It’s John Cena vs Randy Orton on RAW. Is there anyone watching that actually still wants to see this match? Oh and Betty White is Guest Hosting, and Mark Henry returns. And will the Los Angeles crowd fill the arena with CM Punk chants? Follow along to find out.
Can We Please Get Daniel Bryan Some Respectable Shirts?
Betty White came out with the Big Show. A “Betty White” chant broke out and she said she was thrilled to be on RAW. Show asked her what she was going to do tonight and she said kick some ass. Triple H and Stephanie McMahon came out and Betty White went to the back. Triple H said he wanted to clarify some things from last week. HHH said they would only reconsider Bryan being the face of the WWE if he beat Randy Orton last week. The key word being reconsider. The same way they are reconsidering everyone else in the Elimination Chamber match.
Randy Orton came out. Stephanie said he should go back to the locker room and prepare for his match tonight. Orton said he was out there to apologize to them for being childish and selfish. He said he needs to go back to being The Viper for the rest of his reign. Steph asked how they could trust him again. Orton said his apology is coming from the heart. Orton said he cashed in his Money in the Bank contract there in Los Angeles and made a promise to be the new face of the WWE.
Daniel Bryan then came out. Bryan said Orton is not the Face of the WWE. He’s a different body part entirely. Steph said every superstar going forward needs to make an appointment with the Director of Operations if they want to speak to them. Bryan said last week Kane failed to help out Randy Orton last week, and he beat Randy Orton. Bryan wanted a match with Kane, but Steph said he is on administrative leave and has a strongly worded letter of reprimand in his file. Bryan asked who was doing their performance review because they are a combination of arrogance and stupidity. Orton called out Bryan for saying that. Bryan said that Orton might have a thing for Steph because he did once kiss her in the ring while HHH was handcuffed to the ropes. HHH said they are going to do what is best for business, and give Daniel Bryan the night off.
If There Is One Thing The WWE Does Perfectly, It Is Six Man Tags
The Wyatt Family vs Rey Mysterio and The Rhodes Brothers. Rowan and Cody started. Cody escaped a backdrop and landed an uppercut and dropkick. Goldust came in but ate a shoulder tackle from Rowan. Harper came in but he ate an uppercut from Goldust, who then hit a hurricarrana on Harper. Cody hit a missile dropkick on Harper then Rey came in and did his face first slide to the outside right onto Harper.
Back from break Rowan had a chinlock applied on Goldust. Rowan backed Goldust into the corner and he landed a handful of punches. Harper came in and tossed Rowan into the corner with a splash and Harper connected with a boot. Bray came in and worked over Goldust a bit. They exchanged punches but Bray ended up hitting a bodyslam. Rowan came back in and he threw Goldust hard into the corner. Goldust hit a hand spring elbow, but Rowan stopped the tag. Rowan charged at Goldust but he ducked and Rowan went to the outside. Harper came in but Goldust hit a powerslam and made the hot tag to Rey. Rey hit a seated senton followed by a hurricarrana. Bray broke up the pin but Rey took him out. Rey hit the 619 on Harper, Bray pulled Rey off the apron, Cody hit a dive to the outside on Bray, Rowan threw Cody into the barricade, Goldust took Rowan out with a swanton. Rey went for another 619 on Harper, but Bray made the blind tag and went right into a nice looking Sister Abigail for the win.
After the match, Bray said that The Shield will fall just in time for his next game to begin.
WINNERS: The Wyatt Family
After a Roman Reigns video package, The Shield were interviewed. Roman called Renee Young baby girl. Rene asked Ambrose about not defending his US Title in forever. Ambrose said a lot of paperwork goes into that. Roman then asked Ambrose what kind of Champion he was, prompting Ambrose to deliver an open challenge for later tonight.
The New Age Outlaws took Betty White to go get some tea.
Fandango vs Santino with Emma. Fandango hit a couple headbutts on Santino. Miz walked down to the ring again and complained about not being on the show again. Santino hit a hip toss but Fandango got his knees up on Santino’s splash. Fandango then hit his top rope leg splash for the win.
WINNER: Fandango
The Most Over Guy In The Match? The Only One Who Was Never A World Champion
The Real Americans vs Sheamus and Christian. Cesaro got a pretty nice pop during his pre-match promo. Cesaro and Christian started. Cesaro took down Christian and tagged in Swagger. Swagger missed Christian in the corner and caught him with a kick. Sheamus came in and hit a suplex. Swagger escaped Sheamus and tagged in Cesaro, but Cesaro ate a clothesline followed by a neckbreaker. Sheamus and Cesaro started exchanging uppercuts. They continued to exchange stiff punches and uppercuts until Sheamus pushed Cesaro away and hit a shoulder tackle on Cesaro. Sheamus charged at Cesaro but Cesaro ducked and Sheamus went over the top. Swagger distracted Sheamus getting back into the ring and Cesaro knocked him off the apron to the outside.
