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Jesse
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-THE GOOD: Farooq's DAMN! Hardy/Carlito Ladder Match, Doink The Clown, Repo Man, IRS (pay your taxes), legendary stars making it to RAW, last segment...
-THE BAD: Jim Neidhart's beer belly, Jillian Hall's character, CM Punk was on RAW's last segment why? Gillberg, the booking of characters today compared to the booking 8-15 years ago...
-THE UGLY: Hunter Has Herpes shown on RAW every hour was plain stupid. Is Trips that desperate for airtime? Ugh...
-THE RATING: Show wasn't great, but wasn't bad either, a 8 out of 10...
"Mr. TNA" Nathan,
St. Louis, MO.
LET'S GO BLUES!
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I think that this Raw has the potential to, if not return to the 'glory days', at least make it a product worth watching again. I love how they booked most of the "legend" talent, and think that they could learn a valuable lesson from doing legend versus legend as opposed to having a legend (a la Hulk Hogan) go over the future of the company. It just really seemed like everyone was having a great time, and HHH and Steph kinda set the tone for the night with a "real" kiss and HHH saying "I'll see you at home".
The potential that they have is just astounding, and the only head scratcher of the night was weakening Kennedy like they did with a far too competitive match with Marty Jannetty. I don't think Marty was that competitive when he was on the roster full time!! I like the fact that the agents got the chance to get a little pop, and I have to admit that I marked out to see RVD, and to see the "Diva" legends looking so damn good.... As long as they don't drive it into the ground, Hootie and her crew could learn a lesson from tonight's show.... A little wink, wink nudge nudge, some great action in the ring, and a small dose of clan McMahon. again, I think that using legends against legends is a great idea, as long as it is not overbooked. (admit it, Hogan teasing a match with Macho Man is something to look forward to...and I would rather see them face off as opposed to them getting a shot with the "legit" talent. Used properly, they could really enhance the shows, do a little travel for the co here and there, and maybe, just maybe get some of the better talent back to work, albeit in a part time roll! (RVD and/or Big Slow anyone??)
All in all it showed what the show can be, but the flip side of that is this: Now that we know what y'all can do, we will expect it more often!
Eric
Austin, TX
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It was.... okay. Could've been worse - they've proved themselves capable of that many times. But it could've been better.
Mercifully, the McMahon family portrait segment opened the show. Just get it out of the way. As predicted, it fell apart. Linda McMahon was a no show. The technical term for tummy ache was used as an excuse. Maybe she's off with Scott Hall. Hornswoggle came barreling down the ramp. HHH came out and introduced the divas that Vince has slept with (Melina, Sunny & Mae Young ewwww), and also anyone past or present that he might've mistaken for a woman. Patterson & Brisco. Bastion Booger. Abe "Knuckleball" Schwartz. And a few others. Shane bails and so does Steph but not before laying a huge kiss on HHH. Vince leaves, and to console Hornswoggle, HHH brings out The Godfather and his ho's. Some hot, some not.
Carlito vs Jeff Hardy for the IC title in a ladder match. Guess those weeks of chasing Hornswoggle and running into painted tunnels on brick walls have paid off for Carlito. Good match. Not PPV quality, but I'm sure they were time limited. Carlito did a neat move jumping from the middle rope onto the ladder, then doing a sunset flip power bomb from the top. The ending seemed to come out of nowhere, and Jeff Hardy retains.
HBK is interviewed backstage and tells Kennedy that if he thought the fake Marty Jannetty was funny, maybe he'd like to wrestle the real thing tonight. This match ended up being in the main event slot. Jannetty shows up and is very excited. On a side note - for as talented as he is, he's had like 6 + chances with WWE. At least 2 within the last couple of years. He always ends up getting released for "personal issues". I don't want to see him get rehired again if he's just going to get released again.
Santino Marella doing his usual shtick. He said he has made an open challenge. He was going to say more, but RVD's music hit - way too early in my opinion. Even RVD seemed delayed in coming out like it was unexpected. His entrance lasted longer than the match. Santino kicked RVD. RVD kicked Santino. Then 5 star frog splashed him. Then pinned him. That was all.
