Welcome to Inside Pulse Wrestling’s Live Coverage of WWE Monday Night RAW!
I Have A Dream.
We skip the theme tonight and we go right to John Cena making his entrance! We get a reminder of what happened three weeks ago, which was back in 2010. Cena is all fired up and he’s ready to act on his New Year Resolutions, which include kicking CM Punk’s ass. He asks Punk that if he wants some…to come get some.
Enter The Miz and Miz-Itch all decked out in suits like the Main Event Maf— oops, wrong show. The Miz says that no one wants Cena as champion and that he is the must-see champion in the WWE. The Miz says that Cena won’t win the Royal Rumble match because there will be 40 people in the Rumble this year. He then warns the prospective winner that if they go after him, they will lose. Cena mockingly claps and repeats what the Miz said. Cena reminds the world that if it wasn’t for Michael Cole, Jerry Lawler would be the champion and if it wasn’t for Miz-Itch, Randy Orton would be WWE Champion. Cena calls the duo the male version of the Kardashians and that Michael Cole has the same street cred as the Jonas Brothers. The only challenging bout the Miz had in the past few months was IBS. More props for Jerry Lawler pinning Miz-Itch last week and the Miz calls Cena CORNY. He’s sick of being labeled a coward because it is generic. He says that he can fight with the best brawlers in the WWE. Undertaker? Steve Austin? He says he can outwrestle the greatest technicans in WWE History. Kurt Angle? This is because he’s the Miz and he’s…he’ll finish the catchphrase after he beats Randy Orton. John Cena tells the Miz that he won’t make it to WrestleMania. Cena calls for the Miz to prove him wrong.
Here comes the Nexus and Cena turns his attention towards them. He tells the Miz that he doesn’t have to prove himself to John Cena. Punk is sporting a nice bruise on his right eye, courtesy of a NINE YEAR OLD. Yes, I read things. The Nexus will be in the Rumble and their job will be to make sure CM Punk wins the Rumble. He sends the lackeys down to the ring. It becomes three-on-one, but Cena gets help from Santino Marella and Vladimir Koslov and the Nexus gets sent packing. Punk decides to join in making it four on three. The RAW GMail chimes in and Michael Cole reads that he wonders what the odds are of CM Punk beating John Cena if his Nexus members are barred from ringside. In fact, if any member of Nexus gets involved, they are OUT of the Royal Rumble.
Tonight, it’s a #1 Contender’s battle as Dolph Ziggler takes on Randy Orton! But next…the WWE Tag Team Championships will be on the line!
Commercials.
WWE Tag Team Championship Match: Jimmy & Jey Uso v. Santino Marella & Vladimir Koslov (w/Tamina)
It’s Santino and Jey to begin the match. Santino makes short work of him, but the distraction allows Jay to get the first pin attempt. Tag to Jimmy and Santino is in peril. Tag back to Jey and he applies a headlock, but Santino counters with a snapmare. Santino reaches Koslov as does Jimmy. Koslov takes care of Jimmy, hitting a powerslam for two, broken up by Jey. Jey is eliminated and Jimmy kicks Koslov to his corner. Battering ram by Koslov and we get a tag to Santino. Koslov hits the Iron Curtain on Jey on the outside. Santino follows with the Cobra for the victory.
Winners: Santino Marella & Vladimir Koslov
Grade: D-
The Nexus Argue amongst themselves and CM Punk steps into the screen with a wicked smile. He speaks “faith” before leaving.
Backstage, John Morrison walks into Daniel Bryan, who gets a kiss from one of the Bella Twins. They will be facing off…NEXT!
Commercials.
Last week: John Morrison beats Sheamus.
