RAW 12/18
Monday Night RAW from Washington DC was another solid show in my opinion, and with three hours to fill, I thought they did a nice job not getting too out of control with backstage stuff and too much comedy. There was a lot of wrestling, including a 30-man battle royale to start it off, a WWE title match, a womens match featuring champion Mickie James, and a six-man tag to end it that set up two very big matches for the January PPV.
I thought this show was also good from the standpoint that we saw the big acts quite a few times. I know they can overdo it with guys getting too much TV time, but with three hours to fill and a PPV in three weeks, I think it was good for the "big six" of Cena, Edge, Orton, DX, and Umaga to be on a lot. The main event with those six guys was well done, with DX getting beat down in a big way, and Cena throwing Umaga through glass to set up their title match at the PPV.
The battle royale to start the show was okay. Too many guys, and being used to the Royal Rumble format it was strange to see that many guys in there just sort of going at it halfway it seemed. The ending was somewhat interesting, as I thought it would come down to Michales getting thrown out by Orton, and then he and Edge would be forced to go at it. That's not how it happened, but it was an effective ending. I think after the match with Edge telling Orton that he wanted the world title and the look on Orton's face, you can see the two already looking ahead to what could likely be Edge going back to face and then feuding with Orton at WM 23.
The Kenny-Ric Flair match was okay, and it gave Kenny some push as a singles guy, though I don't get why they would change his last name, which is really Doane, to Dykstra. Doesn't make much sense, but then again, that's why they are the writers and I sit here writing about it. The post-match handshake that never was I thought was well done and was a good way to build up Kenny.
The Edge-Cena title match seemed like a PPV match more than a RAW match. Lots of great stuff, great crowd interaction with half for Edge and half for Cena, and lots of great false finishes. These two still have a strong chemistry after going at it all over the country and beyond over the summer, and highlighting a few PPV's. The ending with Orton coming in, then DX, was good as well.
A rather lame Cryme Tyme segment with "President Bush" was followed by a really good womens non-title match with Mickie James losing to Victoria, setting up their title match at the PPV. I think that there is a real chance we may see a title change at the PPV, as Victoria is really getting over with this character again, and these two are right now by far the best actual womens wrestlers on the entire roster. Their matches will be good, but will get old after awhile, and they are going to need to get some more women actual wrestling talent in there before too long.
Even the K-Fed promo was strong. It seemed like everything worked this night, and him coming out and telling the crowd that he would beat Cena on January 1st was pretty good for what it was. I think that match is going to get some major legit pub before its all said and done, and I just hope that they don't do a total lame finish and that Federline is actually ready to do something in the ring.
The main event again was good for what they needed to do. It was time again that DX got beat down, and it pushes their PPV match to another level. I am starting to wonder if we will see a stip to that match, possibly no-DQ, or maybe add chairs and sledgehammers to it or something bizarre like that. Again, I was real happy with this three-hour show. The longer shows tend to drag, but overall I think they really stepped it up here and had a strong night.
I thought this show was also good from the standpoint that we saw the big acts quite a few times. I know they can overdo it with guys getting too much TV time, but with three hours to fill and a PPV in three weeks, I think it was good for the "big six" of Cena, Edge, Orton, DX, and Umaga to be on a lot. The main event with those six guys was well done, with DX getting beat down in a big way, and Cena throwing Umaga through glass to set up their title match at the PPV.
The battle royale to start the show was okay. Too many guys, and being used to the Royal Rumble format it was strange to see that many guys in there just sort of going at it halfway it seemed. The ending was somewhat interesting, as I thought it would come down to Michales getting thrown out by Orton, and then he and Edge would be forced to go at it. That's not how it happened, but it was an effective ending. I think after the match with Edge telling Orton that he wanted the world title and the look on Orton's face, you can see the two already looking ahead to what could likely be Edge going back to face and then feuding with Orton at WM 23.
The Kenny-Ric Flair match was okay, and it gave Kenny some push as a singles guy, though I don't get why they would change his last name, which is really Doane, to Dykstra. Doesn't make much sense, but then again, that's why they are the writers and I sit here writing about it. The post-match handshake that never was I thought was well done and was a good way to build up Kenny.
The Edge-Cena title match seemed like a PPV match more than a RAW match. Lots of great stuff, great crowd interaction with half for Edge and half for Cena, and lots of great false finishes. These two still have a strong chemistry after going at it all over the country and beyond over the summer, and highlighting a few PPV's. The ending with Orton coming in, then DX, was good as well.
A rather lame Cryme Tyme segment with "President Bush" was followed by a really good womens non-title match with Mickie James losing to Victoria, setting up their title match at the PPV. I think that there is a real chance we may see a title change at the PPV, as Victoria is really getting over with this character again, and these two are right now by far the best actual womens wrestlers on the entire roster. Their matches will be good, but will get old after awhile, and they are going to need to get some more women actual wrestling talent in there before too long.
Even the K-Fed promo was strong. It seemed like everything worked this night, and him coming out and telling the crowd that he would beat Cena on January 1st was pretty good for what it was. I think that match is going to get some major legit pub before its all said and done, and I just hope that they don't do a total lame finish and that Federline is actually ready to do something in the ring.
The main event again was good for what they needed to do. It was time again that DX got beat down, and it pushes their PPV match to another level. I am starting to wonder if we will see a stip to that match, possibly no-DQ, or maybe add chairs and sledgehammers to it or something bizarre like that. Again, I was real happy with this three-hour show. The longer shows tend to drag, but overall I think they really stepped it up here and had a strong night.
