Santino Marella and Trish Stratus in the same main event? HYPE! Trish Stratus’ surprise return in Toronto was a nice touch by WWE. The fan response was one of genuine shock and excitement. When was the last time you heard a reaction like that on WWE TV?Word is, Batista’s injury is legit. A torn hamstring could keep him out until June. Of course, I don’t wish injury upon anyone, but this is not a big loss for WWE (even if Batista was rumoured to be part of the main event at WrestleMania).
Batista’s character is entirely uninteresting, and he suffers from “Scott Steiner-itis.” That is, he has abused steroids all his life; taken a beating from the wrestling business; and can barely walk, let alone wrestle. As I wrote last week (even before the severity of Batista’s injury was known), Randy Orton is the only logical replacement for Batista at WrestleMania - he should have been in the original plans to begin with. Orton is over, plain and simple, and he has more heat than other potential candidates like JBL and Chris Jericho. We need to see Orton and Cena on the marquee at the biggest show of the year.
That was a great promo from Orton last night. I love it when wrestlers use history to back up their claims, as Orton did when he mentioned that Evolution turned on him (in Canada) after he beat Chris Benoit for the World Heavyweight title at SummerSlam. It shows continuity, something generally lacking in today’s WWE. Same goes for Miz mentioning his “ECW” history with Kelly Kelly last night too.
I remember Donnie and Dan-e-o talking about this on Rated O Radio around this time last year, and it’s absolutely right: the increase in No. 1 Contender matches takes away from the ultimate No. 1 Contender’s match: the Royal Rumble match itself. Last year, the Elimination Chamber matches that took place after the Rumble at No Way Out were even more inexcusable (as they essentially nullified the Rumble match); still, the Race to the Rumble gimmick takes away from the Rumble match too. Of course, the Royal Rumble pay-per-view will draw, but for the above stated reason (as well as the predictability of recent winners), the Rumble has lost some of its shine.
My wish for the winner of the Race to the Rumble 4-way match next week: JBL. He can create more interest in a match in a short amount of time than anyone else. Plus, it would leave Cena-Orton open for WrestleMania.
I guess they had to do something with Kane, but his current storyline with Kelly Kelly has a "been there, done that" feel. Tori and Lita are two other Divas that Kane has had a menacing/stalking storyline with, and there’s probably more that I’ve forgotten about. That shit’s old.
This whole HBK-JBL storyline seems like something we’ll all forget happened 6 months from now. Just like how we’ll soon be asking -- “Remember when Mike Adamle was G.M.?” -- in about 6 months, we’ll be asking, “Remember when they tried to tell us Shawn Michaels was poor?” Here’s the bright side to having to sit through a couple months of this storyline (including that cringe-inducing backstage segment between Triple H and Shawn last night): this is hopefully leading to a match between JBL and Michaels at WrestleMania, and it will no doubt be a good one. I just wish creative had come up with a different story to get them there.
If I never see Kofi Kingston on TV again I won’t be upset. Now that would be a sweet Christmas present.
Question time:
Is it just me or does Manu look like Hayden Avery plus 50 lbs.?
CM Punk and Chris Jericho put on an entertaining match, which included a spectacular finish (a Punk springboard into a Codebreaker). But does anyone else see the problem in having C.M. Punk, 8 days removed from winning the finals of the Intercontinental Title tournament, lose to Jericho in another tournament-style match, before ever facing William Regal for the I-C title? Shouldn’t Jericho be the new No. 1 Contender for the I-C belt? I'm confused.
Quick “Raw” Results:
Shawn Michaels def. Kane
Kofi Kingston def. Manu
Melina and Mickie James def. Jillian Hall and Layla
JBL def. Rey Mysterio by DQ (due to HBK’s interference)
Randy Orton def. Batista by forfeit
Chris Jericho def. C.M. Punk
John Cena and Trish Stratus def. Santino Marella and Beth Phoenix
15 comments: on "Tha Raw Report: Live From Toronto"
Finally, a positive voice covering Raw! Hopefully this means that Casur was fired.
Big Daddy Donnie and Dan-e-o, I know that Casur was your boy, and that's why you let him come on your show, even though he's just some fanboy mark with no valid opinion to offer on the business, but his endlessly negative reviews brought your whole site down, and you're better off without that bumbling idiot.
