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Live from the Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina
Commentators: Michael Cole & Jerry “The King” Lawler
Championship’s roll call: WWE Champion: CM Punk… World Champion: Mark Henry… Intercontinental Champion: Cody Rhodes… United States Champion: Dolph Ziggler… Tag Team Champions: Air Boom… Diva’s Champion: Beth Phoenix
“Rowdy” Roddy Piper opens the show this week for a Piper’s Pit; this was advertised on WWE.com so it isn’t a complete surprise. He poses a question, how does a guy who never won the WWE title, is not big and strong become such an icon; answer, energy, the fans. Bad guy or good guy, the energy from the fans drove him; he questions his guest’s belief in the importance of the fans’ energy and then brings out John Cena. They exchange intros; Cena thought he had the answers, Piper changes the questions; Cena questions Piper’s logic about fans’ energy. Piper plays word association with the fans; Steve Austin, huge pop… Bret Hart, likewise… The Rock, as expected reaction …and John Cena, mixed reaction but a sizable “Cena” chant does erupt. I think the WWE wanted more of a heel reaction here because Piper and Cena don’t seem to know how to react to the positive chanting. Piper mentions that when the Rock hit the Rock Bottom, MSG came unglued; Cena reiterates that he has fans and he is loyal to them and acknowledges his negative reactions and chalks it up to freedom of speech. Piper calls him the face of the WWE, but the booing has been getting louder and louder, and he is “losing it”. I assume he means the fans’ respect. Piper says Cena needs to tell the fans how he really feels about the reactions or he will be the loser of the biggest WrestleMania match ever. Cena feels he is going a little overboard; he reminisces about all of the times the fans boo him. Cena points out some kids the front row doing the “you can’t see me gesture” and some veterans in the front row; Cena mentions his “rise above hate” shirt and knows that he can beat the Rock at WrestleMania. Piper says he is proud of him, mentions the torch passing to Cena and how he rose higher than they did; he gives him his HOF ring and calls him a future Hall of Famer and tells him to tap the energy and tell the fans what he thinks. Piper slaps him and stares at him like a lunatic. “Do you feel the energy?” Cena gives him his ring back and leaves… 4.5/10 Well, that was weird, Piper may be a Hall of Famer, but (sometimes) he rambles a lot; I understand where he was going with this. This is the first time that the WWE is not only acknowledging the boos that their fair-haired boy Cena is receiving but possibly making an angle out of it. The promo was totally confusing and the only reason it’s tolerated is because it’s Piper just like the Rock can wrestle one night and receive a massive ovation. Legends!
John Morrison vs. The Miz falls count anywhere: The Miz attacks him with a lead pipe before the match starts and heads to the ring. Just before I think that the match will be canceled and begin to erase the header in my review, Morrison hobbles into the ring so the match is happening. Miz tries to go for the leg but Morrison lands on top of him and punches away. Miz finally gets a kick on the leg and then wraps it around the post a few times; he grabs a Kendo stick from underneath the ring and works the leg over with it. Morrison avoids a big swing and clotheslines him; he beats Miz to the stick and unloads with it. They head to the floor where Morrison gets a nearfall. Miz crawls up the aisle and Morrison limps after him with the Kendo stick. He charges at Miz but gets pulled face first into the giant WWE logo at the top of the stage and then drops the Skull-Crushing Finale on the stage. Morrison is unconscious so the referee calls for the bell. Post-match, the Miz grabs mic and heads to the ring as John Laurinaitis comes out and observes briefly and then leaves. Miz says last week it was R-Truth, this week it is John Morrison and next week, who knows; only he can make this kind of an impact because he’s awesome. 4/10 Utter slaughter here; Morrison got beaten big time. He did control the majority of the match but the loss via referee stoppage and getting stretchered out is what everyone will remember and what the WWE is going to focus on. Miz is repackaging himself as a remorseless heel.
