My WWE SmackDown, 12th July 2013 Recap

Daniel Bryan forced Christian to submit with the Yes Lock in a terrific back and fourth opener and match of the night. Both men as usual provided stellar showings here, with great sequences and smooth wrestling.

Seth Rollins pinned Jay Uso in a decent enough contest. Like I normally do with both Usos I found Jay competent enough in the ring, but I still feel like there's something lacking there that fails to grab me and get me really engaged in the match up. Roman Reigns and Jimmy Uso also attacked each other outside the ring as the bout took place. These four should put on a fun tag match at Money in the Bank I reckon, with Shield most likely retaining. 

Chris Jericho won via count out versus Curtis Axel in a solid affair. Like Monday night these two worked well together, with Axel starting to look very impressive in the ring and certainly not out of place against someone of Jericho's experience and talent. The count out occurred after Jericho Codebreakered Axel as he was about to reenter the ring. Afterwards an upset Axel began to throw a tantrum and chuck around various ringside items until manager Paul Heyman calmed him down.

Ryback beat The Miz in a fair, if unremarkable encounter. Miz gave a decent enough effort here, and Ryback looked all right but the match lacked in excitement and was pretty forgettable. Ryback clobbered Miz with a meat hook clothesline and hit him with the Shell Shock for the one-two-three after exaggerating a knee injury and almost having the ref end the bout.

Before they each signed the contract for the Divas Title match on Sunday, AJ Lee boated to Kaitlyn how since she won the strap from her people cared about the Divas division again (not really) and how she was going to beat her once again at MITB. Fortunately Teddy Long did us a favour and told AJ to hurry things along and just sign the contract.

After Kaitlyn also signed it, AJ revealed some private texts of Kaitlyn's from the time she believed to have a secret admirer. Eventually a fuming Kaitlyn claimed that she'd had enough and would regain her title on Sunday and then pushed AJ (and the table and chair from the set that the champ was still on) into the corner and began beating on her until Big E Langston grabbed her, so she responded by slapping him and then applying an awesome spear on AJ that sent her spinning. The segment ended strongly, although I'm still not expecting much from their title clash. 

Fandango bested Wade Barrett in an average bout that only existed to remind us of the World Title Money in the Bank Ladder match. The match had too many outside distractions and not enough time to really make any kind of impression. Team Rhodes Scholars (Damien Sandow and Cody Rhodes) came out to confront Zeb Colter (who'd unfortunately provided guest commentary), Antonio Cesaro and Jack Swagger after their argument on Raw this week. 

As Alberto Del Rio was preparing to face Sin Cara, the masked wrestler was instead replaced by Dolph Ziggler wearing his attire who aggressively beat on the World Champion and struck him with a Zig Zag before leaving. Vickie Guerrero then appeared from the crowd and screamed that she'd been unfairly treated since being fired on Monday night and demanded that Teddy Long be fired for being a liar, lying about what exactly? So Long came out and had security escort Vickie out of the building. 

Randy Orton versus Sheamus ended in a no contest after Daniel Bryan ran down and rammed both men with a ladder from under the ring. As he attempted to climb the ladder and grab the MITB briefcase above the ring, Christian and Sheamus also each battled to grab it, with Orton finally unhooking it after RKO'ing Bryan. The actual main event had been fairly forgettable. Don't get me wrong, both wrestlers gave good performances but I just felt like I'd seen the same match a ton of times before and struggled to find the interest.

Overall it was a passable show, with Bryan versus Christian and Axel versus Jericho being my highlights. Outside of those there was nothing that memorable or special to speak of, although the ending of the Divas Title contract signing was nicely executed. While I'm still looking forward to Money in the Bank, which tends to be one of the better pay-per-views of the year, this SmackDown heading into it didn't really promote the event as strongly as it maybe could have. An appearance (even briefly at the end) from Punk once again on the blue brand might've been a nice touch, or another attack from the Wyatt family would have been interesting.

My WWE Raw, 8th April 2013 Recap

About time, right? Photo credit: WWE.com

The brand new WWE Champion John Cena started things off by giving a strange and nonsensical promo on the fans booing him because they were upset that WrestleMania was now over, and then started to dance (badly) to try and cheer them up. The fans responded with appropriate chants of "Boring" and "Same old shit."

Fortunately Mark Henry then interrupted Cena after he announced that he'll defend the title that very night, and challenged him to defend it against himself. Cena, after making some lame jokes at Henry's expense as he always does (but at least he did amusingly address the "Sexual chocolate" chants) accepted the match. But GM Booker T then joned them and stated the Cena couldn't just make title matches and that due to The Rock being the next in line for a shot (but being injured) Henry would have to beat him that night to earn one. The crowd were certainly behind Henry here and gave no sympathy to Rocky when he was mentioned.

Big E Langston pinned Daniel Bryan in a pedestrian outing. Langston was pretty unremarkable in the ring, and Bryan did okay with the short time allocated to them. Towards the end Langston threw Bryan onto Kane on the outside, who'd been distracted by Dolph Ziggler, then applied a Big Ending for the one-two-three.

Wade Barrett defeated The Miz (c) to obtain the Intercontinental Title in an entertaining contest. Both men gave worthy efforts here and provided engaging action in a far superior bout to their one in the 'Mania pre-show. The crowd were also firmly behind Barrett throughout and very pleased with the result. 

Alberto Del Rio bested Jack Swagger and Zeb Colter in a two on one Handicap match. The bout itself was fair, much like their one at WrestleMania it had decent enough wrestling but nothing to get you that excited or into it. Colter didn't even enter the fray so I'm not sure what the point of making it a Handicap match was. Once again the fans also lost interest in these two and began chanting for Ziggler multiple times, and speaking of the 'Show Off'...

The arena then erupted as Dolph Ziggler walked down and finally cashed in his Money in the Bank contract, and after a dramatic few minutes where Del Rio managed to get in an arm breaker and an enzuigiri for some edge of your near finishes, Ziggler applied a Zig Zag for the winning pinfall and the World Title. The jubilant fans were all on their feet and applauding the new champ, quite a contrast to Cena at 'Mania. An emotional Dolph celebrated with AJ Lee and Big E, and it was quite a touching moment, his hard work had finally paid off! Let's just hope the reign lasts.

The Undertaker then came out to a terrific reception, and as he was talking about dedicating his win the previous night to Paul Bearer, The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) came down and were about to face the 'Dead Man' when Team Hell No raced into the ring to his aid, which sent the trio packing. It was a nice segment, and very well received by the crowd. Could we be seeing a six-man tag bout including 'Taker at Extreme Rules perhaps? I'd be all for it.