John Morrison v. Daniel Bryan
This should be for the title, but it’s not. But this match should be awesome anyways. We get a highlight video of John Morrison, guaranteeing that he’s officially main event talent. The bell rings and they feel each other out at the get-go. Morrison gets the upper hand with an armlock. Bryan gets out of it and he takes Morrison down and wrings the arm himself. Morrison runs the ropes and eats a dropkick sending him out of the ring. Bryan looks for a baseball slide, but Morrison moves out of the way. It looks like a stalemate, so let’s take a commercial break.
Commercials.
We’re back and John Morrison is in control over Daniel Bryan. Morrison looks for Starship Pain, but he misses! Bryan kicks Morrison and we get a two count. Bryan looks for the LaBell lock, but Morrison gets out of it. Both run the ropes…both look for crossbody blocks…both crash and burn! Both men are up and they slug it out. Bryan with the kicks before getting countered left and right. Bryan misses a kick and Morrison misses a rollup attempt as Bryan tries the LaBell lock. Morrison is successful and he launches Bryan into the turnbuckle. Flash kick connects and Morrison connects with the knee to the head for the win!
Winner: John Morrison
Grade: C+ (should have been longer!)
John Morrison shakes Daniel Bryan’s hand. Sheamus comes out and he says that he made John Morrison and he can break him and that he nor Daniel Bryan aren’t on his level. He vows on winning the Royal Rumble.
Dolph Ziggler v. Randy Orton…NEXT!
Commercials.
The WWE “Stand up for WWE” campaign won a Mashable award.
The Bella Twins talk about Daniel Bryan and John Morrison. So…they decide on a little wager, to see who can charm Daniel Bryan the best. Interesting.
Vickie Guerrero makes her way towards the ring and Michael Cole gets a hard-on for this. EXCUSE ME! EXCUSE ME! She’s here to introduce the new World Heavyweight Champion, Dolph Ziggler. EXCUSE ME!
Dolph Ziggler v. Randy Orton
The match…is NEXT! No, really…it’s NEXT this time around!
Commercials.
And we are underway! Feeling out process to start, but Dolph Ziggler takes advantage. Orton with the Thez Press a la STONE COLD. Orton gets sent to the corner, but he explodes with a lariat! Firmly in control, Orton kicks Ziggler to the ring apron and he hits the Garvin stomp. Ziggler’s neck meets the bottom rope for two. Headlock applied, but Ziggler makes it to his feet and he hits a jawbreaker. That follows with a dropkick for two. Ziggler works the leg of Orton, including snapping it against the ring post. Back in the ring, Orton tries to fight back and he does effectively. Orton has Ziggler in the corner, but Orton favors the leg and by doing that he eats a dropkick for a two count. Ziggler looks for the Indian Deathlock, but Orton fights the attempt. Slugfest to boot, but Ziggler misses a punch and Orton hits the 3.0! Ziggler charges for the corner, but he eats the post and Orton comes with the clotheslines. Powerslam by Orton connects! Ziggler is set up for the Hangman DDT, but Ziggler counters it with a shot to the knee. The ZigZag connects and Orton KICKS OUT AT TWO! Vickie is livid. Ziggler has Orton up, but Orton hits the uppercut! Ziggler locks on the sleeper! Orton fights and is able to get out of it by getting to the ropes. Another sleeper attempt and Orton blocks it. Ziggler jumps up in the ZigZag attempt, but Orton turns it into a RKO for the win!
Winner: Randy Orton
Grade: B-
Orton doesn’t celebrate as Miz and Miz-Itch attack from behind, just like cowards. The Miz sends Orton into the steel steps. The Miz looks to take apart the announce table, but Jerry Lawler gets involved. He gets sent over the barricade and the Miz slams Orton into the announce table. The Miz sends Orton spine first into the ring post with such aggression. The Miz follows with a trio of stiff kicks before lifting Orton up to send him THROUGH THE BARRICADE! The Miz gets a microphone and he says his catchphrase very lightly.
Commercials.
We recap what happened moments ago.
Backstage CM Punk preaches faith to the Nexus.
Eve Torres and Melina join Michael Cole on commentary for the following match.
