Live from the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, Florida
Commentators: Michael Cole & Jerry “The King” Lawler
Championship’s roll call: WWE Champion: CM Punk… World Champion: Mark Henry… Intercontinental Champion: Cody Rhodes… United States Champion: Dolph Ziggler… Tag Team Champions: Air Boom… Diva’s Champion: Beth Phoenix
John Cena opens the show to his usual mixed reaction; actually a little heavier on the boos this week, which I think the WWE was hoping for. He says last Monday was interesting on Piper’s Pit. He wants to thank Roddy Piper for having him on the show and for telling Cena, like the WWE Universe, his opinion of Cena. He goes on to discuss how he respects the cheers and boos of the fans; he talks about “Fruity Pebbles” chants. Cena says the reactions of the fans aren’t the big deal; but the slap… of the referee’s three count securing CM Punk’s title defense was the most important part of the show. He wants to throw his name into the number one contender’s spot to perhaps spice up his match with the Rock at WrestleMania. Look past Punk much? Alberto Del Rio interrupts and says the title match is “mine, mine!” Cena makes a good point: Del Rio lost. Alberto retorts with the deliberate DQ stipulation and shows a clip of Punk bouncing Del Rio’s head off an exposed turnbuckle; Alberto says it was illegal and he should be disqualified. Vickie Guerrero, of all people, interrupts their argument and says that Dolph Ziggler deserves the title shot, and I agree. Dolph asks who beat Randy Orton last week and who puts on the most entertaining match of the night. Cena goes through all his prior gimmicks (caddy, cheerleader, etc…) and finally rests on “the show off”… because he heard Michael Cole say it about twenty-five times on commentary. Funny, acknowledging the over-pushing of character nicknames. Cena has a new nickname, remove “show” and replace it with “jerk”. Ziggler says it isn’t showing off if he backs it up. John puts over Zack Ryder and says he deserves the title shot. Ziggler feels he should have the title shot so The Miz interrupts them. We get clips of him decimating R-Truth and John Morrison, the latter, Michael Cole admits, was released by VP of talent relations, John Laurinaitis. Really? Miz single handedly undresses all three in the ring and says he’s the next WWE Champion. Laurinaitis comes out… how many microphones does the WWE own? He is still smarting from Punk’s comments last week so he books matches for the four of them. Cena has a special match in a “social experiment” match. Miz’s title shot match is up first against… Randy Orton! 7/10 I like openings that are chaotic. Four or five guys getting into title arguments are good to get everyone some needed mic time and sacrifice less in-ring time; nice to see Ziggler on the main event level again.
Randy Orton vs. The Miz number one contender’s match: Miz wins he’s in the title match at TLC. Miz goes for the leg and forces Orton into the corner. Randy fires back with a Euro uppercut. He fires out of the corner with a clothesline and stomps on his legs; he hooks him up in a vertical suplex. Miz regains control with a running boot and then a seated running boot; he settles into a chinlock. Orton comes out of it rather quickly but Miz counters into the Vintage Neckbreaker… and back to the chinlock. Randy comes out of it with a back suplex; Miz tries for the Vintage Clothesline in the corner but Orton comes out with a running clothesline. He begins the Viper comeback and hits the short powerslam. He lines up the Viper DDT but Miz backdrops him to the floor. Miz tries to attack him on the floor but eats a short powerslam on the floor. Wade Barrett’s music hits and he heads towards the ring; Orton gives chase and gets counted out. Post-match, Orton is angry and heads back to the ring, but Barrett runs him down and nails him from behind. I think Wade got a new tattoo on his right arm. The Miz qualifies for the title match at TLC. 6.5/10 The match itself was pretty pedestrian, but as far as angle advancement, it worked twofold. First off, it protects both men via countout; it gets Miz into the title match and furthers the Orton/Barrett storyline. Good work.
We get a commercial pimping the WWE Network; it looks like it should have been in 3-D. Dear DirecTV… please carry this.
