Ok, I am not really sure if anyone reviews the weekly shows on a regular basis, so hopefully this isn’t the first of three consecutive raw reviews. With that being said, based on the quality of last nights show, I’ll take one for the team and give my thoughts of the latest edition of the flagship
I was actually pretty excited about Raw last night considering recent story lines and some of the possibilities but last nights show really did not live up to my expectations. I try not to focus too much on the negatives, as I still want to be able to enjoy the show as a wrestling fan but there wasn’t much I can point out about last nights show that I enjoyed very much. The show opened up with a Cena, Jericho debate over who was the captain of the (All Stars, WWE 7, The Oddities) are you just floating names out there Michael Cole until something lame enough to market sticks. This went on for about twenty minutes until we finally heard the match up of Nexus vs. Cena and the Funky Bunch would be an elimination match, okay at least that makes sense. This of course was after a DX reference from our mic stand of a general manager.(not enough time)
Next week had one of the Usos, go up against Randy Orton, with Sheamus at ringside. Not a big fan of having an Uso job this early on to Orton but it makes sense for an opponent I guess. This was followed by a post match altercation in which Orton RKOed Sheamus and Miz was ready to pounce for the second time in two weeks with his money in the bank contract. He of course got thwarted again as another RKO to him prevented the match from happening. NOTE TO CREATIVE: this is cool to happen once or twice as it makes for exciting tv but for the sake of the Sheamus vs. Orton feud, who is your biggest star, please keep these botched attempts to a minimum. If you let it play out a little bit longer it will help build suspense while the Miz ‘s character evolves into a top level heel.
Next comes Edge talking with Ted Dibiase about how he should be the one to replace either Morrison or Great Khali on The Magnificent 7, which makes sense, Khali is a big oaf. This however, was followed by an Edge vs. Khali match that ended with Nexus storming the ring and letting the big giant go. If it means he gets replaced wonderful, if not this was utterly useless. Then came the 7 on 7 match with Nexus vs. the (whats a more acceptable term than all star team with down syndrome) we got to see the likes of Jerry Lawler, Goldust and Yoshii Tatsu take on and get eliminated 7 in a row vs. NNNNNNN in a riveting match up to help show their dominance. Mission accomplished. (please note the sarcasm as it will not always be labeled)
Next comes a match where Alicia Fox dominates one of the Bellas, very useful (not sarcasm) helps establish Alicia as a dominant champ and both the Bellas are really hot, works on two levels. After this came a match with John Morrison and Ted DiBiase, this could be a PPV caliber type feud, never the less it ends with R Truth accidentally costing Morrison the match and they argue at the end, hopefully paving the way for a Morrison heel turn. If not, then again pointless. On to the main event where Cena and Jericho representing Team America face Sheamus and The Miz. The match ends with Jericho turning on Cena in order for the Miz to get the pinfall. This is where it all happens, after Cena and Jericho argue the rest of the (ah you get the point) team comes down and fighting breaks out amongst them as we end the show.
Ok so the only thing I can figure after the two plus hours of programming is that aside from the match stipulation changing the only thing accomplished on last nights raw besides pushing Alicia Fox, is that there is turmoil between team Cena. This could have been done in a fraction of the time, as a sports/wrestling fan I can not remember anything in recent memory that was dragged out over hours that could have been done in mere minutes. (oh thats right, good job Lebron)
Next weeks Raw has taped already, hopefully it will be a much improved show with some sort of purpose, if we’re lucky we might even get a fourth match for the so called biggest party of the summer.
