A lot went down last Monday night on a show that was expected to be seen by A LOT of people. In knowing this, i wanted to wait a day or two before i posted my thoughts on WWE's biggest televised show of the year. I wanted to let what i had seen sink in. I also wanted to see if the work WWE did payed off in the end.
Well the numbers are in......and all things are happy in the WWE kingdom. As they should be.
RAW 1000 was seen by over 6 million people last Monday night, producing RAW's biggest television rating since 2006: a 3.9. They also drew a sell-out crowd of over 18000 fans that came to see the biggest names of yesterday interact with the most important stars of today. What they ended up getting was a show very light on wrestling but heavy on angles that were masked in a nostalgia theme. Entertainment was WWE's goal last night and you will be hard pressed to find anyone who was not entertained by at least something from RAW 1000. Sure, there was some stuff that, if taken out of the glamor that was RAW 1000, it would of definitely been seen as illogical or questionable. However, all i know is that by the time RAW 1000 went off the air, i was happy and i couldn't wait to see next week's show. Going into RAW 1001, this is EXACTLY how everyone should be feeling.
So, without further ado, lets see what made RAW 1000 tick.....
#1: Summerslam 2012 & Royal Rumble 2013 - Forecasting the foreseeable future
The advantage (and added pressure) of a show like RAW 1000 was that there was always going to be an increased viewership. Thus, producing a show that is going to be seen by over 6 million people means that a lot of ground needed to be covered so to please all audiences. For the most part, WWE achieved this by presenting a loaded television show based on nostalgia, former stars and fond memories. BUT most importantly, what made this show work in the eyes of most audiences was that they planted the seeds with respect to two PPVs that are the cornerstones of WWE folk law: Summerslam and Royal Rumble.
I praise WWE for choosing this time above all to promote their key bouts going into their key events for the year. I have always said if you want to make PPV matches feel more important, give the audience time to digest the angles and salivate over the potential pay-off. In a number of instances on RAW 1000, WWE showed everyone that they are still capable of recognizing this fact. They were able to address their short-term plans while presenting a reason to get excited for next year. THIS is how you get audiences excited for your product.
In regards to Summerslam, HHH/Lesnar got a big chunk of time to get their match over. While i was not particular happy with the direction of this angle (as i will talk about in the coming section), the physicality of the two and the mere sight of Lesnar got me excited for their upcoming bout. Let's face it, regardless of the angles, Lesnar/HHH will draw the hardcore AND the casual fan base. This match is like Rock/Cena but with more focus on the physical and the aggressive.
Having Charlie Sheen involved - while hokey to some of the hardcore audience - is a HUGE coup for WWE. Sheen is a LEGIT A-LIST CELEBRITY and he will no doubt bring some decent outside exposure as it relates to Summerslam. Again, with added exposure comes an added pressure to perform and put on a show that doesn't insult the intelligence of the audience. Here's hoping they can do this. But back to Sheen. It looks as though he has the verbiage to hang with WWE's best. His ongoing commentary throughout the night was fun and felt natural, while and his semi-challenge to Daniel Bryan was another smart play as it relates to WWE's biggest event of the summer. If there is anyone who could provide the fans with a well-worked match with a celeb while maintaining entertainment value in lead-up promos, it is Daniel Bryan. He is the ultimate jerk in WWE right now and to boot, he is the safest worker around. All these elements add up to a potentially memorable encounter between WWE's top heel and Holywood's most notorious A-Lister. While Sheen's current state would of been perfectly suited to the late 90's/ early 00's, there is no doubt this confrontation will bring even more eyes to WWE's biggest party of the Summer.
Finally, the segment that had everyone talking was the one involving The Rock and C.M Punk. As promised, WWE followed through with their plans on having The Rock once again hold the WWE Championship via a blockbuster announcement: at the Royal Rumble next year in Phoenix, The Rock will face the WWE Champion for the title. While some maybe thinking that announcing the main event of Royal Rumble is way too soon, i believe there is no limit to when you should announce massive contests like this one. Making an announcement such as this does two things:
1) It forces the WWE Universe to begin to ponder who will be the WWE Champion come January 27th. With such pondering comes a need to watch every WWE Championship match with a renewed interest.
