My WWE Raw, 22nd April 2013 Recap

The Dead Man takes it to Reigns. Photo credit: WWE.com

Paul Heyman kicked things off by revealing that after his client Brock Lesnar challenged Triple H on last week's Raw to a Steel Cage match, he'd since received an email from 'The Game' that explained that he'd answer the challenge on next week's show.

Heyman went on to call the COO gutless for not being in attendance for the show in London, but Triple H proved him wrong and joined him in the ring. After accepting Brock's offer for Extreme Rules, Triple H then pedigreed his manager, much to the excitement of the goofy Lawler on commentary. 

R-Truth pinned Antonio Cesaro in a decent enough contest. While quite short they both made the most of their time and gave worthy efforts. I'm still worried by this slump Cesaro has taken as of late, loosing to the likes of Kofi and Truth is never a good sign. Why did his push suddenly suddenly come to a halt? He has the look and ability to make it in WWE.

Damien Sandow bested Brodus Clay in a pedestrian match up. It wasn't awful on any level, but there was just nothing particularly engaging about the action. The fans got so bored they began to entertain themselves with various chants during it, although they were pleased with the victor.

Dolph Ziggler defeated Chris Jericho in a largely stellar outing. While most of the wrestling was exciting and engaging, there were a few slightly sloppy moments here and there that let it down a bit, but I think that's probably just me being a bit picky. A good watch on the whole. The biggest reaction from the crowd (who did a few of the chants and Mexican waves that the New Jersey fans did a couple of weeks ago throughout) actually came when Fandango's music hit, which caused Y2J to become distracted and Zig Zagged by Ziggler for the one-two-three.

Tensai beat Cody Rhodes in a fair, if forgettable bout. To be honest I wasn't engaged by this tag feud to start with, and that hasn't changed.

In an amusing background segment Daniel Bryan tried to convince Kane to go over some plans for their match with 'Taker against Shield later on, which included diagrams and everything! So Kane explained that his brother would arrive when he arrived, and didn't take orders from anyone. The Shield then attacked the tag champs, although you never saw their faces. 

Big E Langston toppled Zack Ryder in a brief squash match. Ryder managed to get in a bit of offense, but it was for nought. Obviously someone in the back is keen on Langston, which isn't shocking considering his look and build. I just hope he can improve himself in the ring a bit, although I'm not holding my breath. 

The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) bested The Undertaker, Kane and Daniel Bryan in a terrific six-man tag bout. From the opening bell it was a gripping contest containing a high standard of wrestling, with Rollins and Bryan being the top two performers for me. Here's hoping this isn't the last time we see these six lock horns. 

Fandango pinned William Regal in a short but fun outing while it lasted. Regal understandably (and deservedly) received a tremendous ovation in London, England (I love our fans here) and gave a decent showing. Unfortunately the bout was kept brief and Fandango gained the winning pin with a swinging reverse STO. Afterwards Jericho then gained some payback by throwing Fandango off of the stage and dancing with his dance partner (who's now Summer Rae from NXT).   

AJ Lee outdid Layla, Aksana, Tamina and Naomi in a Divas Battle Royal to become number one contender to the Divas Title. As tradition for these it was a forgettable match with mediocre wrestling, but it also showed off how awfully thin the roster of semi-capable female performers there are on the main roster, they seriously need to bring up more talent from developmental and NXT (such as Paige, who as a Diva that really stands out I could see becoming a big name).  

Mick Foley called out Ryback and asked him what had changed so that he'd walk away and refuse to help Cena last week. Ryback retorted by stating that he loved watching Shield attack Cena last week, and called Foley a "pathetic" excuse of a man who just keeps coming back to plug something and shouldn't be around anymore. As he then went face to face with the Hall of Famer, Cena ran out and confronted his Extreme Rules foe.

The Shield then made their way out so Cena left Ryback to it as retribution for last Monday, but soon returned with a steel chair and chased off the trio (who bested 'Taker, Bryan and Kane earlier, remember?) and also AA'd Ryback for good measure. The Foley and Ryback segment was nicely executed, with some good intensity towards the end, but after that it felt a bit too familiar and hardly advanced anything in this feud.

Overall it was a decent Raw this week, with the Foley Ryback segment, crowd enthusiasm, Regal appearance, Ziggler versus Jericho and the great six-man bout being the highlights. Other than that it ranged from fair to average, which I can forgive for the stronger parts. 

My WWE Survivor Series 2012 Predictions

Photo credit: WWE.com

Divas Championship Match - Eve Torres (c) versus Kaitlyn:

Hopefully this will end their feud, and Eve can move on to more interesting (although not better in the ring) competition in AJ Lee. Should be a pretty average contest, as with most Diva ones right now. Trust me, I don't enjoy ripping on the division but it really does need a serious shake up.

Winner: Eve

United States Championship Match - Antonio Cesaro (c) versus R-Truth:

My prediction for opener of the event. Should be a decent enough encounter, not expecting anything that spectacular. Cesaro to retain cleanly.

Winner: Antonio Cesaro

Survivor Series Match - Team Foley (The Miz, Daniel Bryan, Kane, Kofi Kingston and Randy Orton) versus Team Ziggler (Dolph Ziggler, Alberto Del Rio, Wade Barrett, Damien Sandow and Cody Rhodes):

I'm quite optimistic about this bout, the talent is there and they have no excuses not to provide a solid traditional Survivor Series team match. With Team Hell No and Ziggler especially (who are all on good form at the moment) I'm looking forward to it. Ziggler needs the win here far more than anyone else (I feel like I've been saying that a lot over the last few months) so I'm hoping he gets the win for his team after an implosion of some kind from Team Foley.