Kelly Kelly & Alicia Fox vs. The Bella Twins: Both teams are already in the ring; before the match starts, Natalya and Beth Phoenix, in workout gear, jog around the ring, distracting Kelly and allowing the Bellas to take the advantage. Nikki gets a nearfall but then Kelly hits the tilt-a-whirl head scissors. She was going for the Stink Face but Brie pulls her to the floor; Alicia wanders in the ring and takes Nikki down and hits the flipping legdrop for three? 1/10 Um, there was no legal tag. The WWE is caring less and less about the divas matches to the point that they don’t even care about legality.
John Laurinaitis is on the phone with Brodus Clay because he is pushing his debut back another week. David Otunga wanders in asks why; Laurinaitis claims he is doing it to anger Clay more and more so he will channel that anger in an impressive way. Alberto Del Rio comes in and reassures that he is ready tonight. Laurinaitis discusses the loss at Survivor Series and says that a lot of “influential people” were disappointed in that loss. Del Rio begins to assert his preparedness for the match when CM Punk enters and teases him with numbers in Google searches. He says that he typed in “Laurinaitis” and “spineless”, “Del Rio” and “boring”, and, well tried “David Otunga” but all he got was Jennifer Hudson stuff. Punk refers to them both as vanilla and then reassures that the title is not going anywhere tonight. He leaves and Otunga smells an “intentional DQ” rat so Laurinaitis waives the title DQ stipulation.
Randy Orton vs. Dolph Ziggler (w/Vickie Guerrero): Wade Barrett joins for commentary which should be entertaining; they’re trying to get Ziggler over as a “show off” so look for him to taunt a lot. Pre-match, Ziggler cuts a prerecorded cocky “show off” promo. They lock up and have a collar-and-elbow test-of-strength; Orton applies a standing side headlock. Ziggler fires him off but eats a shoulderblock; he rolls Randy up for a nearfall and smiles about it. Dolph takes over with kicks but Orton comes back with a deadly clothesline. Ziggler takes a powder on the floor. Orton maintains dominance with the stomps and a vertical suplex; Randy glances at Barrett but then misses the floating knee drop. Dolph works the knee and stomps on it; he drops an elbow, and gets a nearfall. Ziggler counters a stretch backbreaker with a rollup for two; he tosses Orton to the apron, and dropkicks him to the floor. Dolph takes over and stamps away in the corner but misses a Stinger splash; Orton comes back with Euro uppercuts that are cut off with a swinging neckbreaker, stomps and kicks follow; he mounts the buckles but Orton crotches him and hits the superplex, for a nearfall. Back from commercial, they trade punches to which Orton gets the advantage. He builds momentum with the clotheslines and scoop powerslam. He sets up and connects with the Viper DDT. Orton coils but Ziggler smartly rolls to the floor to avoid an RKO. Barrett hops up on the apron but gets knocked down via dropkick. Dolph slides back into the ring and ZIGZAG… for three! WOW, Dolph Ziggler pinned Randy Orton! Post-match, Ziggler “shows off” with a delayed handstand as Vickie screeches the name of the victor. 5.5/10 The match was not as good as prior matches that Ziggler has had recently… but the victory was much more important. Dolph has arrived now, defeating a major WWE player; yeah, Barrett had a little to do with it, but it’s a good storyline advancement between them and Ziggler was the lucky (in kayfabe sense, in reality, he deserved that win) recipient of it.