Evolution reunion. HHH, Ric Flair, Batista, and playing the part of Captain Killjoy - Randy Orton. Orton stood on the ramp and complained about getting beaten down the last time he was champ. He said the only team he was ever proud of was Rated RKO. Edge comes out. Flair challenges them to a match, and they produce Umaga as a partner. Things go wrong when Umaga shoves the ref getting them DQ'd. Orton & Edge bail, but Umaga takes a nut shot from Flair, spear from Batista, and pedigree from Hunter. He should remember that his days of being this big unstoppable monster, well - they're done.
Hornswoggle vs Khali. Again. No Finlay to the rescue this time. Instead Hulk Hogan!! After his music kicked in a couple of notes in. There's something with the sound guy tonight. They jawjacked back and forth, which is funny because I don't think Khali's supposed to understand English. Khali pounds on Hogan, Hogan hulks up and after 4 punches, knocks Khali to the outside. Hogan wants him back saying he can slam him. Khali's interpreter says no way. Looks like they might be setting up for the Wrestlemania 23 match that never happened. Should be a train wreck. Hogan gets on the mike and gives a nice little speech.
15 man battle royal featuring Al Snow, Bart Gunn, Doink, Repo Man, Steve Blackman, Pete Gas of the Mean Street Posse, Bob Backlund (guess he's not working for TNA anymore), Gangrel, The Goon, Skinner, Irvin R. Shyster, Flash Funk, Scotty 2 Hotty, Jim Neidhart, Sergeant Slaughter, and Gillberg. Blackman looked to be in great shape. Looks exactly like when he was last in WWE. Short version - IRS wins. Until Ted DiBiase comes down and offers him a large amount of money. Irwin takes it and goes over the top rope. The new winner - Ted DiBiase.
Eric Bischoff comes out and gives a self serving speech. Jericho comes out and after some back and forth, punches Bischoff. Randy "Mr. Stealth" Orton comes in but Jericho catches him, and after squirming for a minute, he gets Orton in the Walls Of Jericho. Orton is SCREAMING. And really selling it afterward.
Cody Rhodes and Mr. Charisma Hardcore Holly vs. Cade & Murdoch for the tag titles. Fairly short match. And uneventful. Until Rhodes & Holly win the tag titles. I feel a Cade/Murdoch feud coming on. I wonder if anyone will care.
Jillian is in the ring (oh god) and starts to sing 12 days of Christmas. As dogs all over the world start to howl, Trish Stratus mercifully comes down to stop her. Trish says congrats but you're really terrible. Jillian says Trish still has a huge ego. Lita comes down. She has a staredown w/Trish as Jillian tries to egg her on into a fight. Lita tells her it's not just your singing, you're just as annoying when you talk. Jillian says no one wants to see them, and starts singing again. Trish & Lita go after her, and since she's wearing a headset, we get to hear each of her screechy eeks and ouches.
Lita & Kane in back trying to make small talk. Ron Simmons comes in for quite possibly the stupidest and unnecessary Damn segment in history.
Kennedy vs. Jannetty. Good back and forth, but obviously Kennedy gets the win. He starts to pound on Jannetty after the match which of course brings out HBK - again with the music cutting in a second too late. They go back and forth until HHH comes out wearing a DX shirt. With one for Shawn. He suits up and they do the DX pose on the turnbuckle.
Vince comes out to announce the greatest Raw superstar ever. Of course, he proclaims himself. Mick Foley's music hits, and Mankind comes out. He seems to be fully into it with the mask and they crooked way he holds his head. He gives Vince the mandible claw then leaves. Then Undertaker's music hits. As he runs down the aisle (just kidding), he gets in the ring and it's timed perfectly. Vince slowly gets to his feet, juuuuuuuust as 'Taker is done taking his hat off. Then a really really sloppy chokeslam. The lights go off and he disappears. Then Austin comes out. He does some talking and wants to toast w/Vince. Vince is barely on his feet and trying to drink his beer when Austin stuns him. Duh. Austin says the true superstars of Raw are all the fans. He invites everyone in the back to come to ringside for a drink. Vince stays in character and tries to get back into the ring when Austin decks him, and Vince gets showered in beer from assorted superstars. The End.