Winner: Team Ziggler

World Heavyweight Championship Match - The Big Show (c) versus Sheamus:

With their surprisingly decent World Title match from HIAC I'm expecting an enjoyable rematch here. I also feel that their match has had the best build up out of the entire card tonight, so hopefully it lives up to it. I'm expecting Big Show to retain, but after dubious circumstances of some kind (maybe involving the ref?) to set up a stipulation rematch of some kind for TLC next month.

Winner: Big Show

WWE Championship Triple Threat Match - CM Punk (c) versus John Cena versus Ryback: 

In all honesty I'm really split on the quality of this match and how it'll turn out. While I think it will be fairly exciting, with the first ever physical confrontation between Cena and Ryback and Punk on brilliant form, I can't see it being a tremendous main event. Hopefully I'm wrong and it turns out well. Oh, and CM Punk to retain and hold onto the title for a whole year, he deserves it as the most entertaining thing about the company today.

Winner: CM Punk 

My WWE Raw, 29th October 2012 Recap

Photo credit: WWE.com

A clearly struggling CM Punk made his way out and called all the fans in attendance "wrong" for incorrectly predicting his loss the previous night at Hell in a Cell. He went on to then list off all of the men he's defeated in the company, and also claimed that he had nothing to do with the referee aiding his win against Ryback after they low blowed him and made a very fast three-count.

Mick Foley then made a surprise appearance to a healthy reception from the crowd and stated that Punk had embarrassed himself at HIAC and tarnished the tradition of the match. In response the WWE Champion suggested a traditional Survivor Series match between Team Foley and his own team to settle things between them. Just after Foley accepted the challenge, an angered Ryback made his way out and scared CM Punk into the crowd. It was a decent start to the show, although nothing on Foley's previous promo with Punk but this was obviously just to set up their SS match up. The crowd in Carolina had already been louder and more responsive than the one in Atlanta the previous night.

Ryback defeated JTG in a mediocre squash match.

Randy Orton beat Wade Barrett in a solid enough bout. Although not as engaging as some of their previous efforts you can't fault the displays of both men.

Team Hell No (Daniel Bryan and Kane) bested the Prime Time Players (Darren Young and Titus O'Neil) in a enjoyable enough tag contest. Although it wasn't anything outstanding it was still fun to watch, with the chemistry between Team Hell No still going strong. For the finish Kane Chokeslammed Young, only to be tagged out by Bryan who locked on the No Lock for the victory via submission. 

Vickie Guerrero brought out John Cena, the man behind the apparent affair scandal with AJ Lee that she brought to the WWE Board of Directors. Vickie presented footage from previous Raws (which proved nothing) of the two and of someone filming them entering an elevator in a hotel. Cena stated that all he did was walk her to her door and that was it, but of course Guerrero wasn't convinced.

Dolph Ziggler then came out and also claimed that the 'affair' was obvious to everyone, so in response Cena grabbed him and warned 'The Show Off' never to mention their names in the same sentence again and left. I really don't believe a feud with Cena will do Dolph any favours at all. If he wasn't allowed to defeat Orton convincingly (as he should have done on PPV) then what chance has he got against Cena? Cena has never enhanced anyone, just buried potential talent. 

Kofi Kingston won via disqualification versus Antonio Cesaro after The Miz attacked him at ringside. The bout itself had been pretty pedestrian, nothing that special. Given more time I'm sure they'd put on something worth a watch. Miz went for Kofi after he'd hurled Cesaro into him at the commentator's desk. As both men attacked the IC Champion R-Truth raced out to his former tag partner's aid and chased them off. 

After refusing to give up her dignity for the sake of getting her job back by admitting anything happened with Cena, Vickie agreed to hire AJ back anyway under the condition that she couldn't lay a finger on her. The acting really wasn't good during the segment.  

In an amusing VT we went behind the scenes with 3MB (Slater, Mahal and McIntyre) as they discussed their band and what they represent, making no sense at all. I'm liking the new group, even Mahal had charisma here.

3MB (Heath Slater and Jinder Mahal) beat Santino Marella and Zack Ryder in a largely average tag bout. The match just felt pretty run of the mill really, no exceptional performances. At least Slater showed some character in the ring.

AJ Lee defeated Beth Phoenix in a brief match where she managed to catch Phoenix out with a quick inside cradle, which the referee oddly counted at a slow pace. Vickie Guerrero announced after that AJ's performance wasn't good enough and demanded that the match be restarted. So Beth Glam Slammed AJ for the one-two-three.

Former World Champ Sheamus came out and admitted that Big Show was the better man in their HIAC match. But he also went on to claim that the war was "far from over" and he couldn't wait for their rematch. Big Show predictably joined 'The Great White' and stated that behind Sheamus' smile he was afraid of the fact that he brought everyone he could against the giant and still couldn't win, and never will. So Sheamus retorted with a White Noise, and left with a smile.

Team Rhodes Scholars (Damien Sandow and Cody Rhodes) beat Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara in an enjoyable tag match. The pace was kept nice and fast to keep things interesting, and all four men gave decent efforts. Successful bout.

John Cena, along with a selection of the WWE roster on the stage, revealed a one-million dollar cheque for the Susan G. Komen for the cure breast cancer charity from the WWE. Both representatives for the organisation seemed overwhelmed with the amount. 

Alberto Del Rio defeated Justin Gabriel in a fair outing, if rather unmemorable. I can't fault the displays of either wrestler, they both looked decent but the match was just lacking heat and real interest. Once again Gabriel was also involved in a match that played before an indifferent crowd, I'm surprised he's not getting a reaction with his style in the ring.

Paul Heyman revealed that he'd recruited Team Rhodes Scholars, The Miz and Alberto Del Rio (would've much rather seen Barrett in his place) for CM Punk's Survivor Series team. Punk revealed that it would be a celebration at SS, and a chance to cut Foley's attempt at the spotlight short. Mick of course joined the champ and questioned his manhood as of late, and his tactics in recruiting a crooked referee at HIAC. Foley then went on to announce Orton, Kingston and Team Hell No as part of his SS team.