Michael Cole is in the ring with Daniel Bryan to pimp his title match on SmackDown tomorrow. Cole calls him a hypocrite and says he was “given” an opportunity to face Mark Henry in a cage for the title; Bryan says he “earned” the match by winning a fatal four way. Bryan then calls him the worst announcer in the history of the WWE. Mr. Bryan, there’s a Rob Bartlett on line 2 and a Duke Doherty on line 3. He implores Cole of give him a little bit of respect; Michael brings up cashing in the MitB contract last week despite cutting a promo on his “vegan high horse” about waiting until WrestleMania. Cole calls him a hypocrite again, and rubs in the false title switch on SmackDown in his face, taunting and laughing about it. Cole heels he should be suspended basically because he doesn’t like him; he hopes Henry DECIMATES him on SmackDown. Bryan admits that he is a hypocrite and says that his plans changed when Henry tried to end his career via Hall of Pain. Bryan says the MitB briefcase is still no guarantee and says that becoming the World Heavyweight Champion is more important than his WrestleMania dream. Here comes Mark Henry still in a walking boot, onto the stage; he feels that Bryan should be ashamed of himself for taking advantage of a beaten man. He also feels that Teddy Long should be ashamed for booking an injured champion in a cage; but he’s tough, so it’s okay and Bryan can’t beat him. Bryan heads up the ramp and stomps Henry’s injured foot, as he passes by, and says that “we’ll see tomorrow night”. 5.5/10 Nice of the WWE to give Bryan some mic time to explain his actions. The foot stomping was funny and something that is so Bryan Danielson it is great. I’m glad that Bryan admitted that he was indeed a hypocrite because the storyline made him look so and lying about it would make him look like a chump (unless he was a heel). He also has forgone his WrestleMania dream so a MitB cash in could occur at any time… possibly even tomorrow night if he loses and there are some post-match Big Show antics.
Zack Ryder vs. Jack Swagger (w/Vickie Guerrero): Poor Swagger, doesn’t get much of an entrance, just announced in the ring. Swagger takes him down at the bell with a wastelock; Ryder fires back with a lunging forearm as the fans chant “let’s go Ryder”. Swagger cuts off the comeback with a belly-to-belly suplex and pounds Zack down; he slams him and drops a leg for two so he segues to a keylock. Which goes on for a while allowing Jerry Lawler to read some of the feeds from WWE.com/social and what people are posting; many are bitching about the WWE’s obsession with social media, but I like it, it gives all of the fans at home a feeling that they are part of the show as well. It’s no different than AMC’s The Talking Dead follow-up show to The Walking Dead, where it gives the fans a chance to call in and discuss the show; social media is the BIGGEST way to expand clientele and fans, why not use it. Some pro wrestling purists are like baseball purists where anything that is not 1930 is considered a dilution of quality and pollution of the sport; same thing with pro wrestling fans and I’ve been watching since 1985. Anyway, back to the keylock, Ryder comes back and delivers a swinging neckbreaker, for two. Ryder counters the Dr. Bomb and heads to the second rope for a crossbody but Swagger catches him in midair and plants him with a backbreaker in perfect position for the Swagger Bomb… but there appears to be a legit miscommunication where Swagger steps on Ryder’s hand and cannot leap onto the buckles; he goes for it again but Ryder counters with two boots to the face. Maybe it wasn’t a botch because Ryder immediately hits the Rough Ryder for three! 3.5/10 I think they are going the “fluke victory” road with Ryder. It almost feels as if the WWE is punishing him with tainted victories (in lieu of legit strong wins) for being so popular when the WWE feels he isn’t worthy the push he is receiving. Regardless, Ryder is getting wins and is on television seemingly every week.
A burning mask signals Kane’s resurrection. Back in the arena, Mick Foley, in Santa suit kicking off the Christmas season, comes out share a “Twas the Night Before SmackDown” story. He pimps the show in rhyme and calls himself “St. Mick”. Elsewhere, in the back, Josh Matthews asks CM Punk about John Laurinaitis waving the DQ stipulation in the WWE title match. Punk says that Laurinaitis is “dealing from the bottom of the deck” and after he retains his title the GM can kiss his bottom… and by “bottom” he means “ass”.
