October 13, 2010

Raw Review: Oct. 11/10

We start out with, surprise surprise, Cena.

I'll spare you the drivel. Thank god for Miz.

He says that he's taken it upon himself to captain Team Raw. Sadly he has to offer Cena a spot on the team.

Cena then goes on about how he should lead Team Raw instead. Barrett cuts him off. He tells Cena that the only thing he'll be doing at Bragging Rights is being in Barrett's corner. Cena says he could do both. Barrett says no.

Alex Riley spoils the fact that Miz will cash in MITB at Bragging Rights. First email.

Basically the GM says that there will be a series of matches to determine the make up of Team Raw. The GM wants the best team possible. The main event will be Miz vs. Cena for captaincy.

There's some more lip flapping, a beatdown and Barrett yelling at Cena as we go to commercial.

Commercials are over and Ted DiBiase and Maryse are in the ring. This is the first Team Raw qualifier.

Match 1: The $500,000 man vs. R Truth

DiBiase has Truth down when Goldust interrupts. Truth capitalizes on the distraction. Ted kicks out the first pin, but Truth catches him with the Lie Detector.

Rating: 6/10. It was an okay match. Ted looked good as always, but Truth brought him down. The ending wasn't that surprising.

Commercials are over and we have Team Raw qualifier #2.

Match 2: JoMo vs. Tyson Kidd


Kidd in control. Several pin reversals. Out of nowhere, Morrison with a  backflip uranage. Morrison gets the pin.

Rating: 7/10. I'm normally not a Morrison fan, but this was an impressive match. The outcome was again predictable but it was still a good match. I don't mind that Kidd lost because I'm sure it means there's plans for the tag titles at Bragging Rights.

We have a backstage segment with Nexus. Nexus is grilling McGillicutty and Harris. Barrett comes in and says that someone needs to face Orton tonight. Otunga says he'd do it, but points out that Gabriel's 450 would hurt Orton more. It's settled. Gabriel is facing Orton tonight.

Back from commercials and we have qualifier #3.

Match 3: Santino vs. Zack Ryder

Santino is in control and hits the Cobra.

Rating: 5/10. What happened to "the best possible team?"

Tamina runs out and celebrates with Santino and kinda overpowers him. Didn't they do the same thing with him and Beth?

Are there more commercials than usual tonight?

Gabriel (with Nexus) makes his way to the ring now for his match with Orton.

Match 4: Gabriel vs. Orton

Nexus (Slater and Otunga) get tossed from ringside early on.

Gabriel with a slingshot moonsault on a downed Orton, who kicks out of the pin. Gabriel remains in control, stomping Orton in the corner. Orton fights his way out and drops Gabriel with an uppercut. Gabriel with a jawbreaker followed by a dropkick.

Near fall for Gabriel. Orton fights his way out of a submission. He runs off the ropes, but Gabriel catches him with a knee to the gut. Another near fall. Back to the submission hold for Gabriel. Orton gets out again and slams Gabriel. Orton waits for Gabriel to get back up. Gabriel misses with a jumping back kick and Orton nails a backbreaker.

Orton whips Gabriel off the ropes. Gabriel rolls over Orton's back, but Orton hits a clothesline. Powerslam by Orton. Gabriel is down. Orton picks him up for another slam and a near fall. Gabriel kicks Orton's leg out of his leg and goes for the 450.

Orton (yes Jakob, ORTON) botches it and doesn't roll far enough. Gabriel lands on Orton's side/back/shoulder. Orton sells a shoulder injury. Out of nowhere he hits the RKO for the win and suddenly his arm is all better.

Rating: 8/10. Everything until the ending was awesome. I only docked points for the botch.

Commercials are done and we have our 4th Team Raw qualifier.

Match 5: Daniel Bryan Danielson vs. Sheamus

Danielson dives over the ropes at Sheamus but the Celtic Warrior catches him. Sheamus is going to run him into the ring post, but Danielson slips out of his grasp. Back in the ring, Danielson tries for a pin. Sheamus kicks out.

