WWE Monday Night RAW: Live coverage and results - 10th February, 2014

Dean Ambrose (With Rollins and Reigns) vs. Mark Henry for the WWE US championship

Ambrose was hesitant to begin the match as Rollins and Reigns made fun of Dean. Henry and Dean locked up as Henry overpowered Dean, who went to the outside to regroup. Ambrose started working on the injured arm of Henry, but Henry came back with a big boot. Henry threw Dean into the turnbuckles and then into the ring post! Henry toyed around with Dean and threw him around, but Ambrose removed the padding on Henry’s arm and started working over it. Henry then threw Ambrose outside as WWE went into commercial.

Back from the break and Ambrose was in control of the match, as he worked on Henry’s arm. Ambrose went to the top but Henry caught him! Henry came back with a couple of clotheslines and a big running slam. Henry then delivered the WSS but Rollins broke the count for the disqualification!

Winner by DQ: Mark Henry

Rating: * ¾

Post match, Henry tried to fight the trio off, but Reigns delivered the spear on the outside! The Shield was retreating when The Wyatts’ music hit. The Wyatts made their way out and stared down the members of The Shield, as they made their way back near the ringside area. The crowd started a “Yes” chant as Reigns stepped inside the ring. Bray teased getting into the ring, but then retreated to the back laughing.

Analysis: That was a nice little match between Dean and Henry, but it makes Dean Ambrose look weak. WWE is going ahead with Reigns as the leader of the group due to his physique and his family, and once again, Reigns took Henry out with the spear. The little tease with the stare down between The Shield and The Wyatts was entertaining, and the crowd ate it up. Their match at Elimination Chamber will likely blow the roof off!

WWE then aired a vignette for the Black History month.

Cameron and The Bellas (With Eva) vs. AJ, Aksana and Fox (With Tamina)

Nikki started things off with AJ, and gained the upper hand. AJ tagged in Aksana as Nikki went for the worm and delivered a running dropkick. Brie tagged in and they worked on Aksana. Brie came down with a missile dropkick, but Aksana turned the tables on Brie. Aksana tagged in Alicia, who worked over Brie with a chin lock. Brie connected with a dropkick and tagged in Cameron. Cameron took out AJ and Fox! Cameron took Fox down with a hurricanrana and a dropkick for a near fall! Aksana came in but Cameron nailed a spike DDT to pick up the victory!

Winner (s): Cameron and The Bellas

Rating: *

Analysis: That was a basic 2 minute divas match, but the spike DDT looked painful. The divas celebrated inside the ring to end the segment.

WWE then showed Stephanie at a Be A Star press conference.

Lana and Rusev cut a promo. The same thing that has been happening for the past few weeks.

Kane made his way out and tried to explain his actions, and said The Authority gave him the night off. Bryan then came out to a massive pop and went right at it with Kane. He delivered some big kicks, but Kane dropped him with a big right. Bryan turned the tables and dumped Kane outside, and came down with a plancha! Bryan then delivered a running dropkick to send Kane beyond the fan barrier. Kane retreated through the crowd as Daniel Bryan led the fans in a “Yes” chant!

Analysis: That was a nicely done segment, with Bryan exacting his revenge. It will likely lead to Kane costing him the title at the Elimination Chamber match, but I hope Bryan will somehow be inserting into the main event match at WrestleMania.

Betty then hyped up the crowd for the main event, as John Cena made his way out first followed by Randy Orton.

John Cena vs. Randy Orton

Orton and Cena locked up as the crowd started the dueling “Let’s Go Cena/Cena Sucks” chant. Cena took Orton down with a hip toss for a 1 count as Orton retreated to the outside. Cena took Orton down with a chin lock and took Orton down with another take down, but Orton once again went out of the ring to get some distance. Orton then made his way back and took Cena down, landing some punches and kicks. Cena came back with some rights of his own and delivered a bulldog for a 2 count. Orton dropped Cena with an elbow as the crowd booed. Orton then worked on Cena for yet another 2 count. Cena blocked a suplex by Orton to deliver a suplex of his own, but Orton countered by moving out of Cena’s way, sending him into the ring post.

Orton took Cena outside and rammed his head into the announcer’s table and on the barricade. Orton took Cena back inside the ring and continued to work over Cena as WWE went into the last commercial of the night.

Back from the break and Orton stomped away on Cena as the fans chanted “Boring”. Cena came back with a scoop slam as both the competitors went down. Cena and Orton traded blows as the crowd booed both of them. Cena came back with a shoulder block but missed with the next! Orton then mocked the fans and brought Cena back into the ring with a suplex. Orton locked in the chin lock as the crowd chanted for Daniel Bryan. Cena went for the AA but Orton reversed it into a DDT for a 2 count. Orton stomped Cena and mocked the fans, but Cena slid him for a 2 count. Cena came back with his usual offense and went for the AA, but Orton countered with a backbreaker for yet another near fall.

Orton went for the underhook DDT, but Cena threw him outside! Back in the ring, Cena went for the AA but Orton reversed it into a powerslam for a 2 count. Orton went for the superplex, but Cena tried to fight back. Orton crotched him and delivered the DDT from the top rope! Orton signaled for the RKO but Cena caught him with the STF! Orton managed to reach the ropes and dropped Cena with a dropkick! Orton readied himself for the punt kick, but Cena went for the AA, but Orton countered it into an RKO for a near fall! Cena caught Orton with an AA for another near fall! Cena took Orton to the top rope for an AA from the top, but Orton fought out of it. Cena dropped Orton with a leg drop and delivered the AA to pick up the victory.

Winner: John Cena

Rating: ** ½

Analysis: That was an incredibly stretched out match. The announcers put the match over as “amazing”, but it was nothing special. They already faced each other a lot of times, and this match was the same. Orton and Cena stalled for a long time during the bout, but Cena came out victorious in the end. This will make Orton vulnerable going into the Elimination Chamber PPV, and while I understand the concept of making the champion look beatable, I don’t understand how we’re supposed to take him seriously when he loses almost all of his matches. That’s WWE’s booking for you I suppose.

Over – all rating of the show: ** ½ (Out of 5 stars)

That was an average show at best. I don’t understand why they didn’t put Bryan in a match at Staples Center, but that’s just yet another dubious decision taken by the WWE. The show lacked quality, although a couple of good tag team matches made it bearable. The main event was something we’ve seen on so many occasions, and the void left by CM Punk was quite obvious on the show. Anyway, that does it for this week’s review, as we now get one step closer to the Elimination Chamber PPV!