Maryse v. Natalya
They go nose to nose and Natalya gets the better of Maryse on the first exchange. Melina is not talkative and Maryse takes control back. Natalya gets back up and she backs herself against the corner. Natalya looks for the Sharpshooter and Maryse taps out.
Winner: Natalya
Grade: FTS
Post match, Maryse yells at Michael Cole and Eve Torres piefaces her. Ted DiBiase comes out to calm her down and she calls him a loser. He grabs a microphone and he says he’ll throw someone over the rope and he proves it with a open challenge…NEXT!
Commercials.
And if anyone had Mark Henry as the one accepting an over-the-top rope challenge, please collect your winnings at the window.
Mark Henry v. Ted DiBiase
Mark Henry makes short work of DiBiase, but DiBiase gets a timely dropkick. That does nothing as Mark Henry sends Ted DiBiase over.
William Regal, Tyson Kidd, and several other stars fill the ring and it’s all for one and one for all. Sheamus enters the ring and it’s him and Henry going at it and Mark Henry survives.
Winner: Mark Henry
Grade: N/R
Alberto Del Rio comes out and he says that he will win the Royal Rumble.
Commercials.
Oh God..we get an informical for the World’s Strongest Man musk from NXT Rookie, Derek Bateman.
Michael Cole talks down about Jerry Lawler who wants to give him a fist in the mouth.
We go over the Royal Rumble by the numbers.
The RAW GMail chimed in on Michael Cole’s Blackberry setting up Edge v. The Miz in a huge Champion v. Champion match!
John Cena walks.
Commercials.
CM Punk v. John Cena
The bell rings and they stare each other down. They get closer, sizing each other up. AND HERE WE GO! Cena sends Punk pillar to post before hitting the bulldog! Cena posts Punk and he knuckles up on Punk. Corner to corner we go again and Punk hits the corner hard. It’s all Cena this round and he hits Punk with strikes for a two count. We go to the ropes and Punk scores a kick before following with a baseball slide sending Cena out of the ring so we can take a break.
Commercials.
We are back and CM Punk is firmly in control with a headscissors. Cena uses his strength, but Punk gets off him and DDT’s Cena for two. Knee to the back followed by a dropkick to the back of the head gets two as well. Headscissors applied again by Punk and here comes Cena breaking the grip. Cena gets out of it and here is his second wind. Protobomb connects and Cena follows with some Five Knuckle Shuffle. A.A. attempt, but Punk gets out of it and he connects with a heel kick for two. Punk connects with the corner attack and gets two off the bulldog. GTS attempt…CENA COUNTERS INTO THE STF! Punk reaches the ropes and Cena holds on for four seconds. Both men look for clotheslines and they connect! They both get up and Cena looks for the A.A., but Punk counters and he connects with the knee to the temple. Top rope clothesline connects by Punk and Cena kicks out at two. Punk with the knees and strikes, but Cena goes for the A.A. again. Punk gets out of it and DDT’s Cena again before locking on the Anaconda Vice! Cena wills himself towards the bottom rope, but he fades away. Cena finally reaches the rope and Punk breaks the hold. Cena rolls to the ring apron and Punk kicks Cena off the apron! Punk launches himself out of the ring and is caught by Cena! Cena rams Punk into the ring post and he takes time to recover. He climbs the top turnbuckle and Punk beats him to the punch. Punk goes to the top and Punk headbutts Cena. Superplex attempt, but Cena headbutts Punk off the top. Cena waits and he connects with the top rope FameAsser. Punk kicks out at two! Some unknown man comes into the ring and this gives Punk the much needed distraction to kick Cena in the face. Punk holds his hands up and he gets a big boot!
Winner via DQ: CM Punk
Grade: A
The bell rings and this monster of a man plants Cena with a Rock Bottom! Nexus rushes the ring and Punk holds them at bay and this monster kneels to a knee and is given a Nexus armband. The five salute as the show ends.
Show over.