Zack Ryder is talking to John Laurinaitis about his online petition; Dolph Ziggler has filed a protest and Laurinaitis agrees. John Cena walks in wearing a Ryder headband/wig and glasses… available on WWE.com, buy now! Cena does a Dr. Emmett Brown impression and makes fun of Laurinaitis. He books Cena in a match with a popular talent to gauge fans’ reactions… Zack Ryder. If Ryder beats Cena he gets a title match with Dolph Ziggler, if Cena wins he’s in the WWE title match at TLC. Very interesting. Elsewhere, David Otunga, Esq. tells Kevin Nash he’s booked in a ladder match with Triple H at TLC. Nash says he doesn’t do ladder matches. Otunga says the match is more like a “sledgehammer on a pole match” and the winner is via pinfall or submission. Nash is also booked tonight and doesn’t care who his opponent is.
Daniel Bryan vs. Alberto Del Rio number one contender’s match: Bryan has his ribs taped; Michael Cole goes way over the top with his Bryan insulting. Del Rio kicks Bryan in the corner and works over the ribs. Bryan mounts a quickie comeback via top rope backflip and running clothesline, all the while selling the ribs. He kicks away but Del Rio gets shots in on the ribs; Bryan whirls him into the Guillotine choke but Del Rio deposits him onto the apron to break. Del Rio, sensing the urgency, immediately goes to the cross-arm breaker to get the submission victory and qualify for TLC. 3.5/10 Bryan’s excuse was he was hurt from his match with Mark Henry but he almost got a win; Del Rio gets a quick squash-lite win.
Kelly Kelly & Eve Torres (w/Alicia Fox) vs. Pinup Strong: They start to show a video package for Pinup Strong but it is interrupted by a “look within” promo. Nattie drives Kelly into the corner and then they hit a double Russian leg sweep. Beth slams her and applies a chinlock; she tries to fight back but eats a backbreaker. Phoenix stops to argue with Eve and Kelly cradles her for the surprise three. 2/10 Well, that was short; Eve didn’t even get legally tagged.
John Cena vs. Zack Ryder social experiment match: This is an interesting match on so many levels; the WWE sure is gauging what to do with Cena (it also shows how far Ryder has come), they really must be concerned that the fans haven’t cottoned to him yet. At the bell, the two friends follow the Code of Honor. Cena wrests Ryder down with an armbar; Ryder fires him off but gets shoulderblocked down. Ryder comes back with a leaping clothesline and takes Cena down into a headlock. The fans chant all sorts of things here. Cena shoots him off and leapfrogs into a hiptoss and gets a nearfall; Cena goes to the chinlock. Michael Cole makes a fantastic point that explains this entire situation: Cena has been the workhorse for the WWE for the past eight years (basically right around the time The Rock was leaving) and has poured his guts out for the WWE Universe; the Rock moseys back into the picture, after seven years absent from the ring, and the fans boo Cena and cheer the Rock, despite Cena being there week after week and the Rock making sporadic appearances… is this getting to Cena? Ryder fires him off and flapjacks Cena and reapplies the chinlock. Cena hoists him up into an AA but Ryder slides off his back and drops Cena with a Flash Back. Ryder gets a one count as Dolph Ziggler watches on a flatscreen in the back. Cena powers up and tries a backdrop, which Ryder counters with a swinging neckbreaker. Ryder goes back to the chinlock. Cena counters with a Proto-bomb this time; he tosses Ryder into the corner but meets knees charging in. Ryder hits a second-rope missile dropkick and gets another nearfall; he heads up top but Cena catches him in an AA. Ryder fights free again and hits a tornado DDT… for two. Ryder flashes the “LI” and tries the Rough Ryder; Cena ducks and begins the comeback, you can’t see him and a Five-Knuckle Shuffle. Ryder counters the AA for a third time and Cena misses a charge in the corner. BROSKI BOOT! The fans chant the “woo woo woo” for him. Ryder tries the Rough Ryder but Cena turns it into the AA (finally) and gets the three. Post-match Ryder is upset with Cena and said the title shot is all he’s got. Ryder wants one more shot and Cena tells him to wait and heads to the back. 6/10 Ryder is definitely on a higher level and the false starts with him is just building to a big crescendo when he gets the title match. I personally think he should get the title match at TLC and lose… then give him the big win at the bigger PPV… the Royal Rumble. Oh, this match was pretty good as well, despite being heavy on the chinlocks, but that figures into the two friends trying to wrestle to see who the better man is.