2.) It places an immense importance on the WWE Championship. Rock has a knack for putting over the title anytime he mentions it in any promo. Couple this with the fact that we now have a Heel WWE Champion that will do exactly the same going into Royal Rumble and you have a match that will draw big time.
Punk vs Rock is something fresh. Something different. After watching their interactions last Monday night, i hope that they stick with their current plan of having Rock face Punk. However, history tells us that Vince McMahon changes his mind every second of everyday. So, at this point, everything should be considered as beeing up in the air until January 27th. However, now that everyone is where they need to be in this potential rivalry (Rock, the overwhelming babyface and Punk the articulate, arrogant heel), i can't help but get excited about what the future holds for The Rock and whoever will be WWE Champion come Royal Rumble 2013.
# 2: C.M Punk becoming heel - "Tune in next week to find out more!"
By the time the bell rung on the WWE Championship match between CM Punk and John Cena, i was pissed. HOW DARE WWE finish such competitive match up on yet ANOTHER LAME DQ. This is a Money in the Bank participant cashing in his contract. You DON'T build up something like this and then have such a weak finish involving Big Show ending the match via DQ. Why did Big Show even interfere? "Because he is a heel" is not even plausible when such an important event occurs (ie John Cena becoming the first man in WWE history to fail to win the World Title off a Money in the Bank Contract). Even with what was to come post-match, i find it VERY hard to believe that there wasn't any other finish that was stronger than what we ended up with. Maybe WWE should of looked at TNA and the heel turn of Bobby Roode to see my point of view. Regardless, it felt as though WWE were back to their old tricks again when the bell sounded on RAW 1000s main event.
Then we witnessed the heel turn.
With Rock attempting to aid a fallen John Cena, CM Punk cut off Rock as he was attempting the People's Elbow with a flying clothesline. The audience conveyed a mixed reaction. Nobody knew what to think. Then, as Punk looked at his hands, contemplating what had just transpired, he suddenly grabbed Rock and hit him with the GTS. A chorus of boos echoed throughout St Louis. They got it. CM Punk had turned on the WWE Universe.
Everything about CM Punk and the decisions he made in this final segment screened logic and clarity. Through his tremendous facials and body movement, Punk portrayed a man that was conflicted by a choice: Do the right thing or do not. When he finally embraced who he was after a GTS to The Rock, Punk delivered a sick, demented look to the crowd that spoke volumes. It spoke of a WWE Champion that has held the strap for over 8 months without receiving the recognition he deserved. It spoke of a man that wanted to remain the WWE Champion and would do anything to hold onto it. But most importantly, the final image of CM Punk on RAW 1000 presented a man that would no longer by held back by WWE figureheads like John Cena and The Rock.
Suffice to say, this main event angle was a MAJOR home run. Punk was always better as a heel. In fact, he made his mark in WWE as a heel. With regards to the match, i loved how the line was blurred with regards to Punk's true motive. Case in point: in the confines of the match, it looked as though CM Punk was just doing what any champion would do when their title is on the line: WIN. However, the transition point involving The Rock was a thing of beauty. Logically, there was no chance that the audience would of reacted the way they did if it was Cena who was taken out by Punk. Instead, WWE had Punk deny the audience a chance to see the People's elbow: THEIR MOVE. Furthermore, Punk got a real nice lot of offense in on Rock to make him seem like a legit threat going forward.
While this is all well and good, what made this for me was that we still have no idea why Punk did what he did. I, like many other fans, can only speculate over his motivation until Monday and THAT is why this segment was so good. Pro-wrestling should always have you, the audience member, wanting more. By "wanting more" you will go out of your way to see next week's show, buy the upcoming PPVs and interact with everything WWE has to satisfy your craving. By Punk not saying a word after his attack on Rock, we are forced to tune in next week to find out why RAW 1000 ended the way it did.