Santino Marella, Zack Ryder and R-Truth beat 3MB (Heath Slater, Drew McIntyre and Jinder Mahal) in a largely average six-man tag. Ryder gave a passable display, and Santino gave us his usual comedy routine towards the end when he managed to strike Slater with the Cobra for the win.   

In the ring Randy Orton and Sheamus argued over who gets to face Big Show that night after he'd KO'd both men at 'Mania after their contest versus The Shield. So Booker T and Vickie Guerrero came out and announced that both men will face each other to see who will face Big Show at a later date.

Randy Orton versus Sheamus ended as a No Contest after Big Show came down and took both men out. The match itself had been very pedestrian and drab, but luckily the fans in attendance in New Jersey saved the day and provided plenty of enthusiasm with non-stop chants throughout, such as "JBL" "Michael Cole" "ECW" "We want Big Show" "We are awesome!" (my personal favourite) and many more. Oh, and also quite a few Mexican waves. This all bemused Sheamus and Orton a bit, but to be fair this saved the match and actually provided the most entertainment of the show. 

Once Big Show had walked down he continued to throw Sheamus and KO punch and spear Orton to chants of "Thank you Big Show!" 

Kofi Kingston versus Fandango ended abruptly when Chris Jericho ran in and attacked his 'Mania foe, throwing him around the outside (where he amusingly attempted to place JBL's misplaced hat back on his head) and then applying the Walls of Jericho and a Codebreaker to finish him off. The crowd very much appreciated Jericho's appearance, and hilariously sung Fandango's theme during the bout while dancing.

Tons of Funk (Brodus Clay and Tensai) and the Funkadactyls (Naomi and Cameron) beat team Rhodes Scholars (Damien Sandow and Cody Rhodes) and the Bella Twins in an eight-person mixed tag match. As expected it was largely forgettable and felt like it was just there to take up some time and make up for its absence the night before. Fortunately the fans were still on form and carried on humming Fandango's theme and dancing.

John Cena won via count out versus Mark Henry in a pretty mediocre main event. It's hardly a surprise but the action here was nothing exceptional or particularly engaging at all, but at least it wasn't too long. After the lame finish, where Henry was chucked into the ringpost and failed to make the ten count, the 'World's Strongest Man' made a comeback to beat down Cena in the ring.

This prompted Ryback to come down and after a brief exchange then spinebuster Henry to send him packing. After then helping up Cena he turned and clotheslined him and applied a Shell Shock. The fans were into the turn, and Ryback then stood tall over Cena with his WWE Title belt.

Overall it was a very memorable Raw, with two titles changing hands (including the World Championship with Dolph finally cashing in) a tremendous crowd and a heel turn from Ryback. My personal highlights were Ziggler cashing in, the fans and the entertaining IC Title match.  Unfortunately on the negative side the aforementioned bout was the only one on the show really worth watching, the rest were average for the most part. As for Ryback's turn I'm not sure how much good this will do him, and I can't say I'm too excited by it.

But on the whole I'd call the show a success, and plus Ziggler is champ! 

My WWE SmackDown, 22nd March 2013 Recap

The Miz's own 'Miz TV' kicked things off, with guests Randy Orton and Sheamus disputing over having Big Show as their partner against The Shield at WrestleMania. 'The Viper' did, but the Irishman didn't. Big Show then joined them and after some heated words with Sheamus was calmed down by Orton who stated that they needed to "work together." GM Booker T then decided to test out their teamwork ability by booking them in a six-man tag match that night.

Mark Henry pinned Zack Ryder in a brief squash match. Afterwards Henry then applied a few more World's Strongest Slams for good measure. Remember when Ryder actually had some momentum? I know, hard to believe now. Ryback then stormed out and managed to successfully clothesline Henry off his feet after an intense face off. I can't say I'm particularly hyped for their upcoming bout.

Dolph Ziggler bested Kofi Kingston in an enjoyable outing. Both men provided fine displays here, and even though they've fought a fair bit recently they managed to still keep things interesting. Towards the end Kofi decided he'd had enough and body splashed Big E Langston on the outside, this then allowed Ziggler to take advantage and Zig Zag him back in the ring for the one-two-three. AJ Lee also provided amusing guest commentary.

Zeb Colter, accompanying Jack Swagger, claimed that while the attack on Ricardo Rodriguez and Del Rio by Swagger on this past Raw was unfortunate, he was willing to do anything to claim the World Title. He also added that those actions should serve as a warning to everyone, including his following opponent Chris Jericho.

Jack Swagger defeated Chris Jericho in a decent back and fourth contest. It was never particularly exciting but it was a fun watch for the majority, with worthy enough efforts. During the bout Fandango appeared and kicked Y2J as he went for a Lionsault, allowing Swagger to apply a Swagger Bomb for the winning pin. This was retribution for Jericho mocking Fandango's name this past Monday on Raw. I wouldn't mind seeing a match between them at 'Mania.

Brodus Clay and Tensai versus Team Rhodes Scholars (Damien Sandow & Cody Rhodes) ended as a No Contest after the Bella Twins and Naomi and Cameron got into a scuffle outside the ring. Can't say I was too fussed that the match ended abruptly to be honest, it was all right.

The Miz beat Antonio Cesaro in a rather forgettable affair. The wrestling wasn't bad, just uninspiring for the most part with little interest to be found until the finish when Miz forced Cesaro to tap to the Figure Four. Did Antonio upset someone in the back? Since when is he being forced to tap to Miz after beating him multiple times only a month ago over the US strap? He deserves better than this.

Sheamus, Big Show and Randy Orton toppled 3MB (Heath Slater, Jinder Mahal and Drew McIntyre) in an enjoyable six-man tag main event. For the most part it was the winning side dominating, and although it wasn't the most technical wrestling it was still entertaining. Afterwards The Shield (Ambrose, Rollins and Reigns) made their way down to the ring, meanwhile the other three were beginning to argue amongst themselves, but they managed to sort themselves out and The Shield backed off this time. 

Overall it was a fair SmackDown, nothing outstanding but it was never bad at any point. The highlights were Ziggler versus Kofi and the main event. Still disappointed in this years run up to WrestleMania so far, I know it'll be an enjoyable event but the hype hasn't set in just yet.

My WWE Raw, 18th March 2013 Recap

Heyman reveals the stipulation for Lesnar versus Triple H on the grand stage. Photo credit: WWE.com

John Cena started things off in his new bright yellow top (about as appealing as it sounds) and claimed that in the build up to his match with The Rock at WrestleMania XXIX this time he will not promise victory, but instead warn him and his fans that his time is now.

The Prime Time Players (Darren Young & Titus O'Neil, who was dressed as his uncle Rufus 'Pancake' Patterson for some reason...) then interrupted Cena and told him that no one wanted to see him on the grand stage and challenged him to a one on one match with Young, so Cena accepted.