He also turned things around on Punk as he revealed that  he wasn't actually a part of the team but just managing it, and out came Ryback as the final member. This then instigated a brawl between the teams, with the horrified WWE Champion making a quick getaway. 

Overall it was an average show, and pretty underwhelming. By the end I was hoping for a Ric Flair appearance, that's how much interest I was loosing. Most matches were okay but no outstanding or must-see like you should really have on every show. Other than that the CM Punk material was solid enough as usual, although I was a little disappointed with Foley's contributions compared to his superb promo on his last Raw appearance, but oh well. The first official Survivor Series match should be a good'n anyway I reckon. 

My WWE Raw, 24th September 2012 Recap

Photo credit: WWE.com

Paul Heyman, on behalf of WWE Champion CM Punk (who was also in the ring) demanded that referee Brad Maddox (what kind of fake name is that?) come out and apologise for making the wrong call last after missing Punk's leg on the ropes and counting his shoulders down for the three count. Brad sure enough came out and apologised for making the error, but refused to resign. A furious CM Punk finally leapt out of his chair and berated the official for making the wrong call. Soon GM AJ Lee then also joined them and said that Maddox could leave.   

AJ asked Heyman and Punk who they thought they were after holding the show hostage until they get their way. CM Punk claimed that the reason AJ was so hostile towards him was because he turned down her proposal of marriage two months ago. He went on to threaten to reveal all the text messages and voicemails that AJ had left him "that are not fit to air here on the USA Network" and how "intimate we were behind closed doors." Mocking the GM even further, Heyman went down on one knee and proposed to her. AJ answered back with a simple slap to the face. It was a solid segment to start the show, with good mic work all round.

Backstage a deranged AJ warned Maddox that if he screws up again, she will personally see to it that he never works in the business again after embarrassing her. 

After taunting the imaginary 'Little Jimmy', Vickie Guerrero accidentally had some drink poured on her by R-Truth. As the argument escalated the referee banned both from ringside for the following bout.

Dolph Ziggler defeated Kofi Kingston in a decent match up. Both men put in fair efforts, and made up for an average first half (a few sloppy moments marred it a bit) with a solid and exciting second. Ziggler was the only choice to win here, but he still needs bigger victories to make him a believable contender to the World title, which I can see him cashing in on at Hell in a Cell.

In another priceless segment involving the Tag Team Champions, Kane posed in a diner as a waiter named 'Gerald' and had to take Daniel Bryan's order as part of an exercise by Doctor Shelby to help them both bond. Bryan taunted his partner, and Kane in turn threatened Bryan by claiming that he would throw his 'Goat face' into the deep fat fryer and serve the remains of his beard on all the food he served, which understandably disturbed the customers. I just can't get enough of these two, it's like they can do no wrong. 

Titus O'Neil and Darren Young beat Santino Marella and Zack Ryder in an average and quite forgettable tab contest. The period between Young and Ryder was okay, Marella just performed his usual routine. To be honest they didn't have enough time to really produce anything of any worth here.

Special guest Mick Foley questioned what change CM Punk had really brought since his classic June 27th promo of last year. Punk soon joined Foley and mocked him for possible trying to flog another book and called the 'Hardcore Legend' no longer relevant. Foley reminded the champ of the fact that he text him back last year after he memorably won the World title at Money in the Bank, even though he probably received tons of congratulatory messages, so he must mean something to him.

He continued to warn Punk that as one of the best talkers the business has ever seen, he doesn't need Paul Heyman as a talking mouth piece to steer him in the wrong direction. After claiming that he should face Cena in a HIAC match, Punk told Foley that it was all just the same speech that he's heard recently from Bret Hart and Cena himself, and said that he won't attack Foley because he is "beneath me." Foley retorted that stating that in years gone by fans don't remember statistics such as how long Punk's been champion, but moments like when he fell off the Hell in a Cell fourteen years ago (I know, it was that long ago). On behalf of the GM he also informed CM Punk that he would have the choice if he wanted to face Cena at HIAC for the title. It was a highly engaging segment, with both men on tremendous form and one of he best promos I've seen from Foley in a long time.

Ryback defeated The Miz in a largely mediocre bout. The action was okay, but never gripped you at any point. Unfortunately the most interesting part came when some idiot fan came running into the ring, which caused a lot of the crowd to turn and check that out rather than the match itself.

In a replication of the famous cafe scene from When Harry Met Sally, Daniel Bryan and Kane excitedly spoke about their destruction of other tag teams on last weeks SmackDown, with Hall of Famer Mae Young asking to "have what they're having."

In a rather big mood swing from earlier, AJ informed the referees in her office that they all make mistakes and to have a great show. She also told Alberto Del Rio, Otunga and Ricardo Rodriguez that they'll be in a Six-Man Tag match that night. Ricardo's positive attitude to this news was brilliant, he really is an underrated talent for me.  

Wade Barrett defeated Tyson Kidd in a surprisingly fair match up. I wasn't really expecting much here, but thanks to Kidd being allowed a decent amount of offense it turned out to be a rather enjoyable outing and a good display from both men.

Live via satellite Jerry Lawler received an expectantly warm reception from the fans in attendance. Lawler recalled the events just before and after the heart attack he suffered two weeks ago, and thanked all the people who'd sent him well wishes since. When asked when he might be returning 'The King' said it was up to his doctors. You can bet he'll receive an even bigger ovation when he does.