John Laurinaitis is hanging with David Otunga, Esq. when John Cena barges in and (verbally) kicks Otunga out. Cena tells Laurinaitis to give Zack Ryder his title match. John [Laurinaitis] says that he’ll give Ryder another chance to win his United States Title match… but Cena has to give up his TLC title match for Ryder to get it. Cena thinks about it, says he is a ten-time WWE champion, and has had hundreds of opportunities along way; he becomes the bigger man and gives up his opportunity to get Ryder another chance. Very interesting, showing off sacrifices that Cena makes in a storyline fashion, very good work by WWE; it could also be a backdoor way to get Cena over with the fans, leeching off of Zack Ryder’s popularity.
Zack Ryder vs. Mark Henry no countout, no DQ: David Otunga, Esq. tells ring announcer Justin Roberts who Ryder’s opponent is; if he wins he gets his US Title shot. The fans realize that John Laurinaitis has not only screwed Ryder but John Cena as well; Henry is still selling the ankle injury by hobbling and with tape. He clubs the crap out of Ryder at the bell. Ryder kicks the ankle and valiantly fights back but runs into a clothesline. Henry pounds on Ryder and says he’s not in his league. Ryder takes over, managing Henry into the corner and wrapping the bad ankle around the ringpost. SECOND BROSKI BOOT! Ryder tries to drag Henry up but gets fired across the ring. Cena comes down to the ring to observe, and realizing it’s no DQ, rushes into the ring and clobbers Henry with an AA. He drags Ryder on top and he gets the PINFALL over the World Champion! Post-match, Ryder loses his mind realizing he gets his title shot. He and Cena shake at the stage. 7/10 The match was blah… but I loved the entire storyline surrounding it. I’d call that a double rub, Cena gets some of Ryder’s residual babyface heat, sacrificing his title shot to help Ryder get his first single title opportunity and Ryder gets the rub from Henry (and Cena) pinning the invincible champion. Good entertaining stuff.
In the back, Vickie Guerrero comes out of John Laurinaitis’ office and regrettably tells Dolph Ziggler that his match with Zack Ryder is still on at TLC. Dolph and Jack Swagger are not pleased; she also found out who his opponent is tonight in the number one contender’s match, Sheamus. Swagger offers his help but Ziggler refuses it fearing a screw up; they almost come to blows but Dolph says he’s just joking around. Swagger says, “So I’ll see you ringside,” to which Ziggler casually and obnoxiously says, “no”. Funny stuff, if Ziggler keeps acting like this he’ll be a babyface in no time.
Santino Marella vs. Kevin Nash: It’s been eight years since Kevin Nash has wrestled in a Raw ring; he has a symbolic sledgehammer with him. I typed Santino’s name in the header while Nash was still making his entrance. Nash has his “Nash” attire as opposed to his “Diesel” attire from the Rumble. Marella charges… right into a knee; Nash hits a sidewalk slam for two. Nash clobbers him with a big boot and down come the straps. JACKKNIFE! Nash hooks the leg and gets three. Post-match, he grabs the sledgehammer and heads back into the ring. He scares the crap out of Santino with it, smiles, and just leaves. 1.5/10 Squash.
In the back former ROH alums, CM Punk and Evan Bourne (is thirty days up already?) talk. Bourne is probably saying that he’ll be leap high when he returns to the ring but probably won’t be as high as he used to be.