John Cena pinned Darren Young in a brief squash match. I guess this helped build up Cena (not that he needs it) for 'Mania but I can't help but feel the start of the show was a waste of time.

Ryback beat David Otunga in another squash match. And much like the previous one you wouldn't miss much by skipping it. Afterwards the victor warned Henry that their paths will cross again after the 'World's Strongest Man' attacked Ryback on last week's SmackDown. Mark Henry then came out but was soon halted by Teddy Long and Vickie Guerrero, who announced that Ryback would no longer be facing The Shield at 'Mania, but Henry instead. 

Fandango made his full entrance this week, but made a quick getaway after Natalya failed to pronounce his name properly. I'm quite liking the persona myself, he certainly stands out.

R-Truth won via count out versus Damien Sandow in a largely average and forgettable outing. There were a few nice moments here and there and it wasn't bad by any means, but it just failed to ever create some real excitement.

The Undertaker warned CM Punk that after what he did last week involving Paul Bearer's urn and the disrespect shown, he's going to "hurt you bad." He also demanded the urn be returned back. CM Punk then appeared on the big screen, mocking Bearer and claiming that while 'Taker is the best at WrestleMania, he's the best all year round and is the only one that can carry the burden of ending the 20-0 streak.

All the while Punk was also throwing around Bearer's urn, dropping it at one point. I haven't minded this feud so far, but I'm not blown away by it. It certainly hasn't lived up to the build ups between Taker and Triple H and Michaels over the last few years.

Team Hell No (Daniel Bryan & Kane) bested Epico and Primo in a decent enough tag bout. All four men provided fine displays, with only a bit of a botched chokeslam at the end looking sloppy. During the match AJ Lee ran out and skipped around the ring, but this failed to distract the tag champions enough as they still gained the win. 

Alberto Del Rio defeated Cody Rhodes in a solid contest, and top match of the night. It contained well executed back and fourth action, with worthy efforts from both men. Del Rio really is on great form this year. Afterwards Jack Swagger began attacking Del Rio from behind, with the World Champion briefly making a comeback until Zeb Colter caught his attention, which allowed Swagger to once again take out his 'Mania opponent. Swagger also damaged the ankle of Ricardo Rodriguez after being instructed by Colter to do so. It was a decent segment.

Booker T was announced as the next inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2013. I have absolutely no quarrels at all with him being inducted, he more than deserves it, but I feel he could've gotten a fairer spot in a not so busy year of high class inductees.

Randy Orton and Sheamus toppled 3MB (Heath Slater and Drew McIntyre) in a fun enough tag match. Not the greatest bout you'll witness but it had some entertaining moments, and there's no doubting the crowds support for the team of Orton and Sheamus. Afterwards The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) made their way to the ring, but soon backed up and left after Big Show came out and joined Orton and Sheamus. Show pointed towards the WrestleMania sign as a clear hint that he should be a part of their unit on the big stage before leaving.

Dolph Ziggler pinned Kofi Kingston in a fair bout. These two always deliver stellar displays against each other but unfortunately I feel like I've seen their encounters a hundred times now, and after a while you can't help but start to find them unmemorable and a bit dull to be honest. Nothing against either wrestler of course. 

Afterwards Team Hell No challenged Ziggler and Big E Langston to a tag match, so AJ accepted on their behalf, but only if the tag team titles were on the line and it took place at WrestleMania, which they agreed to. Should be a decent match.

Wade Barrett (c) bested The Miz and Chris Jericho to retain the Intercontinental Title in a Triple Threat match. The contest was entertaining for the majority, with nice sequences and plenty of effective near falls. Jericho was definitely the top performer here, with the fans firmly behind him. Barrett grabbed the win by applying a schoolboy for the one-two-three after Miz had flattened Y2J with a Skull Crushing Finale.

Paul Heyman, along with his own security, joined Triple H in the ring and once again reiterated that he won't reveal the stipulation of his match with Brock Lesnar until after 'The Game' had signed the contract. After Heyman had winded Triple H up, including bring Stephanie into things, he had enough and took out the three security guards, then began beating down and slapping around Lesnar's manager.

After the 'Cerebral Assassin' had signed the contract, Brock Lesnar himself appeared and circled the ring, but decided after some convincing from Heyman to leave things for now and walked back down the ramp. Heyman then officially announced that at WrestleMania it will be a No Holds Barred match between the two, with Triple H's career on the line. It was a strong end to the show, and felt like a WrestleMania build up.

Overall it was a largely pedestrian show, with a few solid matches and promos that managed to save it a bit. The highlights were Triple Threat for the IC Title, Del Rio versus Rhodes and the final segment. Other than that it was pretty unmemorable, but at least they made a few matches official for the grand stage. 

My WWE SmackDown, 22nd February 2013 Recap

Del Rio strikes with a nice aerial kick. Photo credit: WWE.com

World Heavyweight Champion Alberto Del Rio kicked off the show by responding to his WrestleMania opponent Jack Swagger's claims that immigrants like himself are ruining the USA, and reminded him that it was also immigrants that helped build the country in the first place. He also went on to challenge Swagger to come out and face him man to man.

But instead Randy Orton joined him and accused Swagger of taking away his chance at main eventing 'Mania in the Elimination Chamber match last Sunday, going on to state that he wanted some retribution. So GM Booker T granted 'The Viper' his match with Swagger and also booked Del Rio versus Barrett for that night.

Sheamus pinned Damien Sandow in a decent outing. Both men gave worthy efforts here and provided solid wrestling throughout, nothing spectacular but it made for a fun watch.

Before her following match, Kaitlyn complimented Cody Rhode's moustache backstage, which he graciously accepted. Could a face turn be in Cody's near future?

Kaitlyn and Layla bested Tamina and Aksana in a mediocre tag bout. Layla was the only standout performer here for me, the rest of the match was quite messy and average.

Backstage Zeb Colter, accompanying Swagger, warned Wade Barrett to stay out of their way and do them a favour by going back to England, classing him as another immigrant taking a job from an American.

Jack Swagger defeated Randy Orton in a mostly stellar contest. While not exactly an edge of your seat bout, it still has solid action from both men who looked crisp in the ring.

Swagger gained the win after catching Orton with a thumb to the eye and applying a quick roll up pin for the one-two-three, much like the one he used on 'The Viper' to win the Elimination Chamber. Considering he's going to WrestleMania to contest for the World Title I would've thought Swagger might have beaten Orton cleanly here. 'The Viper' looked frustrated afterwards, here's hoping his rumoured heel turn is coming up soon.

The Miz beat Cody Rhodes in a fair match up. In keeping with the trend of the previous singles bouts of the show, the wrestling was solid enough but not necessarily that exciting. Quite a forgettable one this really. Miz forced Rhodes to tap to the Figure Four Leglock for the win. 