Sin Cara, Rey Mysterio and Sheamus defeated Ricardo Rodriguez, Alberto Del Rio and David Otunga in a match that ranged from solid to sub par. The periods involving Mysterio were the high point, with a very good display from him. However some parts just felt too busy for me and spoilt it a bit, that and Otunga and Sin Cara's average contributions. Ricardo performed his comedy part well enough and was predictably the fall guy for his team. Given the choice I'd rather have just seen Sheamus and Mysterio versis Ricardo and Del Rio to be honest.   

Back at the diner, Doctor Shelby asked both Bryan and Kane to taste each other's dishes to experience what it's like to be the other one. After trying Bryan's salad Kane burped at Shelby, whilst after trying Kane's meatballs (not a euphemism, grow up!) Bryan threw up on the doctor. 'The Big Red Monster' ended the segment by asking for the cheque. 

Via a poll on Twitter, it was revealed that Bryan and Kane's tag team name would be 'Team Hell No'. After hearing this Damien Sandow and Cody Rhodes jumped the champions from behind and revealed that they had formed an alliance known as 'Rhodes Scholars'. This is a very smart move, as entertaining as Kane and Bryan are they still need real competition to keep them interesting in the ring and on pay-per-views in title defences. Rhodes Scholars could be an interesting duo.

Eve and Beth Phoenix beat Alicia Fox and Layla in a drab match, you won't miss much by skipping it. Afterwards the injured Kaitlyn revealed that she was attacked at Night of Champions by a masked woman with blonde hair. After believing it to be Phoenix, Eve took out 'The Glamazon'. Boy she must be glad she's leaving this sinking ship of a Divas division. My guess is either it was Kelly Kelly who's turned heel (which could actually work) or most likely Eve was wearing a blonde wig.

Brodus Clay versus Tensai was fortunately ended early as Big Show made his return to a fair reception and KO'd both big men with his WMD punch. Jim Ross' (who'd been providing guest commentary for the night) feigned awe at Big Show's first punch was pretty terrible.

John Cena came out and first thanked all the WWE fans for their overwhelming support for the Cure charity he's been highlighting on his latest attire. Unfortunately there was still some unnecessary booing from scattered fans at Cena. Really? Even when he's promoting a worthwhile charity cause? Anyway, he went on to also state that whatever happens, despite his arm injury he will be walking into Hell in a Cell to challenge CM Punk for the title.

The WWE Champion himself, along with Heyman, then joined Cena and claimed that he's not only refusing to face Cena at HIAC because he receives a far too generous amount of title shots over deserving talent in the back (which I completely agree with) but also because Cena won't be medically cleared anyway. Punk also called into question Cena's intelligence for threatening the most "dangerous man" in the company and gave him till the count of five to leave his ring while his back was turned. As Punk turned around he discovered Cena had been concealing a led pipe, which he used to strike the champ in the stomach with, causing CM Punk to leave.      

Backstage a frustrated Punk kicked Foley in the gut, taking him out. As he then turned around he had a look of fear on his face, and as the camera panned around it was revealed to be Ryback causing the fear. Could Ryback be next in line to challenge Punk if Cena's not fit for HIAC? I personally feel there are other far more suitable choices, but at least WWE seem to be building up an up and coming talent. I'm also suspecting that Foley could well be a special guest referee for the WWE Championship match. We shall see.

Overall I enjoyed the majority of the show, with all of CM Punk's and the Tag Team Champion's segments being highly enjoyable, especially Foley and Punk's. Unfortunately the action in the ring was yet again just too inconsistent on the red brand, with no particularly outstanding matches to speak of. 

My WWE SmackDown, 22nd June 2012 Recap

Teddy Long informed everyone once again that John Laurinaitis had been fired and was then interrupted by Big Show, who came to the ring and claimed that he didn't care about Laurinaitis being terminated or the fans. He also called John Cena lucky after beating him in a Cage match at No Way Out. Show then threw his hat into the upcoming Money in the Bank match, stating that no amount of men could beat him, even though he's never won any MITB matches that he's participated in. Brodus Clay then interrupted him and began exacting some revenge until he was attacked from behind by David Otunga. This allowed Show to slowly beat down Clay.

Otunga then mocked 'The Funkasaurus' and his dance moves. It wasn't a bad start to the show, Big Show's promos are definitely a lot more interesting than they have been for years, just a shame his ring work hasn't improved.

Ryback defeated a couple more rookies in a Handicap match. I like him but I am just starting to grow tired of these now.

Alberto Del Rio defeated Christian in a great back and fourth contest. It's no shock that these two solid wrestlers put on a very good match up. Afterwards Cody Rhodes attacked Christian's already damaged arm.

Kane defeated Daniel Bryan in a surprisingly good bout. Don't get me wrong I was expecting an enjoyable match here, it just exceeded my expectations and is probably the best one on one match Kane's been involved in since his return. These two have put on solid bouts whenever they've worked together. Kane Choke Slammed Bryan for the winning pin after guest time keeper AJ rang the bell early, distracting Bryan.  

Guest GM Mick Foley began thanking the fans until he was shortly interrupted by Heath Slater, who warned that he was going to protest after his embarrassment on Monday's Raw. Foley then introduced his opponent for the night, Zach Ryder.

Zach Ryder defeated Heath Slater in a fair but short match up. Like I've said Slater has grown on me over the last couple of months, I just can't see him ever rising above his current position on the roster. But you never know.

Titus O'Neil and Darren Young defeated The Usos in an enjoyable tag team bout. It's great to see the tag team division get this brief revival, let's just hope Vince doesn't get bored with it like he normally tends to. Afterwards backstage Epico and Primo attacked the winning tag team.

United States Champion Santino Marella came out and thanked all the fans who had made and brought their own signs, asking the cameraman to highlight them. He then asked one female fan (obviously fake) holding a 'I heart Santino' sign to join him in the ring, she did, then snogged his face off. It was an odd segment, if a little amusing.  

