Not trying to step on Daniels toes, just want to cover some ground he didn’t.
1. I find Shane and Stephanie’s whole “play nice guys” video funny because it’s totally anathema to what RAW and wrestling in general is about. But if it sets up a new GM that doesn’t suck (or Regal getting his throne back), then I’m okay with it.
2. The opening reminded me a lot of the best parts of the Attitude era. We open with something that feels spontaneous, or at least not micromanaged, with Shawn and Jericho brawling, then Kane pops in for a bit, then we get a match that leads to another match. One of the things that they lost from the Attitude era in recent years was shows that flowed from one segment to another. This one had quite a bit of that, and I’m all for it.
3. Hey, Kane mentioned that he and Punk were regular tag partners on ECW! There is a bone for you, fans who always bitch about a lack of continuity!
4. Paul London got squashed by Jericho. He should probably ask for his release soon and head back to ROH or try his hand at TNA. Unless they’re setting him up as Shawn’s little buddy. The fact that they didn’t acknowledge that he went to Shawn’s school, and that he’s been in the equivalent of WWE time out since he came to RAW, dissaudes me from that idea. Maybe they just want to act like Cade was the only guy Shawn ever trained or something. Or leave the protege vs. protege feud for Danielson. Just saying…
5. I kinda like Noble’s character. He did the same schtick on Smackdown with Michelle McCool. Sure, he’s a bigger fish in a much smaller pond in ROH (and, you know, the good to great matches), but he mildly amuses me with his “talk a big game, get his ass kicked” formula.
6. No one’s gonna bitch about Santino losing clean to Beth Phoenix, are they? Because she’s the most credible intergender wrestler they’ve had since Chyna (well, Jazz could have worked, but she was too busy helping make Trish a star at the time), and Santino has jobbed to everyone from Maria to Cousin Sal. Also, the whole thing is like a modern Andy Kauffman gimmick, so that amuses me too.
7. John Cena cut one of his best promos. Ever. Seriously. So awesome I all but said in response “So, do you want my $40 now, or on Sunday?” Even if the match between he and JBL will most likely be terrible. And I was going to buy the show to support Punk anyway.
8. Speaking of awesome promos, Cody Rhodes and Ted Dibiase Jr.’s verbal demolition of Hacksaw was, well, priceless. It was Midnighter-esque (I unconditionally love you if you get that reference, by the way) in how it just destroyed the guy without laying a finger on him. Especially since Hacksaw has never won a title in WWE.
9. It’s interesting to me to see how Rhodes is following what’s basically a legacy wrestler career blueprint, laid out by Rocky and recently ridden beyond all reason to superstar status by Randy Orton: start out as a bland babyface with a lot of heart, get some early success in spite of your being as exciting as mayonaise, turn heel, become infinitely more interesting, be world champ in around a year. So, yeah, I’m pencilling in a world title reign (or world title with training wheels if it’s ECW) by next summer for Cody.
10. The main event was a good slice of old school tag team action (and quite possibly the only time a Rhodes has ever attempted a moonsault, unless Dustin did it during one of the many times I was not paying attention to his career). The combo of the lame ass DQ-finish (although making it illegal to kick a guy in the head wouldn’t be the worst idea, especially since Randy Orton gave half the roster kayfabe brain damage doing it) and JBL’s attempted (?) vehicular manslaughter were the equivalent of going to a fun party, but at the end someone takes off their pants, craps in the punchbowl, and sets the place on fire. The rest of the party was fun, and even the end was kind of exiciting, but it leaves a bad taste in your mouth since it’s the last thing you see, you know? That end in particular is like the worst of Attitude-era. I guess if Rocky survived a Hogan driven semi, though, Cena can live through a JBL driven rental car.
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