Alberto Del Rio defeated Wade Barrett in an enjoyable main event. Definitely the top match of the night, with nice displays from both men and finally something a bit livelier on an otherwise unremarkable show. Swagger viewed the match from the stage and made his way down to face off with Del Rio from the outside of the ring afterwards. They of course did the obligatory pointing and staring at the WrestleMania sign looming over them.

Overall it was a pretty pedestrian show for the majority. Most bouts were fine but not massively engaging, much like the only promo we received at the start. Fortunately the livelier main event redeemed it a bit, but this was still a poor offering for a show in the WrestleMania season. Rather than repeating two ten-minute segments from Raw they could've added in some Mark Henry, Jericho, Team Hell No or Big Show at least, just something to add some interest (that's not a dig at any of those talents either). 

My WWE Raw, 18th February 2013 Recap

Behold the brand new WWE Championship belt. About damn time! Photo credit: WWE.com

John Cena started things off by talking about how WrestleMania XXVIIII was now taking shape, with him versus The Rock and Swagger versus Del Rio now official after the Elimination Chamber. CM Punk then joined Cena and reminded him that he has never beaten him and claimed that it was luck that he won the Royal Rumble and didn't deserve the spot at 'Mania. He also added that he couldn't win the big one against Rocky.

To settle things and shut Punk up, Cena then challenged him to a match to prove he was superior, with the winner going on to face The Rock for the title on the big stage. Punk agreed, but wanted to postpone it until next week when he was more prepared.

During an interview Sheamus and Ryback began arguing over their loss to The Shield the previous night until Chris Jericho then split them up and reminded them that it wasn't each other that they were really mad at. Y2J also suggested a six-man match that night pitting them three against Shield, which they were all for.

Mark Henry pinned Sin Cara in a brief and forgettable bout, with fair action but nothing special. As Henry continued the attack after the bell rung, The Great Khali made his way down, only for Henry to leave the ring and walk away. I'm praying they don't book a match between the two at 'Mania, please!

The Miz defeated Antonio Cesaro in a No Disqualification match. It was a fair effort from both men, but a little disappointing considering how rarely we get No DQ match ups on television, I would've thought they'd make more of the opportunity and we'd maybe get a bit more excitement.  

In a VT Zeb Colter spoke about how letting in too many people outside of the US into the country has drained it. Jack Swagger was also there, reminding us of their slogan "We, the people." As I've already said I'm intrigued with this storyline, it's something a bit edgier and sets up Swagger's feud with Del Rio perfectly. 

Backstage Daniel Bryan informed tag partner Kane that he didn't feel comfortable teaming with him soon after attacking him in the Elimination Chamber, and asked that he doen't accompany him to his singles match later. Randy Orton then also appeared and told Kane that since going to group therapy and hugging it out with people he wasn't so intimidating and compared him to Barney the Dinosaur.  

Alberto Del Rio bested Dolph Ziggler in a solid outing. Both men as standard for them looked good in the ring and put in more than worthy displays, with stellar wrestling throughout.

Afterwards Ziggler's associate Big E Langston clobbered Del Rio and applied a Big Ending. Dolph then decided to cash in his MITB contract, but Ricardo Rodriguez had other ideas and legged it with the briefcase, accidentally dropping it on the ramp as he did so. As the 'Show Off' then retrieved the contract Del Rio recovered and cracked him with an enzuigiri.

Wade Barrett announced that he will be starring in the new WWE produced film Dead Man Down, then presented the trailer. Afterwards Sheamus appeared on the big screen and mocked Barrett for barely having a role in the film at all. Wade was not amused that Sheamus had cut his time short.

Brodus Clay, Tensai and Naomi beat Epico, Primo and Rosa Mendes in a fun enough mixed-tag contest. This was wisely kept short, which certainly benefitted all involved and kept the pace and interest up, any longer and it would've dragged.

In a State of the Union Address, Zeb Colter thanked the founding fathers for creating the bill of rights, allowing him to voice his opinions freely. He then continued to bash the illegal immigrants in America that use the medical care, education and take their jobs. He also added that at WrestleMania Swagger will defeat Del Rio to capture the World Title and help reclaim America, claiming that the champion was only in the USA to reap the rewards. 

Jack Swagger bested Daniel Bryan in an enjoyable encounter. Both men gave fine efforts as they went move for move, counter for counter. As part of his new signature routine, Swagger worked on Bryan's leg until eventually latching on the Patriot Lock for the submission victory.

Vickie Guerrero, with Paul Heyman in the ring, announced Brad Maddox as her new assistant. As Heyman was about to leave Vince McMahon then appeared on the big screen and reminded him that last week he'd agreed to do anything to add the certain stipulations to The Rock versus CM Punk match at EC. McMahon went on to inform Heyman that he would be returning that favour next week when they "are gonna have a fight."

The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) beat Ryback, Sheamus and Chris Jericho in a largely entertaining six-man tag bout. While not as exciting as their previous six-man match the night before, it was still a lively encounter and yet another very good display from The Shield trio.

Damien Sandow spoke about how dear President's Day was to him, claiming that his ancestors had been aiding them for many years. As he then aggressively started his following bout with Kofi Kingston, R-Truth made his return and took him out. I can't say I'm that bothered by his return.

Randy Orton pinned Kane in a passable affair. Unfortunately while the wrestling was solid enough, I just failed to get interested here and found the match quite drab on the whole. Orton managed to get in an RKO for the one-two-three after Daniel Bryan once again distracted his tag partner and cost him the match.

The Rock came out to an entrance preceded by an impressive marching band performance as part of his celebration. He then went on to admit that eight years ago the spinning WWE Championship title belt may have worked, but he personally felt that a prestigious strap shouldn't look like a toy and then introduced the brand new WWE Championship belt. While it looks more professional, it also looks a bit plain for my liking, but that's just my opinion.

As the WWE Champion was about to then admit who he'd rather face at 'Mania, John Cena came out and stood cockily on the stage, but shortly after CM Punk then took him out with the old WWE Title strap and threw it away, stating that he was after the brand new one. 

Overall I felt it was a decent enough Raw, with the final segment, Shield six-man tag bout, Del Rio versus Ziggler, and anything involving Swagger being the highlights. Not the best offering from the red brand as of late but it still made nice strides towards WrestleMania, with the next couple of weeks most likely settling the card for the supershow in April.  

My WWE SmackDown, 8th February 2013 Recap

Big Show started things off by complaining about his treatment in the company, claiming that it was unjust that he had to put his World Title on the line last month against Del Rio unprepared. But on a happier note for Show he reminded us that he'd signed a contract and would have another shot at the strap at Elimination Chamber next Sunday.