Sheamus defeated Dolph Ziggler in a solid main event. I'm almost tiring of writing compliments for these two now ha ha, but they have just been putting in tremendous efforts over the last year with consistent performances. People have been asking and begging for a Ziggler push and even though he's been loosing to 'The Great White' he's getting into that main event scene and getting that deserved push. And with Vickie Guerrero as guest GM next week you can bet on Ziggler getting a World title match on Raw or SmackDown. I can't see him winning it just yet, but keep patient.

Overall it was a very good SmackDown in-ring wise with some great bouts, a big step up from last week. Outside the matches it wasn't so interesting, as a big fan of Foley's I was quite disappointed with his contributions and Big Show just repeated himself again really. Still, probably the best wrestling show of the week for me.

My WWE Raw, 18th June 2012 Recap

Mick Foley started things off by announcing that he will be hosting both Raw and SmackDown this week after John Laurinaitis' firing. He also introduced the former GM to say his farewells. Laurinaitis called the fans in Long Island rude after a frosty reception, and booked John Cena in a Handicap match as his final move as a General Manager.   

Sheamus and CM Punk defeated Daniel Bryan and Kane in a decent tag team match. It wasn't a match that was going to set the World alight but it had good efforts from all four men involved. During the bout AJ came skipping around the ring in a fairly close replica of Kane's attire, complete with the mask. As Kane was distracted by this Punk and Sheamus grabbed the win over a solo Daniel Bryan. I'm quite enjoying the strange activities of AJ as of late, she's definitely become more interesting.

Backstage Jack Swagger and Dolph Ziggler argued with each other over who was better and who deserved the management of Vickie Guerrero, who then informed both wrestlers that they'll be facing each other to determine who deserves her services.  

Dolph Ziggler defeated Jack Swagger in a fair, if a bit drab at times contest. It was slow paced bout where Swagger was allowed to dominate the majority, working on Ziggler's leg that he'd injured and forcing the Ankle Lock on him. Ziggler managed to grab the winning pin after escaping the submission hold and quickly applying a Zig Zag.  Him and Vickie shared a prolonged kiss afterwards.

Paul Heyman came out as Brock Lesnar's representative and informed Triple H that both him and Lesnar will not drop their lawsuits and that Lesnar will not face 'The Game' at SummerSlam. Triple H himself then joined Heyman and told him that he will only accept an answer from Lesnar in person and then presented a prototype for a SummerSlam poster featuring Lesnar, telling Heyman that he'll give the 'War Machine' what he wants in the form of the face of the big event. Heyman simply told the COO to go back to his "ivory tower" where everyone caters to him and stop pretending to be the ass-kicker he used to be.

Heyman also warned Triple H that he's always one step ahead of him and that the 'Cerebral Assassin' has met his match, so 'The Game' retorted with a punch to Heyman's face. It was a great segment between the two and the best part of the show, Heyman has certainly not lost his touch and is still one of the best on the mic.     

Layla introduced Cyndi Lauper and Wendi Richter as part of the 1000th episode of Raw celebration. The fans in attendance were about as into it as I was as they began chanting for Zach Ryder. Heath Slater then interrupted proceedings and asked the three ladies to leave the ring and began to sing. There were yet more chants for Ryder. 'Rowdy' Roddy Piper then came out to a great reception and asked Slater to leave the ring. An slightly emotional 'Hot Rod' also presented Lauper with framed copy of a gold record. Slater amusingly told them all to get over it and then had the record smashed over his head by Lauper herself. I was just watching this segment waiting for it to end really. 

Primo and Epico defeated Darren Young and Titus O'Neil via count out in a passable tag team match. The crowd once again lost interest.

John Laurinaitis complained about what happened at No Way Out, resulting in him loosing his job. He also called the fans losers since they won't get to see him anymore. Big Show and David Otunga joined their former boss and Show also complained about the events from the previous night. Big Show went on to then tell both his partners that they were on their own against Cena as he didn't have to answer to anyone now.   

John Cena defeated John Laurinaitis and David Otunga in a Handicap match. It was predictably mediocre, but was successful in its own right of giving the fans and Cena their last bit of retribution against the former GM. As Big Johnny tagged in he revealed that his crutch and neck brace were all part of a ruse as he wasn't actually injured at all. This rubbed his partner Otunga the wrong way as he refused to then tag back in and help his former boss, much to the crowds delight. Cena went on to AA Laurinaitis a few times before he pinned him.