WWE Heavyweight Championship CM Punk vs. Alberto Del Rio (w/Ricardo Rodriguez) DQ stipulation waived: I’m glad they gave this match some time to play with; the WWE foregoes the in-ring ring announcement, which sucks. I feel the whole show hinges on this match; they’ve promoted it all night, after all it is a title match, and it needs to deliver, at least in-ring. Punk outwrestles Del Rio into a keylock but gets reversed into a standing armbar; Punk tosses him into the corner and monkey flips him out and goes back to the armbar. Both guys utilize an arm submission hold, so look for a lot of arm work in this match. Del Rio switches into a headlock; they speed it up but Punk gets arm dragged back into an armbar. They run the ropes again and this time Punk shoulderblocks Del Rio down and clotheslines him to the floor. Punk hits a suicide dive as we head to commercial break, Del Rio is working Punk’s arm as we return; during the break Alberto knocked Punk off the top and kicked his arm from a Tree of Woe position. Del Rio continues the arm work with another armbar; Punk comes back with a one-armed sunset flip, which fails, and Del Rio is able to maintain control. He heads up top and hits a double axe for two; Alberto works the arm within the ropes, chicken winging it; Punk gets a desperation boot up in the corner but misses the slingshot top-rope crossbody. Del Rio basement dropkicks the bad arm and shoulder and reapplies the armbar. Punk fights back but runs into the tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Del Rio hits another top rope sledge for another nearfall; he heads back to the arm. Punk keeps trying to comeback but Del Rio keeps the advantage, this time with a boot, and he heads to the top again, this time Punk catches him with a roundhouse kick and gets two. They have a punch/kick battle and Del Rio actually wins, but mistakenly tries an Irish whip, and gets reversed into a leg lariat. Punk hits a neckbreaker for two. Punk hits the knee in the corner but cannot connect with the follow-up bulldog because his arm is weak; Del Rio takes full advantage with a Backstabber arm breaker, for another nearfall. Del Rio counters an O’Connor roll, ducks a roundhouse kick, and hits a German suplex, for two; a finisher counter sequence follows and ends with a Del Rio DDT, for two. Alberto loosens the turnbuckle pad drawing the ire of referee Charles Robinson, drawing him over to tighten it; Ricardo tosses him a chair, I think I see where this is going, Del Rio tosses the chair to Punk, who hot potatoes it back to Del Rio and collapses in the ring; somewhere Eddie Guerrero is smiling. Del Rio quickly tosses the chair away but not in time that Robinson notices it. I was wrong. Robinson begins to motion to the timekeeper but Del Rio grabs him to try to talk to him. That’s an odd counter to a DQ; prevent the referee from communicating to the timekeeper! Punk seizes the opportunity and rolls Del Rio up… FOR TWO! I SWEAR that was it, as did the ENTIRE crowd, good false finish there. Del Rio hits a Backstabber for another close nearfall. Ricardo hops up on the apron again, unbeknownst to everyone the turnbuckle pad has fallen off in the corner, Del Rio tries to ram Punk into it but he counters and fireman’s carry bounces Del Rio onto it and gets the three count! Post-match, Ricardo argues with the referee about the exposed turnbuckle so Punk gives him the Go2Sleep and celebrates. 6.5/10 The match started off really slowly and then kicked into another gear at the very end. Not bad but nothing spectacular either. I’m sure people are going to complain about Del Rio cutting off the earlier DQ, even putting his hands on a WWE official, which is a HUGE no-no in the Gorilla Monsoon book; probably would have been worse if Del Rio had won. I SWEAR Laurinaitis was going to come out and reverse the decision giving Del Rio the title via disqualification, which would have been incredibly stupid and predictable; quite glad the WWE didn’t go that way.
OVERALL 3.5/10 Nothing Raw this week; Punk retained the title but the more intriguing story was the John Cena storyline, acknowledging the booing (which they’ve subtly done when it was grotesquely apparent), but this time in a storyline fashion; I’m guessing this is going to be the build to WrestleMania, can John Cena win the hearts of the fans before his showdown with the Rock? Well, at least it keeps the title off of him and allows the focus title on Punk, Del Rio, Wade Barrett, Mark Henry and Daniel Bryan, different people, hopefully the WWE doesn’t get cold feet and hotshot the title back onto Cena when they feel the prior mentioned don’t draw the way they expect.