He also went on to blame General Manager Booker T for the unfortunate series of events he's endured recently, stating that he was jealous that he was still active in the ring and he wasn't. So the GM himself confronted the giant and told him that he treated all wrestlers on the roster equally. But this didn't ease Show who demanded to know how Del Rio found his hotel room on this Monday's Raw, and called him "incompetent" for informing him about a match he had that night against Kane with such short notice. I can see all this leading to a bout between Show and Booker at 'Mania, maybe even with Booker's job on the line?

Cody Rhodes pinned Kofi Kingston in a decent enough contest. Both men gave fine displays, and although it wasn't the most exciting bout it was certainly watchable and worth a look. Rhodes winning was the right choice too, he has far more chance of moving up than Kofi, although I'm not holding my breath after his treatment form Cena last week on Raw.

Khali beat Titus O'Neil in a worthless and short match up. As usual Khali just swung his arms about and made the winning pin. Mark Henry then made his way down and swatted away O'Neil before engaging in an awkward looking scrap with Khali, eventually applying an impressive looking World's Strongest Slam on him.

Henry then announced that the "Hall of pain was now open," and went on to claim that his attacks since returning have been a result of Booker T not asking him to be in the Elimination Chamber match, and demanded that the GM come out and explain why. Boy, everyone's after Booker at the moment!

So the GM came out and warned Henry that his actions have been unacceptable, but the 'World's Strongest Man' didn't back down and threatened to take out every other man in the EC to make room for himself. To reason with Henry, Booker granted him a match against Orton which if won would earn him a spot in the Chamber match. I'm not a big fan of Henry's but this was a nice segment and promo from him, his threats were delivered very well and were believable. 

After ordering his coach driver around, an angry Big Show made his way to the ring for his bout, not realising that the suspended Alberto Del Rio was keeping a close eye on him in the parking lot.

Big Show bested Kane in a short and forgettable bout. To be fair I wasn't expecting much here anyway, and least it wasn't dragged on. Afterwards Del Rio appeared on the big screen and revealed that he'd been having a chat with Show's mistreated coach driver. After rushing outside an upset Big Show discovered that Del Rio had his wheels removed from the coach and then poured orange paint all over him. 

Jack Swagger defeated Justin Gabriel in a fair encounter. While unremarkable the match was solid enough, with decent displays from both men. Rather than just a squash match Gabriel was at least given some offense to add a little something. I'm really hoping this push for Swagger isn't dropped anytime soon, as I said last week he has the ability to make it into the main event scene, and they could definitely use more fresh faces there. 

Tensai won via DQ versus Drew McIntyre in a mediocre match up. it really was just a few minutes filler and an excuse for him and Clay's partnership to develop. The disqualification came after the rest of 3MB (Heath Slater and Jinder Mahal) ran in and began attacking Tensai as he was going for a pin. Brodus Clay then ran down and helped chase off the trio before encouraging Tensai to once again dance.

Antonio Cesaro pinned Sin Cara in an exciting outing. Sin Cara and Cesaro worked well together here, and when Sin Cara finds someone he's actually compatible with then it's worth watching. It was fairly short I'll admit but they made the most of their time.

During a backstage interview Cesaro interrupted The Miz and told him to stop whining about his attack from Lesnar on Raw, so Miz responded by brawling with the US Champion.

Mark Henry beat Randy Orton in a decent main event. Both men as usual worked well together and gave good enough efforts, each sharing periods of dominance. But it was Henry who would eventually gain the one-two-three after applying a World's Strongest Slam.

Overall it was a fair show, not one of the strongest as of late but watchable. The main event, Henry's promo and Sin Cara versus Cesaro were the highlights for me, Kofi versus Rhodes was also a fun watch. Unfortunately the rest of the show wasn't anything that special, Del Rio getting his own back at least advanced their feud.

My WWE Raw, 4th February 2013 Recap

CM Punk and Chris Jericho look up at the lights in their superb contest. Photo credit: WWE.com

For the second week in a row CM Punk stormed out to the ring, dragging with him announcer Justin Roberts, who he demanded announce himself as the "People's champion." Punk then went on to once again claim that he was "screwed" out of the WWE Title and that The Rock doesn't deserve to hold it, that he hadn't "paid the price." 

He also added that he wasn't even in the footage shown last week revealing that Heyman had been working with Brad Maddox and The Shield, and that it was most likely a doctored video from Vince McMahon so him and Heyman were therefore innocent. He also stated that Brock Lesnar's attack on McMahon last week was "kharma" for what he'd done to him.

SmackDown GM Booker T then joined Punk and after a bit of a stutter informed him that he'd let the fans decide his fate, allowing them to vote for a former WrestleMania opponent of his to face him that night. As usual  it was solid mic work from the former WWE Champion, but it just seems a bit daft to me that Punk would still try to claim the video was a fake, he claims he's a 'bad man' why not just admit what he'd done now?

Ryback pinned Antonio Cesaro in a contest that ranged from average to fair. Fortunately Cesaro gave a worthy effort and made the bout worth watching, rightfully being made to look competitive against Ryback, who gave an unremarkable performance. 

Jack Swagger beat Santino Marella in a brief squash match. I'm just relieved they've yet to drop the ball with Swagger's return, he's show in the past that he has the ability to be in the main event picture so I'm really hoping that they keep up with this push. 

Alberto Del Rio bested Cody Rhodes in a decent enough encounter. It was a fun watch with good displays from both men, but it was just missing that little extra to really engage me. Afterwards Del Rio admitted that he was wrong to look down on people in the past, adding that he appreciated all the support from the fans during his fights against Big Show, who he berated for being a "bully."

The man himself then appeared on the big screen, live from a nearby hotel, and asked for a World Title match against Del Rio at Elimination Chamber. A furious champ called Show a coward for not turning up in person.

Daniel Bryan defeated Rey Mysterio in a thoroughly enjoyable and blistering outing. Both men as usual gave stellar efforts and worked very well together, complimenting each other's styles and not disappointing. For the finish Mysterio was about to come in with a flying headbutt but Bryan moved out of the way and applied the No Lock for the submission victory. 

But the celebration was short lived as Mark Henry then made his return. Bryan and Mysterio tried to each take him on but Henry barged through them both and Sin Cara when he raced out to Rey's aid. Am I one of the only fans who wasn't bothered if Henry came back or not? I'd personally rather see a younger and more interesting talent get that spot.

Backstage Bryan asked Kane why he didn't just back him up, so his tag partner reminded him that he'd previously asked him to stay in the back during his match up, no matter what. Bryan then also asked for an apology, but Kane refused. This all seems to point towards a match between the tag team champions at 'Mania, as further proved by what happened next too...

Sheamus pinned Kane in a passable, if a fairly drab at places bout. Both men looked okay, but the action was never particularly exciting. Sheamus applied the Brogue Kick to Kane for the one-two-three after Daniel Bryan had run down and distracted his tag partner. In a brilliant touch Bryan then had a very slight smirk on his face as he walked away, claiming that he was sorry.