Back from break Sheamus hit the Irish Curse Backbreaker on Cesaro. Christian came in and hit a Sunset Flip for two. Christian hit his over the top rope uppercut followed by an elbow off the second rope for two. Cesaro countered the Killswitch and tossed Christian in the air and connected on the uppercut. Swagger came in and catapulted Christian into the ropes. Christian escaped a headlock, but Swagger hit a Swagger Bomb and Cesaro hit his stomp for two. Christian tried making a tag, but Cesaro stopped him and hit the Cesaro Swing. Cesaro then catapulted Christian into Swagger, who caught him and hit a powerslam. Cesaro came back in but Christian moved out of the way of a charge and tagged in Sheamus. Swagger was also tagged in. Sheamus hit a high knee followed by his rope punches. Sheamus lined up for a Brogue Kick, but Cesaro jumped in and hit an uppercut. Sheamus went for his rope punches but Swagger stopped him and applied the Patriot Lock. Christian hit a crossbody off the top and then a dive to the outside on to Cesaro. Sheamus then hit a Brogue Kick on Swagger to pick up the win.
WINNERS: Sheamus and Christian
John Cena cut a promo saying that he ends his rivalry with Randy Orton tonight (LOL) and that if anyone wanted to be the new face of the WWE, they would have to go through him.
Remember When These Two Executed A Great Double Turn Last Year?
It’s Dolph Ziggler vs Alberto del Rio. Dolph caught Del Rio with a dropkick and Ziggler hit his ten elbow drops. Ziggler countered a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker attempt and hit a Fameasser for two. Ziggler took his time and Del Rio caught him with an armdrop. Del Rio then caught Ziggler with a kick to the head to pick up the win.
WINNER: Alberto del Rio
After the match Del Rio applied the cross armbreaker on Ziggler. Batista came out and hit a Spear on Del Rio. Batista then tossed Del Rio into the barricade. He then hit the Batista Bomb on Del Rio through the announce table.
Backstage Triple H told Batista that he can’t go off like that and that he is just looking out for him. Triple H said if he wants Alberto del Rio, he can have him at Elimination Chamber.
Lita was announced as the next Hall of Fame inductee.
The Outlaws had tea with Betty White backstage. She switched her tea with Billy’s and Billy drank it all.
Never Trust An Old Woman
Its the Usos vs Rybaxel. Jey Iso landed some left hands on Axel then did the Road Dogg punches on him. Jimmy came in but Axel caught him with a dropkick. Ryback worked over Jimmy in the corner. The Outlaws are on commentary and Billy is selling stomach problems from the tea. Jimmy knocked Ryback off the top then hit a dive off the top Jey got the hot tag and went to work on Axel. He hit a Samoan Drop on Axel but Ryback broke up the pin. Jey hit a dive to the outside on Ryback and made the tag at the same time, and Jimmy hit a dive off the top for the win.
WINNERS: The Usos
Billy ran to the back after the match, selling holding in diarrhea.
The open challenge of Dean Ambrose was answered by Mark Henry. Ambrose sold fear as Rollins and Reigns tried to tell Ambrose that he’s got this. Henry immediately tossed Ambrose to the outside. Back in the ring, Ambrose escaped Henry in the corner and started landing some kicks to the injured elbow of Henry. Henry recovered and tossed Ambrose away. Henry then tossed Ambrose into the ringpost. Ambrose ripped the elbow pad off Ambrose but Henry tossed him back to the outside.
Ambrose was working over the elbow of Henry back from break. Ambrose went to the top but Henry tossed him off with one arm. Henry hit a couple of clotheslines followed by a running powerslam. Ambrose caught Henry with a boot and went for his finisher, but Henry countered with the World’s Strongest Slam. Rollins broke up the pin attempt, causing a DQ.
WINNER: Mark Henry via DQ
The Shield attacked after the match, which ended with Roman Reigns hitting a Spear on Henry on the outside. The Wyatts came out afterwards. They stared each other down from across the ring then on the apron. Roman Reigns got in the ring and Bray teased coming in as well, but the Wyatts backed off.
Cameron and The Bellas beat AJ, Aksana and Alicia Fox after Cameron pinned Aksana. There were a couple of botches in the match, including Brie messimg up jumping off Nikki’s back and Cameron missed some clotheslines.
