RAW Retort - Big Show's big return

The WWE started RAW off with a huge bang again this week. Coming off last week when RAW was so fantastic, and Smackdown was also great, the WWE had a lot to live up to this week,and there was a huge possibility that the WWE would fall flat on their faces. The WWE routinely takes things in a great direction, but then lets them fall flat when things are getting really great, all you have to do is look at WrestleMania last year to see what I’m talking about.

The Road to WrestleMania was really strong, but when they got to the actual show everything fell apart and in a huge way. They messed things up so badly that they had to scrap an entire match from the show. I don’t know as that has ever happened at any Wrestlemania, let alone a Wrestlemania in the past fifteen years. Yet I am trying to give them the benefit of the doubt with the direction they are going right now, and they are living up to their greatest potential.

The Wyatt Family doesn’t win!

I was thrilled when the WWE announced that Punk would be facing Harper to start RAW. The two of them threw a fantastic match, while playing to the fans, and working their characters to the fullest. Harper is following in the footsteps of Bray Wyatt, and playing his character to the fullest.

The man playing Harper, absolutely is Harper when he’s in front of the fans. That is something that many of the younger wrestlers still need to learn, but it is obvious that Harper has been watching Bray, and some of the best characters through the years, and becoming Harper for the fans.

It does not hurt that Harper can throw a serious big boot, a jaw-dropping clothesline, and that gator roll is more than perfect for his character. I also have to say that the blank, almost deranged stare Harper gives just seals the deal that he is the member of a cult. Add him in with Bray and Rowan, and those three are going to be quite the formidable team for Bryan and Punk to feud with.

Cole and JBL feud

Sometimes the WWE spends way too much time on one thing in one episode of RAW. For this episode, it was JBL and Cole arguing about whether Big Show should be banned from the WWE forever. The first couple segments were not that bad, in fact the first time they showed the video with all the legal lingo, it flowed really well, but then it just got annoying and boring.

It was more of JBL and Cole inarticulately arguing, in trying to yell over each other. That does not work well for politics, and it is even worse for wrestling announcers you cannot see. I hope the WWE learned from these segments and never try to sidle us with this type of thing again.

Battle of the bad wrestlers

Actually, I cannot say that, because Khali looked at her in this match than Ryback did. Khali seemed to be working the match stiffer than I have ever seen. Khali’s chops looked more vicious and stronger than I have ever seen. I wonder if it is because of Ryback’s ego and his standing with the other wrestlers backstage.

Khali seems like the nicest guy in the world, and because of the language barrier, it seems as though he must miss a lot backstage, but it seems as though he knows he is actually the type of guy Ryback is, and chopped away him for that reason.

Kofi and ADR botch

It seems though Kofi and ADR had some serious troubles in the ring this week. They had two very obvious botches. One of them was obviously ADR’s fault, and well JBL called it a textbook German suplex, to me it looked sloppy, and the like Kofi could have been seriously hurt.

The second botch could have been either of their fault, but ADR covered for it beautifully. Kofi hit head scissors that should have sent ADR into the corner face first, but ADR was well away from the corner. It seems to me that he was channeling Trip with springs in his toes. Like Triple H, ADR bounced off the tips of his toes and flew at that corner!

To me that shows a wrestler who does care, and shocks me because that’s not who ADR has been for most of his WWE career. After his work with Cena, maybe ADR is turning a corner? Only time will tell.

Big E steals the show!

I cannot say if Big E was supposed to win the WWE poll, but he sure blew it out of the park. Honestly, I figured that Miz would eke I in the poll, so I was floored when Big E won by a landslide.

Further, Big E did not just win through the WWE App, he won through his ring work. Okay, so he did not actually win the match, but I do not think that matters at this point. I think that Big E work in the ring with Orton will help lead to the big the push that Big E deserves. Hopefully the powers that be in the WWE really took notice of the voting, Big E’s ring work, and how the fans of reacted to him.

Turning Big E face was the smartest thing the WWE could do for the man, but this match was the second smartest thing. There was only one slight botch in the match, and I can chalk that up to Big E still being slightly green. Beyond that point, I was in awe. I can’t wait to see what he has in store for us next.

Why Summer Rae, why?

I honestly do not know why the WWE keeps putting Summer Rae in the ring. I know the best way for her to learn is to actually do it, but she needs to do it in dark matches. There is a number of wrestlers that I would prefer not to see in the ring each week, but Summer Rae tops that list.

The only person I can think of who is worse in the ring than Summer Rae is Eva Marie. I am thrilled to see Tyson back in the ring, and while he did look a little rusty, I think a few matches and he will be golden.

I hope seeing him back on RAW with Nattie is a step in the right direction for him, and I will keep my fingers crossed. I will also continue to hope that the two of them will continue to be pushed, together and as singles.

