Monday Night RAW I felt was one of the better shows that the company has put on TV for some time. It had the drama of three solid matches, storylines that continued to progress things towards the next PPV, and not a lot of wasted time with comedy skits and matches that really didn't mean anything. The three matches of note that I thought did an excellent job for future matches included Cena vs Nitro, Umaga vs Hardy and DX & Flair vs Kenny and Edge & Orton. Again, a very straight forward show that didn't waste much time.

Even the womens match had some meaning, with Torrie taking a beating from Victoria, setting up what will be a womens title match at the PPV between champion Mickie and challenger Victoria. I am glad for once that they didn't just rush Victoria into a match with Mickie after she won the womens battle royale a few weeks back.

The opener with Cena vs Armando was well done, and did its job. It furthers the feud with Umaga and Cena, which I think is going to be a solid series of matches, and it didn't have some hookey finish with Armando somehow coming out on top. It was a squash, and it should have been. On the other hand, I enjoyed the Umaga vs Hardy match, and despite it more or less being a squash, it didn't hurt Hardy in the least, and pushed Umaga even more for the title match at the PPV. I also am really in favor of Cena and Umaga not being able to "touch" until the PPV match, as it gets old each week leading up to a PPV where one guy gets over, and then the next week the other guy gets over. This is the way it really should be done all the time.

It's also a good thing to have Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin back as a tag team. You knew after the match last week they would be back together, but you never really had a reason why, which I think they should have talked about a bit. Nevertheless, it was cool to see them together again, and I look forward to more of them in the weeks and months to come.

The HHH vs Edge and then the six-man tag with DX and Flair vs Edge, Orton and Kenny was also well done, and had a solid finish. Looks like we'll have a Kenny vs Flair match at the PPV, and if all is right then to get Kenny over he should win the match. DX vs Orton and Edge is also set for the PPV, but I did think they should take this to the next level with a stip. They very well may have this be a two-month thing and have them in a match at the Rumble with a stip, since it looks as if none of these men are going to be in any sort of main event at Mania.

The storyline with K-Fed vs Cena also got a push with the Nitro vs Cena match, and the phone call with Nitro, Melina and K-Fed. I am wondering what they are going to do with that match on the 1st, and think that it could either be a total Cena squash, or some sort of outside interference may cost Cena the match and K-Fed goes over, as unreal as that may seem. The best part about all this - they are keeping the fans guessing, which is a good thing.

With all that went on, it was a very good show that will continue the push for the next PPV in about 3 weeks. I like all they are going forward with, and it seems that Cena is the main storyline for three plots upcoming - his WM match that seems bound to happen with Batista, his next PPV match with Umaga, and his New Years Night match with Kevin Federline. While it all may seem to get lost in the shuffle, they are doing a good job not losing focus on any of those matches that will be upcoming.