Sheamus is in control now. He clotheslines Danielson and covers. Kick out at 1. Irish Curse and a submission hold by Sheamus now. Danielson breaks the hold but isn't out of the woods yet. Irish whip by Sheamus, but Danielson gets away and drops him with an elbow. Danielson on the offensive with a flurry of kicks.

Danielson with a pin attempt but Sheamus kicks out. Danielson to the top rope for a missile dropkick. Danielson tries for his submission hold but Sheamus takes control.

High Cross attempt and Danielson rolls through for another near fall. Both men are back up and Sheamus hits the Brogue Kick for the pin.

Rating: 8/10. Another awesome match. I'm surprised there's been this much good action. That said, is Danielson going to win a match ever again?

Backstage with Cena and Truth. More useless crap.

We have our next Team Raw qualifier up now after seemingly endless commercials.

Match 6: Evan "That Little Shit" Bourne vs. CM Punk

Punk comes over from Smackdown in place of Edge. Good trade in my mind.

Punk is out of the ring. Bourne dives off the apron for a hurricanrana, but Punk stays upright and slams Bourne into the barricade. Punk tosses Bourne back into the ring and tries for a pin. Bourne kicks out.

Flurry of punches by Punk and another pin attempt. Bourne kicks out again. Bourne counters a suplex and both men end up in opposite corners. Bourne dodges a running knee and hits a series of kicks. Punk counters an Irish whip and Bourne rebounds with a spinning kick.

Punk ducks a kick but Bourne hits the back kick. Bourne is up for the shooting star, but Punk knocks him down. he lifts Bourne off the turnbuckle and hits the GTS for the win.

Rating: 8/10. This match was a little short for my liking but overall it was still great. I was hoping Bourne would win but Punk is still good.

After the match, Punk beats Bourne down. I guess this is how they're writing Bourne off TV so he can have that shoulder surgery.

Commercials are over and Natalya is in the ring talking about LayCool. Of course LayCool cuts her off. They go on their typical insult tirade. Here comes a picture of Natalya with her dad's chin tail. This was only a matter of time in my mind.

They sling a couple more insults before backing up the entrance ramp and into a wall of divas. The Bellas, Melina, Gail Kim and Eve chase LayCool back into the ring. Natalya grabs Layla and locks in the sharpshooter.

McCool pulls Layla out of the ring and LayCool runs off.

Cena vs. Miz is up now and it'll be no DQ.

Match 7: Cena vs. Miz

Here we go. This'll be a good time for a bathroom break.

Cena has Miz up for the AA but Harris and McGillicutty interfere and Miz gets the pin.

Rating: 5/10. Glad Miz won, but was it really necessary to have the match if Barrett told Cena no?

Cena attacks Harris and McGillicutty. Barrett runs in and pulls Cena off of them.

Email.

Next week, the main event will be Harris and McGillicutty vs. Cena and Randy Orton.

Barrett is adding his own twist. If Cena loses, Harris and McGillicutty will be inducted into Nexus.

Barrett is taunting Cena now, practically ordering Cena to hit him. Barrett now says Cena's let everyone down by not hitting him. I'll admit I wanted to see him to it too, if only for the fact it would get him fired. Cena walks out but Barrett tells him to stop.

Barrett mocks Cena with his own "you can't see me" as Cena continues to leave. That's the show for this week.

Average Match Rating: 6.7/10 (+6.7)

There were many great matches tonight, but there were still a couple that dragged the rating down. All in all the best wrestling I've seen on Raw in a long time.

Overall Show Rating: 7/10 (+7)

There were a few good segments, but in the end it was just more of Cena sulking. Team Raw is looking a little weak at this point but that's Santino pulling the rest down. If they find a way to get rid of him and maybe R Truth things will look better.

Match of the Night: Bourne vs. Punk

Thursday will of course bring my NXT review and Friday will see my feature post talking about the hypocrisies of pro wrestling. See you then.

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