KillSteve Reviews RAW 14/7/08

KillSteve

Last weeks RAW left alot of exciting angles and cliffhangers. What is up with Kane? How will Kofi respond to Burchill's sneak attack? Will Punk prove the haters wrong? I felt there was still potential for them to fail hugely and drop the ball with pretty much any angle, but even then I couldn't deny that they had made me want to find out what happens next.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Opening Segment.
I’m not sure how this came across on US tv, but for me it was kinda confusing. We went from Shane and Steph putting across the chaos and how they may have to take action (a Regal return mes suspect) to Jericho and HBK brawling on the outside of the ring with King and Cole talking about how it was out of control Either way an exciting way to start the show. Cade comes out (use him dammit!) and it’s broken up. Looks like we missed a promo over here before it :/

… Then immediately after, Kane comes out. Total non-stop action to kick off RAW. King stands up in front of Cole which is nice touch. Kane has a bag with him and yells that he’s sorry. What an epic heel Disapointing and pointless moment. But backstage Jericho and Michaels are at it again~! This fued owns.

Mickie James vs Katie Lea Burchill
Bog standard women’s match. So that means boring, though Mickie was fun to watch as usual. After the match Paul holds her while Katie slaps her about abit which is a good way to keep the fued going even after Mickie won clean. Kingston makes the save and he is fired up~! Stare down between the two from the ramp and it looks like we’ve got match, fuck I was so hoping they were actually going to leave this match for a while. –sigh-…

Paul Burchill vs Kofi Kingston
Kofi is fired up and a lot more aggressive than usual which is cool. Kofi… works on the arm of Burchill(???). Hey it’s a nice change of pace and shows Kofi can do more than just flashy moves. Burchill is very much ground and pound. Katie is on the apron and Mickie stops her. Kofi wins with Trouble In Paradise. Fun tv match, though it doesn’t make a lot of sense to have the match now, unless they kill another potential fued before it gets off the ground. Oh well.

Santino Is Backstage and Kane asks him where is Punk, Santino tells him to try the pepsi machine


Punk/Kane segment
Kane tells Punk he needs match tonight, but Punk tries to bottle it but then changes his mind because he wants to prove the haters wrong. I get the feeling it’s one of those “writers taking shots at the IWC” lines, but maybe if they booked better they wouldn’t have to prove anyone wrong…

Cena Promo
Horray for serious Cena! No more poopy lines! Emotion! This promo is actually pretty damn good, Cena is so much better when he’s in a more melodramatic mood. He actually does a good job of putting across how dangerous the match is and actually makes me want to see it all the more. Cena acknowledges their past as well which is cool. Cena really fires up and describes how he;s going to enjoy beating the hell out of JBL in detail. Holy shit, this promo actually is greatness as he gets into it. Then Cryme Tyme appear with him~! Challenge is made for a 6 man tag, looks like the talk of JBL teaming with Rhodes/DiBiase was worth it. Actually a great promo, such a contrast to last weeks over sugary lameness. Probably the best Cena promo this year,

Santino offers a challenge
Santino offers a challenge and it’s accepted by…Beth Pheonix… Oh boy. Pretty fun comedy match actually due to Santino’s antics and Beth just kicking his ass. Beth wins with a roll-up. The start of a face push for Beth? She gets a good reaction, so idunnoes. Match is short but entertaining.

Rhodes/DiBiase promo
Kelly is out for her match… then Cody and Ted Jr are out too. Yay! They have something to say so Kelly has to gtfo Cody talks about how they are better than their fathers and how they don’t pay their dues. The crowd starts a “what” chant which is pretty lul. Then, oh fuck’s sake, Jim Duggen is out. Why is this guy even allowed to live, yet alone wrestle on tv. He talks about how he knows them, and how he’s old school and respect, etc. Cody turns the “grow up” line around and absolutely pwns Duggen with it. Looks like a title match is going to be layed down, DiBiase is already great at getting heat. They leave and JBL is on the tron… oh I wonder where this is going. Yep he offers them a spot at his side and that is that. Good segment to help the champs get over as heels.


Kane vs CM Punk
Kane is still carrying the bag. An urn, perhaps? The commentators put over how in jeopardy Punk is at the Bash. Well atleast they aren’t trying to act as if he’s a credible champ. Punk gets a good amount of offence in before Kane seems to freak out on the outside again and start dominating the match. Pretty entertaining skill vs power matchup with Punk making a nice comeback. Punk wins via countout. Kane instantly throws chairs into the ring and beats the hell out of Punk. Kane wraps the chair around Punks’ throat, this is gonna be brutal! Batista is out to make the save! He looks like he’s helping Punk up, and Punk extends a hand. Theres a great moment of pause where the corwd are going wild and I genuinely don’t know what Batista is going to do. Batista shakes his head and pats Punk patronisingly on the check. Punk shoves Batista to a pop! Batsista with the spinebuster! Good way to make the fued more interesting! Exclamation mark!