My WWE Raw, January 23rd 2012 Recap

CM Punk started off the show by talking about his upcoming opponent at the Royal Rumble Dolph Ziggler, and the special guest referee for the WWE Championship match John Laurinaitis, who he called a "failure." A failure as a former pro wrestler, at life and at his current job. Punk also presented the footage from last weeks Raw where Laurinaitis admitted to Mick Foley that he will screw over Punk for the title as referee. CM Punk then invited Laurinaitis out to say that to his face in the ring. But instead of the interim Raw GM making an appearance, John Cena joined Punk. The WWE Champ explained that it wasn't this John he was after, to which Cena retorted with "Sorry, I was sick of hearing you ramble." Was that Cena with some attitude? Nice change. Cena also demanded that Laurinaits come out, plus give Zach Ryder his United States Championship rematch and also resign as General Manager.
John Laurinaitis claimed that he stood by what he had said the week before and that he wasn't going to be intimated by either of them. He also announced a Falls Count Anywhere match for later on between Zach Ryder and Kane, and warned that if Cena gets involved at all then Ryder will never get a Unites States Championship rematch again. Laurinaitis then also booked a tag team match for right then and there with Cena and Punk versus Dolph Ziggler and Jack Swagger.
Dolph Ziggler warned CM Punk before their match that it doesn't matter that Laurinaitis will be in his corner, because he's going to beat him anyway. Jack Swagger also threatened that Cena was "dead meat" after his attack on the United States Champion last week. It felt like an average way to start the show after last weeks strong finish. I don't think there was any need for Ziggler and Swagger to talk too, that could have been cut for how irrelevant it was.    
Dolph Ziggler and Jack Swagger defeated CM Punk and John Cena in an average tag team bout that at least picked up in quality once the bumbling Cena tagged in Punk. Ziggler managed to score a roll up pin on CM Punk after John Laurinaitis distracted the WWE Champion on the apron.
Afterwards CM Punk then once again challenged the Executive Vice President of Talent Relations and Interim General Manager of Raw to a match. Laurinaitis, then to the surprise and delight of the crowd in attendance accepted the match. 
Chris Jericho then appeared for the return of his Highlight Reel (without uttering a word of course) but quickly left to go grab a T-Shirt gun. After teasing shooting off a T-shirt into the crowd he instead then grabbed a camera from a nearby cameraman and began mucking about with it. After dropping that he then urged the audience to hush and played a VT of some of his greatest moments. Then, in a shocking moment that provoked a big reaction, he finally spoke since his return. Saying that "This Sunday at the Royal Rumble, it's going to be the end of the World as you know it." I certainly applaude the direction Jericho and the backstage team have gone in for this current storyline of his. Makes a nice change of pace that we're having something play out slowly rather then be rushed out like most story lines have been in WWE over the last year. 
Kane versus Zach Ryder in a Falls Count Anywhere match ended in a no contest.The bout itself that Kane largely dominated wasn't bad but also wasn't anything spectacular, it served its purpose of advancing the John Cena and Kane rivalry so it did its job. Ryder and Kane during the match ended up going through the crowd and eventually onto the stage where Kane Chokeslammed Ryder through the floor. Afterwards Cena joined Eve who had been ringside for most of the bout as Ryder was stretchered away into an ambulance. Just before they drove him away Eve told Cena that it was all his fault. 
Sheamus defeated Jinder Mahal in a fairly brief but entertaining match up. Sheamus has even added a standing rolling fireman's carry slam to his move repertoire, nice addition there. Wade Barrett had been on commentary during the bout, mainly to plug the Royal Rumble and the return of Randy Orton to SmackDown this Friday. After the match Sheamus warned Barrett, who had threatened to enter the ring but instead backed off, that he should get used to the sight of a victorious 'Great White' as he was going to win the Royal Rumble match on Sunday. Chris Jericho is still my current favourite to win it.
Backstage, in a bit of an amusing segment R-Truth (pretending to be a market researcher) began to antagonise The Miz  by calling him the number one "whiner" and such. An angered John Laurinaitis then interrupted them, saying that he couldn't even think with all the noise they were making. So he added a stipulation to their match stating that whoever lost would be the number one entrant in the Royal Rumble match.  
Brodus Clay defeated Heath Slater in another one of his squatch matches. I'm hoping after the Royal Rumble that Clay's put into a real feud with someone in the lead up to WrestleMania.
R-Truth defeated The Miz in a solid encounter between the two. I wasn't expecting a classic but these two certainly delivered in my opinion. Although after the way their feud has been building up it felt a little anticlimactic that it should end on a one on one televised match. Miz should be an interesting number one entrant into the Rumble match though.
Before CM Punk versus John Laurinaitis could commence, David Otunga was asked to read out a fax that had been sent to the Interim Raw GM. It stated that due to his recent actions, his status was under review and that next week on Raw it would be determined whether or not he stays on as General Manager. And the review will be conducted by COO, Triple H. Well that should prove interesting then, eh?
Laurinaitis called this a "wake up call" and formally apologised to CM Punk and all the fans. He also admitted to making a mistake last week and announced Mick Foley's entrance into the Royal Rumble match. CM Punk stated that he hopes that if Triple H has inherited anything from Vince McMahon, it's his trademark "You're fired!" 
Laurinaitis also announced that David Otunga would be stepping in for him as a substitute in their match up. CM Punk made quick work of Otunga and forced him to submit to the Anaconda Vice. Afterwards he gave Otunga a couple of kicks and applied the Go To Sleep to Mr. Laurinaitis. Ziggler then snuck in and not wasting any time Zig Zagged the WWE Champion for the final image of the show.
Overall Raw was more an advancement show for current rivalries and story lines. No matches were particularly outstanding, although they weren't bad. This is the edge SmackDown currently has over Raw right now, they're pulling off these solid story lines (such as the Bryan, Big Show and Henry triangle) and providing us with entertaining matches each week. I just hope they start to give a little more attention to the actual action in the ring after the Rumble on Sunday.

