WWE Monday Night Raw Review: 7/16/2012

Here are my thoughts on the 999th episode of Monday Night Raw:






Segment 1: Big Show and CM Punk keep it Real


CM Punk's 240 day reign has become quite the hot topic in the WWE lately.  Many (including myself) feel as if he is one of the great fighting champions of all time.  Others, feel as if his entire reign has been overshadowed by a slew of other superstars.  Regardless of your opinion, the value of the title has not been diminished around his waist.  Big Show however, feels as if Punk should not pander to the WWE Universe or more importantly John Cena, who now has Punk's future in his hands.  Punk feels as if Show's opinion doesn't even matter due to the fact that in Punk's opinion, Show is a giant disappointment.  Fine points made by both men here, but I don't understand what Show gets by going out of his way to put Cena over.  More on this later. 


Segment Rating: **1/2





Match 1:: Tag Team Championship match: Kofi Kingston & R-Truth(c) vs. The Primetime Players


This match could have waited until Summerslam.  A couple weeks of buildup could have served both teams and the tag division very well.  Then again, the WWE loves to waste PPV quality matches on television, a recurring theme for the night.  The match itself wasn't half bad, but the PP no longer seem like real contenders anymore and it's a shame that yet another opportunity to get a new team over was wasted.


Winners and STILL Tag Team Champions: Kofi Kingston and R-Truth

Match Rating: **1/2



Match 2: Alberto Del Rio vs. Zack Ryder


One of the biggest disappointments of 2012 has been the rise and fall of Zack Ryder.  I'm not saying the guy should be WWE Champion by now, but I didn't think he'd be treated as just another jobber on the "will work for food" line, given his popularity.  Either way, nothing about this match was particularly memorable....wait a minute....oh yeah...there was this...

Michael Cole: "The 619 is back in service!"

I've been waiting nearly a year for the return of everyone's favorite masked luchador and I was pleasantly surprised to see him make his triumphant return from injury here.  I will always be a mark for Rey Mysterio.  Love him or hate him, there was definitely something missing in his absence.


Match Rating: **





Match 3: Heath Slater vs. Rikishi


This was my favorite match of the Heath Slater Nostalgia Tour thus far.  I was a HUGE Rikishi fan back in the Attitude Era so this one was just awesome for me.  Quite the classy move by Big Kish using Umaga's Samoan Spike in tribute as well.  However the best part of all this came after the match when Rikishi was joined by his sons Jimmy and Jey Uso for a quick dance session that has to be nominated as the Feel Good Moment of the Year!

One of the few moments where wrestling ceases to matter in the WWE

If you didn't pop hard for this, then you are either 8 years old or you have no soul.


Winner: Rikishi

Match Rating: **





Match 4: The Miz & Eve vs. Daniel Bryan & AJ


This match only served to further the increasingly odd, but thoroughly engaging saga of Daniel Bryan and AJ.  I often compared them to Macho Man Randy Savage and Miss Elizabeth, and they look to live up to my expectations by initially breaking up, then reuniting via a wedding proposal.  Along with Macho, Bryan now joins the likes of Kane, Edge, Triple H and Goldust, who've all had some memorable "WWE Weddings" in the past.  This is a move that will likely garner a mixed reaction from many Bryan fans, but one thing is for sure.  Weddings in the WWE are usually an unforgettable affair.  Raw 1000 will be an event that every WWE superstar will look to leave their mark on and Bryan has secured himself one of the show's highlights and a guaranteed place in the billions of video packages I'm sure will air highlighting the landmark episode in the years to come.  For once with the Bryan/AJ soap opera, the WWE has given us a story arc that has been well written and thought out over the course of a year and has not ceased to keep things compelling or cut the cord on the entire thing much too soon *cough* The Anonymous GM *cough*  For that reason alone, I enjoyed this segment for what it was.  If your upset with it, more than likely you were kidding yourself if you thought the whole Bryan/Punk feud hasn't been about Bryan and AJ all along.  Love it or hate it, these two crazy kids are meant for eachother.