Great pro-wrestling drama that was memorable and has us wondering what will happen next. Can't ask for more than that!!
#3 Lesnar vs HHH.....or is it Heyman vs The McMahon family???
I'll be honest. The opening of RAW 1000 involving all the former members of D-Generation X was a real treat for a long-time wrestling fan like myself. The segment got over strong, everyone (including Billy Gunn) was treated with respect, all got a chance to plug their famous catch phrases AND we got to see DX do what they do best: embarrass someone at their own expense.
While this was all entertaining, it damaged the effectiveness of one of the most hyped segments of RAW 1000: Brock Lesnar answering HHH's challenge.
It is now apparent to me that WWE has done and will do everything that needs to be been done to ensure Lesnar doesn't come across as the monster we all know him to be.
First of all, you have HHH at the start of the show joking around and entertaining the crowd like he doesn't have a care in the world. You even have the COO come out in his DX attire as if to say this segment has interrupted a DX party he is having in the back.
Secondly, we had Paul Heyman come out and fiercely interact with HHH on behalf of Brock Lesnar. Heyman, as always, was FANTASTIC in his role as the antagonist. But from my point of view, he was almost TOO good. When i watched him interact with HHH and Stephanie, it almost felt as though he was promoting a match between HIMSELF and the McMahon family. Steph's comments on Paul as a failure enforced this train of thought. If it is HHH vs Lesnar at Summerslam, why should anyone care about seeing Paul Heyman get his at WWE's next PPV? This rivalry is about a man who got his arm broke by a UFC monster! Not about a man beating up a legal adviser because he is a jerk. By the time Lesnar actually came out, he came off as nothing but a big meat axe that was doing the bidding of the evil Paul Heyman.
Thirdly, Lesnar got his ass kicked as HHH destroyed him in a very quick brawl and sent him over the top rope to the floor. This former-UFC Champion - a man who enjoys hurting people/ a man who wanted to legitimize the WWE - responded to this beating by retreating to the back like an ABSOLUTE COWARD. I always thought having Lesnar off TV for months would eventually lead to him returning and destroying HHH. By doing this, Lesnar comes off like a legitimate threat and as someone who we could see beating the King of Kings. Instead, Lesnar came off as just another geek who has hid behind his legal adviser and has no chance of beating HHH at Summerslam.
At RAW 1000, WWE had a massive chance to heat things up as it relates to Summerslam's marque match. Instead, WWE focused on Heyman's banter between the McMahons and presented Brock Lesnar as legitimate coward, NOT a legitimate tough guy. It's very simple in pro-wrestling: if you have a match that centers around in-ring action and is something that people are willing to pay to see, you need to build both guys up to the point where a mystique surrounds their eventual showdown. "Who will win? Who is stronger? Who has the edge?" are the questions you want your audience to ask. Instead, the WWE Universe is pondering "How quickly will HHH destroy Lesnar at Summerslam?".
Match Results:
Match No. 1: 6-Man Tag Team Match
World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus, Sin Cara and Rey Mysterio
def
Dolph Ziggler, Chris Jericho and Alberto Del Rio (w/ Ricardo Rodreguez )
Rating: ** 1/4
- Considering all the amazing talent in this match, i would of liked to see these guys in a bunch of singles matches. Instead, we get a quick 6-man. A bit disappointing.
- Good match while it lasted. Weird seeing Cara and Rey in the same ring at the same time and it not being a bigger deal.
- Most involved got their big moves over and Ziggler/Jericho continue their rivalry. Smart to save this potential match for Summerslam instead of attempting to cram it into RAW 1000.
- Shame that the younger talent took a backseat to the nostalgia of RAW 1000. Would of been great to see lengthy matches on this show instead of a quick 6-man where talent gets lost in a sea of bodies.
- Great having JR out there but VERY DISAPPOINTING he didn't stay for the whole show. Having him come out for the opener made me think he would of stayed for the whole 3 hours. Alas, WWE wanted us to bask in the glory that is King and Cole on commentary.