My WWE Raw, January 16th 2012 Recap

Mick Foley opened things up by saying that he would love to wrestle one more time in a WWE ring for his two youngest children Huey and Mickey, who were too young to see him wrestle the last time for the company. This news predictably went down very well with the crowd in attendance. He then added that he was officially a contestant in the 2012 Royal Rumble match.  
Vickie Guerrero and Dolph Ziggler then made their way out, where Dolph questioned Foley's spot in the Royal Rumble match. Claiming that he was taking away a precious place from a wrestler that's been working hard all year to earn it. But Foley responded by saying that he wasn't just in the Rumble for the sake of it, he was in it to "win it." Ziggler then bragged about his recent victories over Cena and WWE Champion CM Punk and said that he "couldn't think of a bigger let down" then if he were to win the WWE Title at the Royal Rumble and then Mick were to win the Rumble match and he'd have to face an "out of shape, has been, was never that good to begin with glorified stuntman, walking punchline" at WrestleMania (what a mouthful). Ziggler also demanded that Foley "just go away!" Dolph looked and sounded superb in this segment I thought, he's certainly come a long, long way with his mic skills over the last year.
WWE Champion CM Punk then joined them, with a big welcome for Mick. Punk listed off a few similarities between him and Foley, including the fact that they've both earned everything that they have achieved unlike Ziggler. He also added that he thought it would be "damn cool" if he were to go on to WrestleMania to defend his title against Mick Foley. John Laurinaitis then announced that he was refusing Foley's entrance into the Royal Rumble match and the segment ended with a cackling Vickie in Mick's face.
Primo and Epico (c) defended the WWE Tag Team Titles against Air Boom in a fast paced and entertaining match up. My only real gripe is that they should've given this bout some more time, these two teams deserve it. Unfortunately WWE have again dropped the ball with the tag division and haven't been building up anyone else to face Primo and Epico for the titles in the future. I wrote a couple of months back that they should be building up other teams outside of the title scene to give them more credibility when they fight for the championships.   
Jack Swagger defeated Zach Ryder (c) to win the United States Championship. It was a match dominated by Swagger, who understandably took advantage of the injured Zach Ryder in a forgettable title bout. But it was understandably more about selling Kane's attack on Ryder then having a decent title match. 
Kelly Kelly and Alicia Fox defeated the Bella Twins in a worthless match where 'special' guest Perez Hilton assisted Kelly by dragging out one of the Bellas (I can't be asked to remember which one) after one of their signature swaps with each other.  
Wade Barrett interrupted R-Truth before he'd even begun talking. He once again claimed how he was going to be the victor of the Royal Rumble match in two weeks. I have to say that he's definitely one of my favourites to win it. He also called R-Truth a"lunatic" who'd be better off in a "straight jacket." R-Truth asked Barrett why he was so mad, and added that he missed his smile. Truth then presented a slideshow from his trip to Disneyland. In a funny moment we saw Pinocchio's nose grow after saying that Wade's going to win the Royal Rumble, to which R-Truth responded "I don't even know if that's PG!" The Miz then attacked Truth from behind as he snuck in form the crowd, but it didn't last long as Sheamus came to his aid. Teddy Long (we have to endure him on Raw now too?) then booked an Over The Top Challenge between all four men. This is probably the most entertaining R-Truth has been since his return as face, I'd like to see him make it work.
R-Truth won the Over The Top Challenge. It was more entertaining then I was expecting and a nice little touch as far as hyping the Royal Rumble goes. Wade Barrett was first eliminated, then Miz and Sheamus together as Truth tossed them both over.
John Laurinaitis granted an irate John Cena a match against Jack Swagger as payback for Ryder, but before the bell had even had a chance to ring Cena ruthlessly took out Swagger. Dragging him out of the ring and onto the announce desk and Irish Whipping him into the steel steps. As he was about to slam the steps onto a helpless Swagger's head Kane appeared on the tron. He told Cena that he was impressed, and that by the time their match at the Royal Rumble comes around he would've "embraced the hate."  
Brodus Clay defeated JTG in another dominate and oddly entertaining performance from Clay. He's certainly become one of the most charismatic performers in the company today, and I'm all for it. It just works doesn't it?
Daniel Bryan came out and said that although most people see Big Show as a loveable giant, he's actually a "freak" that bowled over his girlfriend, AJ. He also accused Big Show of intentionally running over her to get to him and the World Heavyweight Title. He then warned Show that "you shouldn't ever show your face on SmackDown again. And if you do, I'm going to make you pay." In regards to his title match against Mark Henry on this Fridays SmackDown, he said that he was going to dedicate that victory to AJ.
It was a nicely executed speech by Bryan, he's really fitted brilliantly into the new heel role so far. Although I'd still not say that he's a fully blown out heel just yet. I always felt that Bryan had the character there even as a face (just look at his awesome segments with Cole back on NXT) but I guess the heel turn is what he needed to go up that next level in WWE.
CM Punk, Daniel Bryan and Chris Jericho Mick Foley defeated David Otunga, Mark Henry and Dolph Ziggler in a mostly entertaining Six-Man Tag Team Match. The best part for me being the action between Punk and Ziggler. As Chris Jericho was tagged into the match to a huge ovation, he began his trademark celebration with the crowd and then left the ring. I'm still a big fan of this intriguing storyline involving Jericho and his refusal to talk or even wrestle in the ring. It certainly has people guessing anyway. As Bryan was tagged in and began to tangle with his opponent on Friday, Mark Henry, their fight ended up travelling backstage. Mick Foley then arrived and joined Punk on his team, claiming that Laurinaitis had given him permission to do so. Foley looked rather sloppy between the ropes to be honest, as much of a fan as I am I have to admit it. Mick ended up grabbing the win after applying the Mandible Claw to David Otunga.         
After the bout Laurinaitis charged out and reversed the decision after announcing that Foley had never cleared his participation in the match with him beforehand. CM Punk grabbed the mic out of his hand and told him to "Shut your mouth, you're gonna listen to me!" Which provoked a huge roar form the fans. Punk claimed that Laurinaitis acts the way he does because in the ring he never amounted to anything, he never had the ability and he was boring. All true. He also added that he can't stand the fact that in the past year CM Punk has achieved more in his career then he ever will in his entire life. Regarding the title match at the Royal Rumble where John Laurinaitis will be the special guest referee Punk stated that it doesn't matter what he does because "I'll still be better then you." And he ended by simply saying "You're pathetic." It was another superb and heated promo from the WWE Champion.
Laurinaitis picked up the mic and claimed that he wasn't pathetic, and that he wouldn't be intimidated by Punk. Mick Foley then told John to just admit what he is, and called him a "kiss ass," which is a perfect term to describe him behind the scenes. "Who the hell do you think you are Foley?" Asked Laurinaitis. He also admitted that he will screw CM Punk out of the Championship and that he was sick of everyone pushing him around and bullying him. Laurinaitis actually showed some real emotion and personality here as he vented at everyone. He then ended the show by striking Foley in the head with the microphone. 

