering Cena now? We'll see.
*********
I thought that last night's Raw was one of the best paced and most action packed episodes in years, except for the last 5 minutes and the appearance of "you-know-who." The opening segment with Vince and Cena was spot on and then the incredible (for Raw anyway) match between Orton and Edge really hooked me onto the show. I was expecting the usual 20 min promo to start the show, as has become the norm, except by giving us a real wrestling match and one with enough time so that the viewer could really get into it was a great extension of last week's Raw with Cena-HBK. The ending of the match was to be expected with Orton's backstage issues, but a great way to start things off. The RVD match and Hardy matches were ok, typical Raw material, but I liked how they were given time (3 matches in the first hour!!!) and progressed storylines, which is the purpose on TV tapings. What really captured my attention was the in-show sub-plot of who was taking out the 4 main eventers. talk about a flashback to the good ol'days of Attitude. I, for the first time in a long, long while actually wanted to see the end of Raw. Well, the typical writer monkeys couldn't let a great WRESTLING show go off the air without putting their mark on the show, so here comes....the mediocre, at best Khali?!?!? What a waste. I for once was mentally making a list of who would appear when Cena called him out, Batista, Taker, Kennedy, Lashley, hell even HHH or perhaps a new signee to get the monster push...but Khali? Damn writer-monkeys strike again.
E from NYC
Elite member