Sheamus vs. Dolph Ziggler (w/Vickie Guerrero) number one contender’s match: I may pick up a Sheamus shirt for St. Patrick’s Day 2012, he’s grown on me A LOT (actually I’ve like him from the beginning, like Randy Orton), probably not the Great White one though; I liked the green one with the large gold Celtic Cross on it. Dolph plays keep-away and SHOWS OFF. Sheamus takes him over with a headlock and roughs him up on the canvas. Ziggler fires him off but gets steamrolled; he comes back with a beautiful Hennig standing dropkick. He backs Sheamus into the corner and SLAPS him. Sheamus shoots him a little “you’ve got some balls, fella” smirk and crushes him with a clothesline. He entraps Ziggler in the ropes and forearms him for a ten count. Sheamus hits a VERTICAL SUPLEX for a nearfall. The Twitter trending graphic cracks me up as “Santino” is trending but “Kevin Nash” is nowhere to be seen. Dolph kicks his way back and hits a swinging neckbreaker; he chokes under the ropes and applies a vicious chinlock. I say “vicious” because he applies it with such intense zeal, that it’s more than just a transitional hold. Sheamus tries to fire back but Dolph goes to the knee and hits the Ziggasser. Back to the chinlock; Sheamus just launches him off and begins the comeback with Irish Hammers. He pounds on him with head-butts in the corner and ends with a short-clothesline. Ziggler slips out of the Celtic Cross and then sidesteps the charging Sheamus, causing him to post his shoulder. All of a sudden Zack Ryder’s music hits and he saunters down to distract Ziggler; Sheamus pulverizes him with a Brogue Kick and gets the three. Post-match, Ryder hits a Rough Ryder on a loopy Ziggler and celebrates with the belt. 6.5/10 Lots o’ Ryder on this show, sorry just saw a Seamus match; also a lot of musical distractions on this show as well. Ziggler once again puts on a great match on Raw. I’m guessing, just like last year, he’s going to lose his “secondary title” and head into the main event, on sheer ring work and character (and a little Vickie Guerrero). I thought after the whole battle with Edge, stripping of the World title, the “firing”, and then was basically forgotten about by WrestleMania; he has come all of the way back from it to reestablish himself as a major player in the WWE. Good work all around by Dolph.
The Miz, Alberto Del Rio, and John Laurinaitis are in the ring for the official contract signing for the TLC title match with CM Punk. Laurinaitis says there some important things coming to Raw next week; Brodus Clay, the Slammys and John Cena versus Mark Henry, but now to the contract signing. He brings out WWE Champion CM Punk, in his ring gear, despite all the others in suits. Del Rio should turn the insult tables on him from a few months ago about that EXACT same situation at the commentary table. Punk moves the table and calls the contract signing the biggest pro wrestling cliché in history because they always end in a “pier-six brawl”, which he would love to see trend on Twitter. He gets his usual charisma insults to Laurinaitis and says that there hasn’t been a peaceful signing since WrestleMania III (complete review, click here). I think he may be right about that. The GM calls himself Mr. Excitement and calls the TLC match a non-traditional triple threat since it is a “tables, ladders and chairs triple threat”. Miz gets in Cena’s face and says he “took out” R-Truth and John Morrison; Punk quips with, “you took them out… you mean on a date?” Punk feels that, judging by his appearance, he took them to see “that new Twilight flick”… “Not that there’s anything wrong with that”. Quoting Seinfeld will only get you more over with me. Miz says he beat Morrison so bad that he had to be released; Laurinaitis takes this time to wish Morrison good luck in his future endeavors. Miz promises at TLC that he’s taking back what’s his. Punk says he doesn’t concern himself with TMZ but does concern himself with being the best wrestler in the world. Del Rio finally starts to talk and says that he is the best in the world and runs through his successful 2011 and will end defeating Punk to become the champion, again. Punk cuts him off and says if he says “destiny” he swears to “jeebus” that he’ll start drinking. Miz shuts them both up and says that he and Del Rio can both agree that Punk is not going to be champion the next day, he signs; Del Rio agrees, and then he signs. Punk grabs the contract and signs. Laurinaitis says the match is official and wishes them all good luck and requests them all for a photo for WWE.com. Punk is upset the contract signing didn’t disintegrate into a brawl so he takes the first step and attacks Miz. Punk actually gets the better of them, puts Del Rio through a table with a bulldog, and Miz to sleep. 4.5/10 Despite some of Punk’s better efforts, this was a bland main event contract signing. Nothing much else.
OVERALL 7/10 Regardless of the lackluster “main event” this was a really entertaining show; I like the current directions (finally) for Ryder, and for the “controversial” Cena and the re-elevation Ziggler. Ironically, the beacon of change, CM Punk, has the more unimaginative storyline going into TLC. I’m sure the match will rock, which is Punk’s major selling point: the best wrestler in the world, so I guess he’ll do his stuff in the ring. Good show this week.