Long live the Andrew Gray Raw report! Casur should walk his fat ass to a gym and lose some weight now that he can't write any more hate articles. But he'll probably just sit in his mom's basement and continue to be a closet John Cena fan who thinks he knows what's going on.
Any word on Mickie? If she wasn't injured from that bump she took off the top to the floor, she is the best seller on Raw. Very reminiscent of Melina's heel injury earlier in the year.
Kofi looked awful last night, damn.
Jericho and Punk put on one hell of a match. Hopefully this means CM Punk might be getting just a little better...
While I am also very appreciative of Andrew's work, Casur has not been fired.
Dude, "Raw" isn't always very good. It often is shit. So how can you expect a positive review EVERY week?
Be objective. This site is a place for people to share their opinions...different opinions. Accept that we are all entitled to our own.
23/12/08
Yay, I am so happy that we won't have to sit through another Batista match for some time now! My Christmas wish has come true...Santa DOES exist!!
Anybody else think that the JBL vs Rey Rey match seemed to drag on for what seemed an eternity last night?
Lawler talking about Cena last night:
"We are in Canada...listen to those boos!"
Doesn't that dumbass ass know that anywhere Cena "wrestles" that's what happens??
while dumb it is true, canada always boooos! : )
i marked hard for trish last night, her pop was huge and her ass is back!!
did anyone from tha show go live? i wonder what happened after the show ended, it must have been hype.
I was at the royal rumble last year and cena was booed out of the arena, some kids almost cried when the crowd chanted cena sucks as he won the rumble. I don't get y they don't turn him heel he would be sooooooo much better as a heel and go back to dissing people with his raps. Remember a while back when he teamed with orton to take on the random 12 ecw roster, they seemed as if they could pull off a team like rated rko, but the wwe doesnt want to turn him heel. They should have batista come back heel aswell.
Atleast Santino was in the last match of the night, he deserves to open and finish the show either in a match or being a part of somthing.
Based on everything that happened in the past 2 months wwe creative proved 100% they do not know how to use the intercontinental or tag belts on raw. Y did they remove it from Santino and they need to get some tag team action from people that they dont use as much so they can have a spot like charlie haas and others that r on the roster doing nothing, give them that belt or time atleast. and what happen to cryme tyme? they seem to be 1 of the only 2 or 3 teams on raw and they seem to have disappeared again.
Srr I was at the show and after the tv main event jericho came out and cut an amazing promo bashing canada and had a match with Cena. I left when Jericho put the mic down.
Kofi made some mistakes in his match, but we all have off nights.
Pop of the night was most definately for trish, but it was crazy during punk and jericho when ppl start singing o canada and everything jericho did got a pop. Santino got a pretty good response aswell and not cause he's my boy, but its crazy on how many ppl are sporting santino shirts.
Rico
CANADA LOVES SANTINO
Okay,But seriously, Trish is back and that's A good thing. But did anyone notice that Cena was sporting major Wood after the match? It was clear as fucking day. Now granted I get excited while watching wrestling but not that excited. LMAO
No Batista? Santino in the Main Event? Yes !!! There is a Santa Claus!!!!!
Thanks Rico, i was hoping for a trish beth dark match but oh well.
come back in studio damn it : (
why the fuck would you look at cena like that maaaan but trish was there so it makes any and everything ok
I wouldn't be surprised to see trish vs beth at mania, but what do I know!! Ill be back in studio soon enough, I actually would've been there for this weeks x-mas show but too much snow up here.
Rico
i hate how people pinned [no pun] trish as this great girl thats squeekly clean...she sucked a few cocks and took it in the ass from the office guys to the boys in the back...
Is anyone else bothered by what they're doing with Legacy? Or more to the point, Manu? Why start a new faction only to have them lose to mid-carders? Cody Rhodes seems to get ok treatment, but Manu is always the one jobbing. Having him lose to Kofi was just plain dumb. Maybe they need to go back and repackage Manu or something because he's obviously not getting over at all and he'll never be if he keeps losing. Maybe take a book from Umaga or something and make him a monster. Either that or kick him out (which i guess might happen as it was teased after his match) Somehow I dont see Sim Snuka doing much better but maybe they could start fresh with him and make him a threat. They need to either start making Legacy a powerful force, or just scrap it and try a different angle because as of right now they're nothing but jobbers and Orton.
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