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Welcome to the 1, 057th episode of Monday Night RAW, and we’re live from the US Airways Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
RAW kicked off with The Shield at ringside, as Triple H came out. Triple H rolled the tape of SummerSlam when he screwed Daniel Bryan, and said it was nothing more than just business. He then played back the tape of last week’s RAW, and showed how it ended. He said last week’s attack was personal. Triple H then said that Bryan insulted his family and made things personal. Triple H said the business picked up thanks to the new face of WWE, Randy Orton as he made his way out.
Triple H congratulated Orton, and thanked him for bringing a breath of fresh air. Triple H said he had a gift for Orton, as the crowd started a “No” chant! Triple H brought out a Cadillac Escalade as Orton’s gift! Orton thanked Triple H, and said he was the only person worthy enough to be the face of the WWE. As Triple H asked Orton to check his new gift, Daniel Bryan came out as the crowd chanted “Yes!”. Daniel Bryan thanked the fans, as the fans started a “Daniel Bryan” chant. Daniel Bryan then mentioned Cena, and thanked him for giving him the opportunity to wrestle at SummerSlam for the WWE championship. He then thanked Triple H for finally showing his true colours. Bryan compared Triple H to Vince, and called them narrow minded.
Bryan called Triple H a sell out in a suit. He mentioned Triple H’s long nose, which was funny. Orton butted in and said Bryan needed to show some respect to Triple H. Daniel Bryan then sent out a strong message to Orton and Triple H, and said he’d rearrange both their features, and said he’d become the new WWE champion at Night of Champions! Triple H then sang a lullaby, and called Bryan a “B”. Triple H then made a gauntlet match, with Daniel Bryan facing each of the three members of The Shield in the main event! Triple H said he believed in Bryan, and said it was for the best.
Analysis: That was a solid opening segment which ran for about 20 minutes. Triple H using The Shield as the enforcers makes sense. The main event can turn out to be great 40 minutes of wrestling action between Bryan – Rollins and Bryan – Ambrose. Am I looking forward to it? Yes! But it has been done before, so we’ll have to see which route the WWE takes.
WWE then highlighted the match between Punk and Axel. They gave three options for the fans to choose from. Plug – in for the WWE app has returned!
Cody Rhodes vs Fandango (With Summer Rae)
Damien Sandow joined the announcers with his chocolate briefcase. Fandango and Cody started by trading holds; Fandango took control of the match in the early going, but Miz came out to Fandango’s music, dressed like him along with a different diva. Rhodes took advantage of it and rolled Fandango up to pick up the victory in under a minute!
Winner: Cody Rhodes
Rating: 1/4*
Post match, Fandango attacked Cody, but Cody went for the Cross Rhodes. Sandow came in and attacked Cody, which brought The Miz into the picture, and Miz and Cody cleared the ring. Maddox then came out and made a tag team match between Fandango/Sandow and Miz/Rhodes. Guess someone has been taking lessons from Teddy Long. Holla holla!
Cody Rhodes and The Miz (With Rosa) vs Damien Sandow and Fandango (With Summer)
Sandow and Fandango started working on Cody as Rosa looked on. Cody tried to fight back, but Sandow took him down with a side Russian leg sweep and then with the Elbow of Disdain for a close two count. Hot tag to Miz saw him take out Sandow, as Fandango made his way to the back along with Summer. Cody tripped Sandow, which enabled Miz to finish him off with an SCF in under 2 minutes. Fandango then pronounced his name on top of the ramp as Summer danced around him.
Winner (s): Cody Rhodes and The Miz
Rating: 1/2*
Analysis: This doesn’t make much sense. Two matches which lasted for 3 minutes combined! If WWE wanted to waste some air time, they probably did a good job. This doesn’t further any feud, and was a way to put over the faces.
Another vignette aired for the debut of Los Matadores. Will they be a comedy tag team? We’ll see.
Josh Mathews interviewed Christian backstage. Christian talked about surviving the Attitude Era, but was interrupted by Orton. Christian called Orton Triple H’s new “tool”. Orton vs Christian is scheduled for later tonight.
Another backstage segment with Renee interviewing Punk earlier in the night. Punk talked about wanting to hurt Paul Heyman tonight.
Paul Heyman was then shown backstage along with Curtis Axel. “Paul, I got this” was Axel’s way of calming Heyman down. Axel said Punk couldn’t out wrestle him, and asked if Heyman believed him. Heyman said he did, like his life depended on it.
Curtis Axel vs CM Punk
Huge ovation for CM Punk! Heyman slowly made his way out, and the stipulation for the match was that if Punk defeated Axel, he’d face Heyman next! The match started with Punk locking Axel in a side headlock, and he rolled Axel up for a near fall. Axel went out of the ring to catch his breath, but Punk went after Heyman. Axel brought Punk back into the ring and got his offense in. Punk then countered with a huge knee to the face for a two count, and took Axel down with a dive on the outside as RAW went to commercial.