A marriage made on controversy

Winners: Daniel Bryan and AJ

Match Rating: *3/4





Match 5: Jack Swagger vs. Ryback


Gotta say I'm at least happy that Ryback has moved on to actual competition now instead of the repeated slaughters of innocent adolescents.  Jack Swagger at least has given the best showing against the Wrecking Machine, but that didn't stop Ryback.  Apparently, nothing will.  The inevitable feud with Sheamus is calling...I'll be waiting.


Winner: Ryback

Match Rating: **





Segment 2: Dolph Ziggler is playing with the Big Kids now


This was the highlight of the night for me.  I have been calling for this matchup since Jericho initially returned and as always, the WWE gives me what I want. 

Ziggler vs. Jericho!? Hang on, let me get my wallet

I loved everything about this entire segment.  From Ziggler out Jericho-ing Jericho to Vickie Guerrero's annoying, yet oddly entertaining echoing of Ziggler's words.  Great mic work here from Dolph, but hell, they could have had these two stare down and Vickie yell "EXCUSE ME!" over and over, and I STILL would empty my pockets for this one.  I know people will probably continue to complain about Jericho if he loses here again, but he most likely will because it's the right thing to do and Jericho is the best choice right now to legitimize Dolph's new found main event status.  One thing that everyone seems to neglect is that no matter how much he loses, a great match and win over Chris Jericho can still make a young athlete's career.  That is what's important, and that is what will drive this feud forward for me.  Good work. 


Segment Rating: ****





Match 6: Brodus Clay vs. JTG


JTG has a cool new look.  Bordus Clay likes to dance.  Brodus Clay likes to dance on JTG's face.  I like to watch Cameron and Naomi dance.  These were some random thoughts of mine about this match.  Needless to say, it wasn't the show stealer you were obviously expecting it to be.


Winner: Brodus Clay

Match Rating: DUD

The Static hits, CM Punk is on his way, it's Clobberin' Time....which also means that it is now time for our

MAIN EVENT

Match 7:: WWE Championship match: CM Punk(c) vs. Big Show


This was a solid match, which was to be expected.  Lots of David & Goliath storytelling which makes Big Show look like the destroyer that he really is.  I really hope they continue to book him as such.  Punk does a fine job at realistically taking the fight to the monster and the DQ finish left the question in the air if Punk would have ever been able to keep the big man down for three.  Solid work, but the bigger story here came with the arrival of John Cena.  Show is trying to bait Cena into cashing in his contract right now.  What does Big Show get out of this?  Regardless of the big man's taunting, Cena looks to make Raw 1000 even more historic than it already is, by cashing in his opportunity against WWE Champion CM Punk at the landmark event.  Brilliant booking in my opinion.  They could have charged $50 for Raw 1000 and I would have gladly paid to see it, given how stacked the card already is.  Having this match close the show now elevates it to being one of the biggest matches in WWE history alone.  A feat that I'm not so sure would have happened if Cena were to cash in at Summerslam as I predicted.  The match is even bigger since Punk has been champ nearly a year and has beaten everybody who has stepped up to the plate.  There's also the fact that it's again been nearly a year since Cena has been in the title hunt and over a year since these two clashed in what was last year's Match of the Year.  Add in the pressure of Cena potentially being the first person to cash in the contract and lose and this could be the biggest match in the history of Monday Night Raw.  To put it simply, Raw 1000 is the most important and must see event of 2012.


Winner and STILL WWE Champion: CM Punk via Disqualification

Match Rating: ***1/2

Punk/Cena III is the final chapter in one of the most memorable trilogies of all time!

Final Thoughts


Just a fantastic episode of Monday Night raw that brilliantly built up hype for next week.  After spending nearly two decades of my life watching every Monday Night, I'm hard pressed to find anything else next week more momentous.  I'll see you all there.


Overall episode rating: 8/10