Paul Heyman interrupted The Miz shortly into the latest 'Miz TV' segment and claimed that he wished the best on Vince McMahon's recovery after his hip surgery that day. Heyman went on to announce that he had absolutely no idea about Lesnar's return last week. After some heated words between the two men Vickie Guerrero came out and admitted that Heyman was "telling the truth" that she was the one that negotiated a new deal with Lesnar in an attempt to impress McMahon. 

Miz then accused them both of lying, claiming that they'd orchestrated the Lesnar attack as part of revenge for crushing ECW and for not promoting Vickie to GM. This cued the entrance of Brock Lesnar, who made his way to ring and faced an unflinching Miz, and tossed him out of the ring. But as the beast then threw out all of the 'Miz TV' set the host returned and managed to get in a few punches before Brock took him out with an F5, screaming that the ring was his house.

Randy Orton beat Wade Barrett in a pretty forgettable affair. There was no aspect of the match that was bad as such, and both men were certainly competent in the ring, but these two have seemed to have faced off so many times now that it all starts to blur together a bit.

CM Punk bested Chris Jericho in a tremendous contest. Both men battled back and fourth with some red hot action, providing exciting near falls and submission attempts. Amusingly Punk also answered some of the critics of their title match at last years WrestleMania (of which I was a big fan of) when told the "marks" to sit down that were chanting "This is awesome!" during the bout. Top match of the night.

Bruno Sammartino was announced as the next inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame. After years of wondering if it would ever happen, it finally is. Some would argue that Sammartino is the most deserving ever of the accolade, now I can't claim to know the full history of the former WWWF Champion, but I think that's hard to argue against. 

Back in his hotel room, Big Show answered the door to a courier and signed his contract for the Elimination Chamber World Title match. But Del Rio also turned up and after receiving a fair beating from Show for a while, used a fire extinguisher to KO the giant. I'm still quite enjoying this feud to be honest.

Brad Maddox tried to convince everyone that Heyman had used him at Hell in a Cell last year due to his honesty and up and coming career, calling himself an "innocent victim." He then went on to call out The Shield himself to dish out his own form of justice. Sure enough the trio of Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns made their way down and claimed that Maddox couldn't compare himself to them after they'd all worked for Heyman.

Soon enough Brad was taken out by The Shield and triple-powerbombed right before John Cena, Ryback and Sheamus made their way out through the crowd. Ambrose, Rollins and Reigns tried to get away but were cut off by a load more wrestlers from the locker room. Retreating to the ring the trio were subject to a beating until they managed an escape. A pretty weak ending I felt, predictable and unremarkable.

Overall it was a decent Raw I thought. There were memorable moments, much like last week, and a few above average match ups. The highlights were the 'Miz TV' segment, Mysterio versus Bryan and especially the great Punk versus Jericho encounter. We also had some nice set ups for future bouts, including one between Kane and Bryan at 'Mania, DB's smirk after Kane lost was brilliant. 

My WWE SmackDown, 4th January 2013 Recap

Randy Orton kicked things off by announcing that he had his sights set on the World Championship and that he would be entering the 2013 Royal Rumble match. Sheamus then joined 'The Viper' and also announced that he'll be participating in the same match. After some fairly heated words between the two, World champion Big Show also came out and boasted that it doesn't matter who challenges him for the title, since he'll be victorious anyway. US Title holder Antonio Cesaro as usual then berated Americans for their obesity rate. In Teddy Long-like fashion Booker T then booked all four men in a tag match for later on. 

The Miz bested Heath Slater in a fair outing. They both put in decent enough efforts, with Slater especially looking like he was trying to up his game. It wasn't anything outstanding or that exciting, but no aspect of it was bad. During the bout fellow 3MB members Drew McIntyre and Jinder Mahal were asked to leave by the referee.

The Great Khali, Natalya and Hornswaggle beat Rosa Mendes, Epico and Primo in a largely worthless tag bout. Epico and Primo ate talents who deserve far better than 'comedy' routines with Hornswaggle and trying to get something out of the rigid Khali.

Wade Barrett (c) defeated Kofi Kingston to retain the Intercontinental Title in an enjoyable enough contest. A bit more fun then their previous effort this past Monday, but still lacking that little something for me. On the whole a worthy title display form both men, worth a watch.

Tamina beat Layla in a passable Divas outing. Pretty run of the mill match up in front of an indifferent crowd, but no clear mistakes so I'll take that from the current Divas division.

Sheamus and Randy Orton defeated Antonio Cesaro and Big Show in a solid main event tag bout. The strongest period of this enjoyable (and intriguing, but I'll get to that in a bit...) contest was the first third with the always stellar Cesaro tangling with Sheamus and Orton. As Josh Matthews noted on commentary the US Champion didn't look out of place at all with the former World Title holders. Show also looked okay here, and put in a passable effort.  

For the finish Sheamus tagged himself in, which upset Orton and encouraged him to RKO Cesaro as the Irishman was about to Brogue Kick him. It was an interesting end to the match because I reckon this is the slow start in the heel turn we've heard rumours of for 'The Viper'. And he really needs it, his character has to freshen things up and it's probably the best way to do it.

Overall it was a decent show, although there was a large amount of content that was quite forgettable. The main event and the IC Title clash were the highlights for me, both decent, especially the tag match. As I said though there was just too much time spent on mediocre or drab matches and promos, typical for the blue brand I guess.  

My WWE SmackDown, 28th December 2012 Recap

Sheamus first said he hoped everyone had had a merry Christmas, adding that his was a lot of fun. He then challenged Big Show to a World Title match for that very night after beating him in a Lumberjack match on this weeks Raw. Big Show of course refused, calling his victory over him a "fluke." GM Booker T then soon joined them and informed Show that he'll pick a random name from a tumbler (filled with all the wrestlers from the back and Sheamus) and that wrestler will receive a World Championship match against the giant that night.

After some arguing between Eve and Teddy Long, Booker picked out Santino Marrella's name from the tumbler. Joy from the Italian soon turned to horror as Big Show approached him and he realised what he'll be up against later on.

Brodus Clay bested Primo in an average bout. At least this unmemorable outing was kept short. Afterwards Rosa Mendes had a few choice words for Clay, but was cut short by Naomi and Cameron as they double suplexed her.

Wade Barrett and Team Rhodes Scholars (Damien Sandow and Cody Rhodes) beat Team Hell No (Daniel Bryan and Kane) and Kofi Kingston in a fair six-man tag bout. The action was a bit disappointing considering the talent involved but it wasn't bad by any means. Barrett grabbed the one-two-three on Kofi after applying a Bull Hammer.