Match No. 2:
Brodus Clay (w/ "The Funka-dacktiles" and Dude Love)
def
Jack Swagger
Rating: SQUASH
- This is a match we could of done without. I am sure there would of been MANY other and BETTER ways to get Mick Foley on television than this.
- Nothing to like here. Clay continues to bury younger talent and still fails to get over.
- All i can say is "poor Swagger". Had to take the weight of Clay and Mr. Socko from Dude Love.
- A complete waste of time. WWE should of given this time to Rey or Del Rio.
Match No. 3: Intercontinental Championship
(Bret "Hitman" Hart as Special Ring Announcer)
The Miz
def
Intercontinental Champion Christain
(New Intercontinental Championship)
Rating: ** 1/4
- I liked the ideas that went into the presentation of this match. Having Hart do a quick promo on his experiences of being the IC Champion was a nice touch (ie talking about his battles with Mr. Perfect). As i always say, recalling history like this can NEVER have an adverse effect on pro-wrestling matches.
- Standard solid Christian match. HOWEVER, crowd was burnt out from the previous Punk/Rock/Bryan segment. Made the action feel less important and effective.
- Miz is DEFINATELY no Christain. While he was the logical winner, he needs to work on expanding his arsenal. I can only watch him attempt a Double Axe Handle Smash and a Curb Stomp Kick so many times!!
- As stated before, Miz is the most appropriate IC Champ going forward. Christian isn't going anywhere (as usual) and Miz is semi-hot coming off his return to action. All in all, a basic, yet effective segment/match.
Match No. 4: No DQ match
Lita (w/ the APA)
def
Heath Slater
Rating: * 3/4
- This was more of a blow off angle as it was a match. Regadless, this was a lot of fun.
- It was a legitimate surprise seeing Lita come out to face Slater. Furthermore, throughout this whole segment, Slater's facials and reactions were tremendous. He plays a great "looser" heel.
- Having all the legends come down to screw Slater made sense and was fun to watch. What wasn't fun was that Clothesline From Hell by JBL. That move BEHEADED Poor Slater.
- All in all, a fun conclusion to a storyline that started off average, but grew into Slater's most memorable contribution to WWE Television to date.
Match No. 5: WWE Championship match via use of Cena's Money in the Bank Contract
WWE Champion C.M Punk
def
"Mr. Money in the Bank" John Cena via DQ
(Champion Retains)
Rating: ** 3/4
- No big entrances for Punk OR Cena which is surprising considering the hype this match got during the show.
- Pretty good "feeling out" sequence from both men. Slick and smooth but NOT as smooth as Aries/Roode from TNA last week. Regardless, there is no doubt in my mind that Punk always brings out the best in Cena.
- The match, unfortunately went to the finish VERY quickly. Thankfully, the finish sequence leading into the ref bump was FANTASTIC. Great retrospective look at their "Match of the year 2011" condensed into 2 minutes.
- While the DQ finish played into the eventual heel turn, i still hated it. Anytime you have tremendous wrestling ruined by an uninspired finish, you cant helped but be disappointed. The run-in by Show definitely dampened the initial effectiveness of the heel turn. It wouldn't be until my second viewing of RAW 1000's main event that i realized how good the turn really was.
Final Comments:
Unsurprisingly, this was a fun edition of Monday Night RAW. While it was a shame the younger guys didn't get a chance to spread their wings during this 3 hours of WWE television, it was great seeing stars like The Rock get us excited for the months to come. Punk's heel turn was one of the best in recent memory and was a great way for RAW 1000 to go off the air. The turn made perfect sense and was executed to perfection by the WWE Champion. Sure, the Lesnar/HHH segment might of rubbed me the wrong way, but there was still plenty of content on this show that made me laugh and made me get excited for this year's Summerslam. Good job WWE. Let's see if RAW 1001 can continue this trend.
Thanks for reading folks!
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