Chris Jericho vs Paul London
I smell a squash :/ I like the way they have Cade on the outside keeping watch with a chair. So yeah, it’s pretty much Jericho destroying London, looks like London is on his way out. That sucks. Jericho wins easily and gets on the mic and starts with the great heelness once again. Michaels is out too and Cade is ready with the chair. Nice promo from Michaels and he drops a great line “On Sunday…the worst is truly yet to come”. Really great way to further the fued.

Noble Backstage segment
Once again Noble is trying his luck 5 foot 6? Lmao, I’m taller than him. Noble is pretty lul when he wants to be. Once again he tries to impress Layla by challenging someone and gets Snitsky. Snitsky isn’t very monsterish, he doesn’t like loud noises. Noble is an awesome talker though, “one way pain train to Noble-ville” In the ring Snitsky squashes Noble with OH NO pumphandle slam~! What an evil bastard~! :rollfuckingeyes: I actually like the way they are using Noble, I’d rather see him get this kind of air time as the lovable loser than get no air time at all.

JBL, Cody Rhodes & Ted DiBiase Jr vs John Cena & Cyme Tyme
First I should just say 6 man tags are so underused in the wwe, considering the potential for phenomenal matches that can be produced. Actually, this match is a perfect example of why 6 man tags can be so great, because everyone brings something to the table and every matchup is different to the last. Matches like this really let everyone shine to their best and bring so much value. Cody even busts out a fucking moonsult. The crowd are just nuclear for this match! But the ending, wow, that made no sense. JBL gets DQ’d simply because he isn’t the legal man. How many times have people broken up a pin or submission and not been DQ’d? That was so stupid. Apart from the finish, this was a great match, hell, I’d say it’s easily PPV worthy and everyone looked great in it.

JBL runs out back yelling at the fans, but Cena is in hot pursuit. JBL seems to lose Cena and leads him back to the carpark. They do a good job of adding a lot of suspense to this part by not having the commentators talk during it. JBL sneak attacks with a pipe~! Oh my, he places Cena infront of a car before running off into another facing directly at him before DRIVING INTO HIM. It’s fairly obvious Cena wasn’t there, otherwise he;d be dead, obviously.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Overall, another *great* show and I’m really glad I bothered to watch it. Lots of angles are really developing and becoming interesting, the lack of authority, Kane’s mystery, the Batista/Punk rivalry and obviously JBL/Cena. On the downside, I’m kinda annoyed they had Burchill/Kingston already and this episode only reinforced my view that Cena is above the championship, even without the belt he takes center stage and is the star of the show. But these are really minor compared to the amount of interesting plot twists, Cena’s awesome promo and the great 6 man tag. I really am looking forward to the Great American Bash for once
__________________

PeaceSells

Super Moderator

Impressive review Steve.

I agree that they rushed the potential Burchill/Kofi feud. Hopefully they keep going with it though, as I enjoy both men's work. Probably throw Mickie/Katie Lea feud in with it as well.

Loved Santino's Pepsi line lol. Not happy he lost to Beth though (I haven't seen this match yet though, so I'm not totally sure how it all played out)

Didn't like how Punk seemed to get beat on by both Kane and Batista but meh.

Overall, of what I saw of it so far, good RAW and a good review.

Blitzkrieg

Punk is much smaller than both men. I think it played out well. It doesn't matter how you win as long as you keep winning. I feel he'll find a way against Batista.

FullMetal Alchemist

probably via interference from kane

Blitzkrieg

Yeah, it's too bad. I really dislike Batista as a babyface. He be such a cool heel.. He has the chance of either ruining Punk's new reign or Kane's new story line. Fuck.

aaron

Good stuff steve.

I guess i'm in the minority but I found Cena's promo to be rather flat. Don't get me wrong, it's better than his poopy humour but it just seemed to go on and on forever, and he pretty much said the same thing several times. Kinda like how my mum has a go at me or when she tries to tell me something "important"

I really hope Beth doesn't turn face unless she gets a lesnar type push against the other divas, but even then there arent that many divas for her to face off against.

Slightly dissapointed that rhodes and dibiase have aligned with JBL rather than Orton, but I guess JBL would be a good 2nd choice

And hopefully London will align himself with Jericho at the Bash so that Jericho can start his own stable

KillSteve

Well Orton is out injured and both JBL and DiBiase/Rhodes have the connection of being money grabbing bastard, so they seem like a perfect fit.

Hate to say it but I doubt London will do such a thing. It's good idea to even the odds against Cade, but he was pretty much just canon fodder in the match.

Crockerinho

Im thinking that was just a one week deal to set up the main event

Number Nine

I wish I had more hands, so I could give this review 4 thumbs down.

Don't even front
You'd shit your pants if I licked your cunt

FullMetal Alchemist

can you imagine the matches that would be put on if victoria were brought back to raw? they should just bring all the actually talented women to raw and let the bubble gum divas compete on SD for the ugly belt.

get kelly kelly off of raw. she might have a nice ass but kinda FASish in the face.

what ever happened to candace michelle?