My SmackDown, November 19th Recap

Mick Foley kicked of the Christmas holiday special SmackDown dressed in a full Santa outfit. He then introduced the rest of the announce team who had also dressed up for the occasion, Michael Cole was Rudolph, Booker T was Santa and Josh Matthews was an elf. Cody Rhodes interrupted them to halt what he called a "farce" because he felt this was time being taken away from people who were still active in ring competitors, which was actually a fair enough point I thought. Rhodes also added that Booker T was jealous of him because he will never be a champion again like himself. Mick Foley stopped Cody and decided to set things straight by making a match up between Rhodes and Booker later on in the show.   
Brie Bella won a Divas mistletoe on a pole match where she earned the right to be able to kiss any wrestler of her choosing from now up until Christmas. The match was pretty worthless as you'd expect but at least it was quick.
Justin Gabriel defeated Jinder Mahal in a brief but decent bout. Justin Gabriel got the win with his signature 450 splash after Jinder was distracted by Ted DiBiase who began handing out presents to members of the audience. Jinder looked quite solid here in the ring, at least he's in a real feud now with Ted DiBiase too rather then just appearing on Superstars which is obviously a step in the right direction for both men.
There was then a backstage segment which included the likes of the Usos, Foley and Hornswaggle. In an entertaining moment Dusty Rhodes claimed that "There are some weird people here" only to turn to see his son Dustin Rhodes dressed up as Goldust. David Otunga arrived and decided that to play it safe and to not violate any laws that the party should be closed down. foley decided that since Otunga was technically on the blue brand he was SmackDown talent so he put him in a Miracle on 34th Street Fight match against Randy Orton.    
We then got another nice new teaser for the return of Kane with the simple words 'Kane resurrected' now appearing at the end of it. I don't think he is coming back with the mask on myself, although a lot of people are swaying that way. 
During an interview with Matt Stryker, Booker T was attacked from behind by Cody Rhodes. I thought it was a bit too soon to have them face off in a match just yet. I'd personally have it saved until the Royal Rumble.
Kofi Kingston defeated Tyson Kidd in an enjoyable and quite fast paced match up. For the finish Kinston had grabbed the Rudolph head from Cole's costume and wore it as he performed the winning maneuver, a cross bosy from the top rope.  
Randy Orton defeated David Otunga in a surprisingly entertaining Miracle on 34th Street Fight. I know I've already said it a few times now but for me Orton has been on great form this year. Wade Barrett predictably interfered by big booting Orton during the bout and leaving Otunga to pick up the pin, but that wasn't enough to stop 'The Viper' who struck with an RKO for the victory.   
Hornswaggle won the Christmas battle royal to earn himself a wish from Santa. He last eliminated Sheamus after tricking him and pushing him from the outside of the ropes. Backstage afterwards he wished to be able to talk and sure enough he began to talk perfect English. So at least we won't have to hear those annoying noises he comes out with anymore, it's a Christmas miracle!
Mark Henry (c) defeated Daniel Bryan to retain the World Heavyweight championship in an exciting Steel Cage match. Although Bryan lost he still looked like a real competitor here and this recent storyline involving him and Mark Henry has been a definite step in the right direction for the Money In The Bank holder. After he won MITB he wasn't really doing much of anything and he didn't look like a future World champ at all, but now he's gained a lot of credibility and the booking team have finally stepped up for him. The actual bout was executed well, with Bryan logically targeting Henry's injured leg and a nice finish with Henry World Strongest Slamming Bryan off of the top rope. I'm just hoping that Henry retains the title at TLC and moves on from this feud with Big Show.   

Update on Mick Foley's return to WWE, plus Austin responds to Lesnar.

Boy this week has been pretty filled with possible WWE comebacks talk. First Lesnar (segment from the interview is also here on the blog) who I definitely see as a possible return to the company at some point in the future, and someone I would definitely welcome back with open arms. Austin also retaliated to Lesnar's 'challenge' to face him if he had one more match in the squared circle via Twitter when he tweeted "So @DCBROCKLESNAR was talking trash about me...very interesting. Gonna finish my beverage and mull this one over...catch y'all tomorrow." And later on with "Trying to go to sleep..but this @DCBROCKLESNAR thing is winding me up a bit...relax....breath...relax...breathe....no use..to be continued.." Interesting, although as big a fan as I am of Lesnar, I'd personally rather see a CM Punk versus Steve Austin match if he were to wrestle once again. Although obviously either match would be huge. How about Lesnar versus Undertaker and Steve Austin versus Punk along with The Rock versus John Cena on the WrestleMania card next year? What an absolutely huge event that would be.  


Anyway, back to the point of this post. Interesting news regarding Foley:


WrestlingNewsSource.com has learned that Mick Foley will in fact be making a return to WWE sometime within the next few weeks. According to backstage sources, there is talk that Foley's return may take place around the time Survivor Series rolls around. Foley himself has also been teasing his return via Twitter and interviews.

Sources are also reporting that with The Rock returning to action at Survivor Series, as well as making an appearance on the final WWE RAW before the event, it's expected that Foley will make numerous appearances both leading up to and after Survivor Series.

Apparently some fans aren't too keen on the return of Mick to WWE after his rather lackluster run in TNA. I don't really think this is fair, after all he had to work with Vince Russo's writing, which isn't pleasant (to be kind). I think the way to bring him back is to have John Laurinaitis and his evil schemes revealed and have him removed as Interim General Manager, thus leaving a job that can then be filled by former GM Mr. Foley. I for one am looking forward to his return to the company anyway.