Booker informed Big Show backstage that after Santino had pulled a hamstring earlier when training with Sheamus a substitute had to be picked, and it turned out to be Ricardo Rodriguez. Show laughed at the nervous number one contender, then knocked him out and called him a joke to his title.  

Antonio Cesaro defeated Zack Ryder in an enjoyable enough encounter. As usual Cesaro was on stellar form, providing faultless maneuvers. Ryder played his part well too, although he was pretty limited offensively anyway. 

Dolph Ziggler beat The Miz in the match of the night. Both men put in worthy efforts as they went back and fourth, with Ziggler as standard working hard. Dolph gained the win after bodyguard Big E Langston distracted Miz. After Miz mocked AJ Lee afterwards, Langston and Dolph decided to further beat him down. 

Sheamus beat Brad Maddox in a rather pedestrian match up. Maddox was allowed a fair bit of offense so at least he wasn't completely destroyed here, the action was just passable for the majority.

Backstage Booker agreed to give Alberto Del Rio the spot in the World Title match after Big Show took out his good friend and personal ring announcer Rodriguez.

Big Show (c) won via disqualification versus Alberto Del Rio, therefore retaining the World Heavyweight Championship. The match itself contained decent enough action, although it wasn't anything that memorable or exciting, a big step down from any of Sheamus and Show's efforts on PPV. The DQ came after Sheamus ran out and attacked Show, along with a large portion of the roster who didn't appreciate Show's harsh words towards them earlier. I'm guessing a possible Triple Threat will occur at the Royal Rumble between Sheamus, Del Rio and the champ.

My WWE Raw, 10th December 2012 Recap

Ryback launches a ladder at The Shield in the spot of the night. Photo credit: WWE.com

Dolph Ziggler kicked off the show on top of a ladder where he rightfully berated Cena for being given title shot after title shot by McMahon even though he lost when he cashed in his MITB contract. He also bragged that it didn't matter since he'll retain his contract at TLC anyway. Sheamus then joined 'The Show Off' and made a lame joke about his height, then claimed that himself and Cena will win their respective bouts on Sunday which will lead to a World Title clash between them. 

World Champion Big Show then called both men "Delusional" for thinking that they could beat him. Sheamus then decided to take his frustration for Show out on Ziggler instead, since he signed a no contact clause contract with him, and pushed Dolph off of the ladder, which seemed like a needless risk to me. It was an okay start to the show, nothing that special. My only issue with Ziggler having to defend his MITB contract against Cena is that surely in that position he would attempt to cash it in beforehand so he didn't have to defend it, right? 

For the second week in a row Vince McMahon convinced Vickie Guerrero to book a few matches for the show, which included Ziggler versus Sheamus and herself versus AJ Lee, which went down very well. The segment was better than last weeks between the two, but still not great.

R-Truth beat Wade Barrett in an average match up. Unfortunately the two weren't allocated enough time to really get going, which seemed odd considering the bookers should be really be trying to hype the US and Intercontinental Championship bouts at TLC all they can. Truth grabbed the one-two-three with a quick roll up. Kingston then applied a top rope cross body to Barrett afterwards for good measure.

Team Rhodes Scholars (Cody Rhodes and Damien Sandow) bested Jimmy & Jey Uso, the Prime Time Players (Titus O'Neil & Darren Young) and Epic & Primo in a four-way elimination tag match. On the whole it was a fun watch, with worthy efforts especially from both Usos and Team Rhodes Scholars. It's good to see that WWE are still getting behind their tag division, I hope it continues. Amusingly the fans began chanting "Cody's moustache" during the bout, Cody's new facial hair does look pretty daft, and hasn't Movember passed? 

Eve defeated Alicia Fox in a passable Divas contest. Alicia looked decent here, and by that I mean she provided something a bit different from most other female performers in the company with her athleticism. Afterwards Eve quite funnily posed in the ring with the beaten Fox as a ringside photographer snapped a few shots. 

WWE Champion CM Punk came out on crutches due to his recent leg surgery and confirmed that it was all very real and in no way a hoax to get out of defending his title. Paul Heyman also grabbed the mic and compared Punk to The Rock, who he accused of just using a stunt double and staying in his trailer on a movie set rather than getting stuck into the real action like Punk. So the trash talking has begun, this feud should be something very special. CM Punk then announced that he will be present at the TLC pay-per-view to watch The Shield take out Ryback. As usual it was great work from both men.

Sheamus won via disqualification versus Dolph Ziggler in an exciting bout. Both men, who have been on terrific form this year, provided a solid back and fourth match up. Oddly for the first half it was as if Sheamus was the heel and Ziggler the face as Dolph had to fight back 'The Great White' as he aimed for his injured leg, but the roles reversed back later on. The DQ came after Ziggler struck Sheamus with a steel chair, but the Irishman then countered 'The Show Off' as he Brogue Kicked the chair out of Ziggler's hands and scared him off.

Alberto Del Rio bested Zack Ryder in a decent enough outing. Neither man was outstanding here, but they gave an enjoyable bout for the most part. The crowd of Ryder's home state of New York also helped provide a good atmosphere by firmly getting behind the Internet Champion.

Vickie Guerrero beat AJ Lee in a worthless match up. As both women waited for a referee, Brad Maddox came on out in a referee attire and aided Vickie in the win by refusing to count AJ's pinfall attempt.

Why on earth would Maddox help out the woman that put him against Randy Orton last week and not the one that gave him a job on Raw in the first place? It makes absolutely no sense, it's like something Vince Russo would've put together. And the match itself was just plain bad, is this WWE's idea of helping to improve their poor ratings as of late?   Afterwards AJ went on a rampage as she tore through some of the set around the ring and backstage until John Cena calmed her down.

Antonio Cesaro defeated Kofi Kingston in a solid and eventful contest. The fist half was decent enough, but it was the second half where it really picked up as both men began putting together some great sequences and got the previously indifferent crowd into the match. Cesaro will be a future big name in the company.

The Miz presented an entertaining 'Miz TV' with guests Damien Sandow and Cody Rhodes, where he (along with the fans) mocked Cody's 'tache, claiming that it'd maybe rubbed off of Sandow's beard. He also tried to drive a wedge between the two, but failed as they had enough and left. All three men were on good form, especially Cody who's cheesy expressions and enthusiastic delivery of his lines were tremendous.   

Big Show versus John Cena ended as a no contest after The Shield ran and began attacking Cena. The main event had ranged from pretty drab to fair once it got going and began picking up some pace. To be fair it was better than I'd expected, so I'll take that.