Kane came out. He said that what he did last week was ill-advised and The Authority had nothing to do with it. Daniel Bryan came out and attacked Kane but Kane caught Bryan with an uppercut. Bryan avoided a chokeslam and ducked a charging Kane who went to the outside. Bryan dropkicked Kane over the barricade as Kane bailed through the crowd.
Guys This Is The End Of The John Cena/Randy Orton Rivalry. Cena Said So. What? Don’t Believe Him?
Orton went right to a headlock. Cena escaped and hit a hip toss. They locked up again and Cena applied a headlock this time. Orton escaped and went for a hip toss again but Cena blocked it and hit one of his own. Orton regrouped on the outside. Cena and Orton exchanged some punches and Cena hit a running bulldog for two. Orton got back up and caught Cena with an elbow. Cena charged at Orton in the corner but Orton moved and Cena went into the corner. Orton took the action to the outside and dropped Cena on the barricade.
Back from break Orton landed a handful of kicks in the corner. Orton took his time and Cena caught him with a bodyslam. Both men exchanged blows. Cena hit one shoulder tackle but Orton ducked out of the way of the next one. Orton then suplexed Cena from the apron over the ropes. Cena escaped a chinlock and went for an A, but Orton countered with a DDT for two. Orton did the Garvin Stomp then mocked the crowd. This let Cena go into CENA MODE, finished off with the Five Knuckle Shuffle. Cena went for the AA again, but Orton countered to a backbreaker for two. Cena went for another AA, but Orton countered into a powerslam for two.
Both men went to the top. Cena pushed Orton off but Orton crotched Cena in the corner. Orton then hit his DDT from off the top rope. Orton went off on the crowd then saying it wasn’t the same old shit. Orton went for the RKO but Cena countered to the STF. Orton got to the ropes. Orton recovered with a dropkick. Orton went for the point, Cena moved and went for the AA, Orton escaped and hit the RKO but Cena kicked out at two. Orton sold disbelief and Cena was able to hit the AA but Orton kicked out at two. Cena went for the AA off the top but Orton escaped. Orton went after Cena again but Cena pushed him away. Cena hit a leg drop off the top rope then the AA to pick up the win.
WINNER: John Cena
WHAT I LIKED
Wyatts vs Rhodes Brothers/Rey Mysterio: If there is one thing that the WWE does right, it is six man tags. Another good one here with the Wyatts coming out looking strong. Bray hit a nice looking Sister Abigail on Rey to end it. It was done fast but all in one motion. You have to wonder what Rey Mysterio’s role is going forward.
The Real Americans vs Sheamus and Christian: Cesaro has always had some fan support, but almost the entire arena was behind him tonight. No idea where that came from. Cesaro is going to get over if the WWE allows him to. Good tag match. People like to crap on Sheamus but he is more than capable of holding his own in the ring and he did with Cesaro here.
The Shield/Wyatt Staredown: Sometimes things just seem so unique that they look great. And that’s what happened here. The WWE did a good job with their camera angles, allowing them to show the crowd into everything happening. This match should have happened at WrestleMania.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
Batista/Alberto del Rio: That is the type of segment that should have been saved for after their PPV match. Why should I, as a viewer, think that Alberto del Rio has any shot of winning in their match now? It is just bad booking by the WWE. At least make Del Rio look like somewhat of a threat. But instead, the WWE goes the traditional FACES HAVE TO LOOK STRONG AT ALL TIMES route. (except with Daniel Bryan)
John Cena vs Randy Orton: This gets put here mostly for the ending. The WWE Champion shouldn’t be losing as much as he does. And yes, that includes losing to Daniel Bryan too. I don’t mind a non-Title loss here or there, or in tag matches. But not two weeks in a row. The match itself wasn’t bad, and if it was anyone other than Cena or Orton doing that match the crowd wouldn’t have crapped on it.
Mark Henry’s Return: That just fell flat. I don’t know what else they could’ve done. But they hyped it up a bit and nothing of note happened.
Overall, I thought the show was slightly above average. The wrestling was good. And that includes Cena/Orton no matter how much the fans want to be cool and crap on the match. It’s been done to death, but the match wasn’t that bad. Daniel Bryan wasn’t used that much, but he did a good job in the role he was put in. There wasn’t too much filler. The storyline advancement was minimal, but there was enough solid wrestling on the show to make up with it. I’m giving it a 6.
Until Next Time,
Justin C
Follow Me On Twitter @JCWonka