Sandow grows

It seems to me that Sandow is growing quite a bit right now, and it looks great on him. As great as Zeb is on mic, for me it was Sandow who was so much better in this segment. It bothers me that he lost his Money In The Bank Cashing Match, but I think this is the start of a huge push for this very talented man.

Cena for a great cause

I have to admit I rolled my eyes a bit when Cena got on the mic. It’s not that I am not thrilled that he is back, I am, but I really wanted to see his match. I knew that the match was going to be spectacular, so I wanted to see that, but then I heard what Cena was talking about, and I was great with it. Susan G.

Komen Foundation is a great thing that does so much for people with breast cancer and their families. I’m so happy that the WWE is working with them again this year, and will be keeping the pink merchandize in the ShopZone through the year. That will help earn a lot of money for a great cause.

Rhodes Brothers are awe inspiring

Yes, Cena was a huge part of that great match as well, but again, it was Goldust and Cody shone in a huge way. I cannot get over how the two of them keep outdoing themselves.

Goldust should not be able to work the ring as well as he does, yet he shows us more each and every week. And Cody is growing and changing into a better wrestler right in front of our eyes. Adding Cena into that match only sealed the deal for match of the night.

I’m still down on Swagger, and I don’t see that changing, but I was thrilled by Sandow’s work in this match, and even more than after Smackdown, I want to see a feud between Cesaro and Cena. Those two men have a chemistry in that ring that few have. I know Cena is feuding with Sandow right now, and ADR is in the background, but I want to see what Cena and Cesaro could do together, on mic and in the ring.

Steph in control

I have always loved the chemistry between Steph and Trip, but her flinging the McMahon money in in Trip’s face was priceless! They both played that beautifully, and set up for so much going forward.

Axel drops the ball

I normally love Ziggler, but this match was like pulling teeth! Ziggler is fun, Axel is technically wonderful, and this match was five minutes of pure boredom! I honestly don’t understand why Axel is still strapped, and I’d love to know the reason why Axel didn’t work his match at Hell In A Cell as he’s claiming his hip isn’t injured, but the WWE’s website said it was. Too many questions without answers surrounding a wrestler who’s technically sound, just so boring!

Usos take a step back

Axel is boring, and 3MB are glorified jobbers, and aren’t even prestigious enough for the Usos to be facing at this point. The Usos have taken huge steps forward, and have helped give us some of the best tag matches we’ve seen in the WWE this year, but then they’re stuck facing Slater and McIntyre.

Now, I’m not saying that Slater and McIntyre are not good enough, because if they were actually booked to their skills, those two men could be sensational. I won’t say that they are main event talent, but I will say they are much better than the jobbers they have been lately. Sad but true, and hopefully the Usos will step back up from dealing with jobbers.

Poor Renée

Renée as really proven herself as a solid backstage interviewer. She could, if given the time and the scripts, follow in the footsteps of the likes of Josh and Coach. I really like Renée, and feel terrible for her having to deal with sexist segments like the one with Los Matadores. Okay, it wasn’t exactly only Los Matadores, it was El Torito who was disgusting.

Honestly, if Renée hadn’t been betrayed as so professional backstage, then I went have any problems with it, but she has been portrayed is completely professional, so this was a sexist mess. They either need to loosen up her character a bit, or steer clear of leering moments like this.

Divas get worse

Okay, I claim that the Divas got worse, but in reality it was only one Diva that bothered me. Tamina looked solid, and the Bellas looked better than ever. I am floored by the progress both of the Bellas have made in the ring. I honestly did not think it was possible, or that they would put in the time, but they proved me wrong and I couldn’t be happier for it. I actually have to mention Brie missile drop kick off the top, because it was just lovely.

Finally the Divas division is starting to look like something worth watching again, except for the likes of Summer Rae and Eva Marie. I said earlier that there was only one Diva worse than Summer Rae, and that’s Eva Marie. That they had her tag in to pin Tamina was laughable. I guess we should be glad that the only move she made was to pin Tamina, and didn’t actually try to wrestle in the match.

Big Show’s big return

While I’m thrilled that Big Show has returned, I’m not thrilled that RAW ended with another Trip led beat down. I know in many ways that it’s the perfect way for The Authority to show their authority, but it so cliché!

The Authority spent a couple months beating down Bryan each and every week, and now it’s Big Show’s turn? I just, the whole thing feels too dirty for me. Yes, in some ways it’s very much Attitude Era, but many people seem to forget that there were serious issues with the Attitude Era, specifically every show ending the exact same way.

I imagine that Big Show will get his revenge, possibly at Survivor Series, but if Big Show is beaten down each week until then, then the great direction the WWE could fall apart.