Just stated watching RAW from tonight... the HBK/HHH stuff was absolutely great. Those two showed why they're among the best of all-time, not only in the ring, but on the microphone as well. I absolutely loved hearing the fans chant "triple threat" and "Shawn is better" during the exchange too. :24: As the segment was starting... I was saying to myself that it was either gonna be Triple Threat (doubtful) or that Shawn was gonna be the guest referee.
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So... The Rock's first segment was awesome. Introspective, contemplative, and humble Cena? Not so much.
This Raw was much like last week in that the beginning and end were very strong whereas the middle wasn't as such, but it was still good enough. The Rock/Cena segment was very good because people are now reacting to this Cena, whereas before they weren't so sure. The Michaels/Triple H one was pretty great too, especially Shawn's mic work (which during the last 3 Wrestlemania builds has been better than the rest of his career)
C.M. Punk's finishing move is the Go To Sleep.
Talk about a name of a finishing maneuver that has no imagination! That's the best they could come up with?!
Talk about a name of a finishing maneuver that has no imagination! That's the best they could come up with?!
It really isn't that dissimilar from other finishers. Sweet Chin Music, Tombstone Piledriver, Torture Rack.....
Definitely agree with you about RAW... but I felt like the filler this week was more snoozeworthy than the week before, even with Santino cobraing his way to the United State Championship. I wouldn't go so far as to say that Shawn's mic work the last three WM builds has been better than the rest of his career... but it's definitely among his best. I rank the early DX stuff and his feud with HHH after coming back from retirement right up there with the last three years.
That being said... it's really interesting that there are four matches on this card that are being built up as main events. Obviously Bryan/Sheamus is the lowest on the totem pole, but given Bryan's talent and the in-ring chemistry he and Sheamus have built up previously, it can still be a great match. In any other year, Punk/Jericho would be the main event, and probably hands down MOTY. I don't know if Rock and Cena can really put together a MOTY worthy match, but it should be incredibly entertaining at the very least... electrifying even.
Then HHH/Taker already had great potential by virtue of who is in the match, but then you add the HIAC, and now HBK to the mix and it could be a damn good match. Fortunately, given the three that are involved and their clout in the company, I'm not particularly worried about a screwjob finish. Hell, I don't think I even care what other matches go on the PPV... those four would be worth the price, if I was planning on actually spending money on it. :24:
This was another fun episode of Raw. The Michaels stuff was intriguing too because it showed him as a heel in a way, which makes you think....and Lawler cleverly referenced the fact that triple H has never lost when Shawn Michaels has been refereeing his matches. The CM Punk/Jericho stuff was great too, because Punk's expressions were believable, and Jericho's way of saying that stuff, damn it came across so well. Great heel work. The Rock/Cena stuff was entertaining too. rest of the show was fun too, yeah, not a thing I didn't like about this show at all really.
The only part of the show that I fast forwarded through was the Eve/Ryder/Beth stuff, because it just bores me. You're spot on about the show, I couldn't understand why people were changing, "this is awful" during the HBK/Taker stuff, it was really mind boggling. The best part about it is the fact that he came across in such a way that you have absolutely no clue what's going on in his head about the match. He could be leaning towards favoring HHH, or he could be wanting to cost him the match, or he could just be fucking with the both of them. Old School Cena. More please. That is the John Cena that I want to see... no more good guy Cena that's shoved down our throats, I love how they've taken his character lately. The Rock's "concert" was pretty good too, I was laughing my ass off. Very good show... this is why I love the Wrestlemania build. Jericho/Punk was the best segment of the show as far as I'm concerned.
Oh, and James Roday was fucking great.
Oh, and James Roday was fucking great.
Brodus Clay's return made my day.
Oh yeah, I fast forwarded through that too... he just annoys me.
I hated Brodus at first but he won me over. lol at him adding the flopping splash to his arsenal, they must have been worried that he'd injure someone with his flopping cross-body....
I preferred the beast version of Brodus instead of the godfather wannabe version.
For the love of god I am SICK of Sting.
Raw was good again but not as good as recent weeks, but I put that down to more having less to advance from those weeks. Though the Jericho/Punk's sister swerve was great scripting I have to say. And Shawn's face was classic when Taker told Triple H that Shawn was better.
And Lord Tensai is Matt Bloom, formerly Prince Albert/A Train, if you cared.
And Lord Tensai is Matt Bloom, formerly Prince Albert/A Train, if you cared.
The Jericho/Punk segment was great, and the Rock Bottom on Henry made my day.
I'm not too impressed with The Rock, I don't think he still has it like he used to IMO.
RAW last night really didn't have a pre-Wrestlemania go home feel to me... it kinda bored me. They gave away seeing Bryan/Sheamus and Orton/Kane beat each other up a mere 6 days before, "the grandest stage of them all".
Overall I'm looking forward to Wrestlemania, the go home was pretty underwhelming given they didn't really do anything other than Rock/Cena (where Cena was excellent by the way) and Punk/Jericho (where Jericho again showed he's a damn great heel. It's making you hate him. But other than that, not really a lot here. I'm liking the Bryan/Sheamus feud overall, it isn't a top line card feud but it's fine. It fits well on Wrestlemania too, but I think it'll go on first on Sunday for some reason. Like last year's WHC match, and that arguably had bigger stars.
So what do you think the match order is going to be? There are three main event quality matches scheduled... the way it's been built up I have to imagine that Rock vs. Cena will close out the show. Taker vs. HHH has to be in the last half of the card... but you need something in between the two matches, give the fans a chance to come back down from what is probably going to be two exhausting matches.
I'm also hoping that they'll have JR announce some of the matches... or at least just Taker vs. HHH.
I'm also hoping that they'll have JR announce some of the matches... or at least just Taker vs. HHH.
I'd go for Sheamus vs Bryan either first or early on. Cody vs Big Show as either first or second. If Sheamus is winning I think it'll be first because they want to get off on the right note. Then the divas match, followed by Orton vs Kane. Punk vs Jericho before the HIAC match. The Team Teddy vs Team Johnny match to cushion before Rock vs Cena.