Back from commercial, and Axel took control of the match. A dropkick earned Axel a two count, as Heyman started making his way down to the ring. Axel with a huge knee to the face of Punk, but Punk came back with a swinging neckbreaker and the huge elbow for a close two count! Axel came back with a swinging neckbreaker of his own for a near fall! Punk countered Axel’s offense and delivered the GTS to pick up the victory after the 10 minute mark!
Winner: CM Punk
Rating: **
Punk went after Heyman post match, but was beaten down by Curtis Axel. They brought Punk back into the ring and handcuffed him, as Heyman started slapping Punk. Punk delivered a huge round house kick to Axel, and started kicking Heyman, but Axel came back with a steel chair to the back of Punk. Axel gave Heyman a kendo stick to punish Punk, and Heyman laid some hard shots to Punk’s back and on his torso. Heyman screamed that he loved him, and that he fathered him while delivering stiff shots with the stick on the outside. The referees stopped Axel and Heyman, and tended to an injured Punk.
Analysis: That was pretty much what I expected. It is too early for Punk to get his hands on Paul Heyman. The post – match beatdown was good, and there was a point when the crowd started chanting “Boring”. It wasn’t though, as the entire segment drove the point home about Heyman being a weasel, and Punk still seeking his revenge on Paul Heyman.
Natalya (With the Funkadactyles) vs Brie Bella (With Nikki and Eva Marie)
It was a SummerSlam rematch between Natalya and she who dates Daniel Bryan. Brie took control of the match in the early going, working on Natalya’s back. Natalya locked in the Sharpshooter, but was distracted by Nikki. Brie came back with a facebuster to pick up the victory.
Winner: Brie Bella
Rating: 1/4*
Post match, AJ came out and ripped on the cast of Total Divas. AJ then called the divas a waste of space, and called them talentless (Hey, take Natalya out of there!). AJ claimed that she saved the Divas division, and said she achieved what each and everyone of them hadn’t through their entire careers. AJ said she didn’t suck up to anyone, and said none of them could tie her boots. Brie and Nikki were screaming through the entire segment.
Analysis: That was kind of a “Divas pipebomb” promo, but had a lot of fallacies. Natalya is the best female’s wrestler in the world, and although AJ ripped all the divas, I hope it leads to an AJ – Natalya program in the near future.
Rob Van Dam (With Ricardo) vs Alberto Del Rio
RVD was introduced by Ricardo, and Ricardo showed off his new RVD T – shirt! RVD started the match by going on the offense, and hung ADR up on the top rope and came down with a dropkick as we headed into a commercial.
Back from commercial, and ADR took control over RVD. It was informed that if RVD could defeat ADR in the match, he would face ADR at Night of Champions for the World Heavyweight championship! ADR and RVD exchanged blows, and RVD hit the rolling thunder for a near fall! RVD hit a knee to the head and went for the split leg moonsault for yet another 2 count! RVD went for the five star, but got hung up on the top rope, and ADR connected with an enziguri for a near fall! ADR went for the cross arm breaker, but Ricardo distracted ADR, enabling RVD to roll him up for the three count!
Winner: RVD
Rating: * 1/4
Analysis: This means that RVD will face Del Rio at the Night of Champions PPV for the World Heavyweight championship, something everyone expected. It was a good match, which showed that Ricardo can be the difference maker in the end. Will RVD finally win the World title at NoC PPV? We have 3 more weeks to find out.
WWE provided an update about Cena’s surgery and his road to recovery. Although people don’t want him to be back anytime soon, I hope he recovers in time for next year’s WrestleMania.
Josh Mathews interviewed Ryback backstage. Josh asked Ryback about him bullying people, which led to Ryback bullying Josh and saying he finally found a way to shut people up. What does this mean for Ryback? I have no idea.
Renee caught up with Heyman and Axel while they were going out of the arena. Heyman had tears in his eyes, and he referred to Punk as his “Prodigal son”. He said he finally put Punk in his place, and said he showed Punk he shouldn’t mess with him. Heyman and Axel then drove away in their car.
Analysis: That was a short, but effective segment. Heyman was amazing as always, and the tears in his eyes showed just why Heyman is a genius. Performers can speak, but Heyman can make us “feel”. Where will this lead to? No one knows, and that is what so great about this feud.
Randy Orton vs Christian
Orton and Christian started things off by locking in the middle of the ring. Orton took control with some headbutts, but Christian came back with a back body drop from the apron onto the floor. Orton found his way back in the match with a dropkick and a high knee, as the crowd started a “Please don’t go” chant (Huh?!). Orton then put Christian in a chinlock, and started pounding on Christian. Orton then dropped Christian from the second rope with a huge right hand, as Christian fell outside the ring, which led to a commercial break.