Team Hell No and Sheamus (who was accidentally given the Ryback graphics for his entrance, oops) also raced in afterwards to get some retribution on Ambrose, Rollins and Reigns and Ziggler, but this didn't last too long as Show decided to also make his way back to help take out Cena. Ryback then predictably came out threw a ladder at The Shield trio from the outside of the ring, which looked very effective actually. Everyone was brawling in and around the ring as the show went off the air.

Overall it was an enjoyable Raw for the most part, with the exception of the awful Vickie vs AJ match and Barrett vs Truth bout, which should've had more time. Other than that most of the show was a fun watch, with my main highlights being the 'Miz TV' segment, Cesaro vs Kingston, Punk and Heyman promo and the great Ziggler vs Sheamus contest. 

My WWE Raw, 3rd December 2012 Recap

Ryback finally gets some payback on Punk. Photo credit: WWE.com

The ever popular Team Hell No came to the ring and challenged The Shield, who were looking on safely from a box in the arena, to come down to the ring for some retribution after their attack on them from last week. Of course Ambrose, Reigns and Rollins remained where they were.

Team Hell No (Daniel Bryan & Kane) defeated the Prime Time Players (Darren Young & Titus O'Neil) in a fair match up. The action was solid and enjoyable enough, but nothing outstanding. Throughout the bout the three members of The Shield slowly made their way through the crowd and once the bell had rung then ran in and took out both Bryan and Kane. It was a nice touch having the impending attack slowly build up to create a little tension, but one big flaw for me was the lack of security, why weren't there any there to at least attempt to apprehend the trio? Otherwise it was an exciting start to the show.

In an awful cut we then went straight from that assault on the Tag Team Champions to Sheamus and John Cena joking about backstage (I use the term 'joking' lightly as it's rare anything Cena says is actually humorous to anyone over the age of five). Why couldn't they have left this segment for a little later? It watered down the effects of the previous attack. 

AJ Lee bested Tamina in a passable Divas bout, for todays standards anyway. As expected the powerful Tamina dominated AJ for the most part, with AJ gaining the win with a quick roll up as her opponent was about to go for the Superfly Splash. It wasn't anything that memorable but it at least gave us something a little different from the female performers.  

Paul Heyman, accompanying WWE Champion CM Punk, explained that while he felt that the newly released WWE Encyclopedia didn't have enough information on his client, it did however reveal that after tonight he will have overtaken John Cena's 380-day title reign to become the longest reigning WWE Champion of the modern era. A huge statistic. CM Punk then as standard complained about the poor treatment he's receiving by having to defend his strap against Ryback once again at TLC.

He also went to claim that he was the sole reason people tuned into every "dismal three hour Monday night Raws" which is actually not far from the truth at all, without him Raw would be far, far poorer right now. He then went on to call himself the "hottest thing in WWE" right now, which again was a very honest statement from the champ.

The Miz decided to then join both men and called Punk a liar for denying his involvement with Brad Maddox and The Shield, and challenged him to come on 'Miz TV' and take a lie detector test. After some convincing Punk agreed to do the test, stating that afterwards everyone will have to admit how good he is. It was as usual with Punk and Heyman a brilliant segment, and Miz was also on very good form on the mic. 

John Cena and Sheamus beat Dolph Ziggler and Big Show in a mixed bag of a tag team contest. The efforts of Ziggler and Sheamus can't be faulted, and even Show when he was taking on the Irishman in the best part of the match, unfortunately Cena's time in the ring let it down and was just pretty drab with his usual stale routine. Cena for the second week in a row pinned Dolph for the victory.

Why did they even bother having Ziggler win the MITB contract? They don't seem to have any real motivation to actually push the guy. Even after tackling Cena through the bathroom cubicle two weeks ago, we had Cena return the very next week ready for action. They could have at least kept him off TV for a little while to sell it some more and have Dolph brag about taking him out and get a few wins under his belt leading to Cena's return. It would've done far more for him I reckon.

Damien Sandow just like on last weeks SmackDown challenged a member of the audience to answer three questions, and if all are answered correctly then they would become his apprentice. And once again the third question stumped the fan and they failed the challenge. It was another amusing segment with the charismatic Sandow, and quickly becoming a highlight for me. Santino Marella then joined the 'Intellectual saviour of the masses' and mocked him before receiving a punch in the face for doing so.

Damien Sandow defeated Santino Marella in a rather pedestrian match up. Santino performed his signature comedy routine while Sandow gave a fair display. More of a filler match.

Brad Maddox convinced Vickie Guerrero backstage to give him another chance at earning a WWE contract by competing in a match against an unknown opponent. Maddox showed some character here with his smug attitude.

Alberto Del Rio bested Sin Cara in an enjoyable outing. Both men gave good displays here, with exciting lucha action executed nicely (for the most part). When Sin Cara is put in the ring with someone he's compatible with then he can provide entertaining wrestling.

Vince McMahon convinced Vickie Guerrero to book Cena versus Ziggler at TLC in a Ladder match, with Dolph's MITB contract on the line. He also convinced her to put Paul Heyman in a match with Ryback next week if CM Punk fails his lie detector test later on. It was a poor segment, and just felt awkward.

Randy Orton beat Brad Maddox in a brief squash match. So much for Maddox's latest attempt to earn a contract. Afterwards The Shield revealed their latest victim as Orton as they took him out and applied their signature three-man powerbomb.

Antonio Cesaro (c) defeated Kofi Kingston, R-Truth and Wade Barrett to retain the United States Championship in a Fatal Four Way match. After an awkward a fairly sloppy start the bout started to pick up in quality and all four men delivered a fun title contest. The excitement peaked at the end where everyone came close to winning the strap, but Cesaro managed to apply the Neutralizer to Kofi for the one-two-three. 

As CM Punk was being set up for his lie detector test on 'Miz TV' him and Miz amusingly started bickering, which included Punk telling Miz to go "back to wrestling school, jerk." As Punk answered a few basic questions, including one where Miz brought up the fact that he main evented WrestleMania XXVII which got the champ a bit upset, he was finally asked if he was involved with The Shield and Brad Maddox. CM Punk stalled, and then The Shield ran in and took out Miz and all the equipment and set.

Daniel Bryan and Kane then decided to get some payback and with the aid of Ryback managed to scare off  Ambrose, Reigns and Rollins. A cocky Punk then kicked Miz out of the ring and turned to face his TLC foe Ryback, who then struck the World Champion with a ladder and chair, then put him through a table. For the first time in a little while Ryback ended on top.

Overall Raw ranged from mediocre to quite entertaining, with CM Punk and Heyman's promo with Miz, the Fatal Four Way, Del Rio vs Sin Cara bout and Damian Sandow's segment being the highlights. Unfortunately the McMahon and Vickie Guerrero part was really quite bad, and most match ups were fairly unmemorable and average. Fortunately we didn't have to endure any more of the tedious AJ/Cena scandal nonsense, so that's one plus I guess.