Back from the commercial and Orton was still in control with a chin lock. Orton then hit a superplex from the top rope, but Christian rolled him up for a near fall. Orton then came back with a huge clothesline, but Christian caught him with a huge cross body from the top rope for yet another 2 count! Christian then countered Orton’s offense with a tornado DDT, but Orton came back with the second rope DDT on Christian! Christian countered an RKO attempt and delivered a spear for a near fall! Orton then poked Christian’s eyes and dropped him with an RKO after 15 minutes.
Winner: Randy Orton
Rating: ***
Post match, Daniel Bryan showed up on the titantron and sent a message to Orton, and said he will be the new WWE champion come NoC, and the new face of the WWE. He then showed Orton his Cadillac spray painted with “Yes” all over.
Analysis: That was yet another solid match between Orton and Christian. Orton has said it before that Christian is his favourite person to work with, and you could see why. That was yet another solid TV match between the two, and Orton found a way out in the end to pick up the victory. Daniel Bryan’s role is pretty similar to Austin’s role during the Attitude Era, and it was fun with him playing mind games on Orton.
Backstage, Triple H, Orton and Maddox stood infront of the Cadillac, and Triple H told Maddox to inform the superstars that they would stand on the entrance area during the Bryan match to see what happens to Bryan. Triple H then told Maddox to inform them that anyone who tries to get involved will be fired by Triple H himself.
Titus O’Neil (With Darren Young) vs Jack Swagger (With Antonio Cesaro and Zeb Colter)
Colter cut his usual heel promo before the match. Titus and Swagger exchanged moves to kick off the bout, and Titus dropped Swagger with some shoulder blocks. Titus went for a spear but Swagger took Titus down with a knee clip. Swagger went for the cover, but Young distracted Swagger which enabled Titus to drop him and pick up the victory.
Winner: Titus O’Neil
Rating: 1/4*
Analysis: Your basic “Put over the PTP” match. Although I don’t like WWE using guys like Cesaro as jobbers, they apparently see something in Titus. That’s all I can say about it.
WWE aired an eerie vignette of the Wyatt Family, with Bray Wyatt talking about Sister Abigail, and how they burn everything down. Yet another outstanding segment by the Wyatt Family.
Backstage, Punk stormed into Maddox’s office, and asked Maddox to give him a match against Heyman. Maddox made a match between Punk and Axel/Heyman, in a 2 on 1 handicap elimination match for the Night of Champions PPV! That was the next logical step, and it will be interesting to see what happens at the PPV.
Daniel Bryan vs Seth Rollins (With Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns)
All the superstars were brought out on the entrance area, and Renee tried to get something out of Big Show, Ziggler and The Miz, but they didn’t say anything. Back in the ring, Bryan took Rollins down with an inverted surf board. Bryan then delivered some stiff kicks to the torso of Rollins and dumped him out of the ring. Reigns and Ambrose distracted Bryan, which enabled Rollins to take control of the match. Bryan came back with the flying clothesline and countered a top rope drop kick by Rollins into a half Boston Crab! Rollins made it to the bottom rope, but Bryan took him out with the suicide dive which led to a commercial break.
Back from the break, and Rollins worked on Bryan’s neck. Bryan started to feed off the energy from the crowd, and delivered stiff kicks to Rollins, but Rollins came back with a spinning heel kick and inverted facebuster for a near fall. Rollins went for a superplex, but Bryan delivered a huge German suplex from the top rope! Wow, that was awesome! Bryan covered Rollins to pick up the victory just around the 12 minute mark
Winner: Daniel Bryan
Rating: **
Dean Ambrose vs Daniel Bryan
Bryan immediately locked Ambrose in the LaBelle lock, but Reigns came in to cause a DQ. Post match, Bryan put Reigns in the LaBelle lock, but Ambrose and Rollins came in to put Bryan down. This brought Triple H out, who signaled The Shield to deliver the triple powerbomb on Bryan, and they dropped Bryan in the middle of the ring with a huge powerbomb!
Orton then made his way to the ring and dropped Bryan with an RKO. The show faded off with Orton and Triple H heading to the back, and with The Shield standing over a fallen Daniel Bryan.
Over – all Rating: *** 1/4 (Out of 5 stars)
That was yet another good show. It could’ve been better, but WWE is slowly building up the momentum for Daniel Bryan. Don’t expect Bryan to win the WWE title at next month’s PPV, as it looks like WWE will take its time in pulling the trigger with Bryan, which is the right thing to do. The match of the night was between Orton and Christian, and although there were very few matches, the Bryan – Rollins match was awesome towards the end. In the end, it was yet another just above average episode of Monday Night RAW. That does it for the review, as we now wait for 3 more weeks to get to the NoC PPV.
