Tuesday Morning Backlash: WWE Monday Night Raw Recap (CM Punk, Alberto Del Rio, John Cena, Triple H)

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Raw opens with Triple H explaining why he fired Miz and R-Truth… because it wasn’t evident that it was for attacking the referees, right? Whatever, it’s an excuse to get Dolph Ziggler, Cody Rhodes, and Christian out there so they can have matches set up. I guess this, hopefully anyway, separates H from the main event scene for now, so it’s rough to complain too much. Of everyone who came out, Rhodes clearly got the best reaction and big things are clearly in store for him.

Rhodes was then put into a Battle Royal for mouthing off with his title on the line. They put all the Smackdown guys into that, so that’s where we get Ted Dibiase going after Cody, the Sin Caras fighting and causing themselves to be eliminated, and Sheamus looking great until Cody, with a little help from Christian’s distraction and his own mask, got the win.

Sheamus vs. Christian has been set up well enough and should be a really good match to help Sheamus become a face. Cody kicked all kinds of ass here, and is being set up for Orton when Sheamus goes back to Henry. Where that leaves Christian, I’m not sure, but I’m also not wholly sure WWE cares. He’s the role player that fits everywhere. He could legitimize Daniel Bryan when the Cara’s face each other. They have to change the way one looks a bit before that match for the crowd to really be able to tell what the hell is going on, though.

David Otunga complains about H to Johnny Ace. So, we get Punk rushed back, but this gets the slow build? Just incase you forgot what was important to them, there it is.

Beth Phoenix finally got to pin Kelly Kelly in a tag match with Natalya and Eve Torres on each team respectively. Beth has been spayed and neutered at this point. I’m not sure what reason there is for anyone to be behind her after Kelly has dominated her. Kelly even got a video package pre-match incase you thought this was anything but a fluke.

Mark Henry then crushed The Great Khali. Well, why not? Khali has to put someone over, and the monster heel is the best bet. Henry is clearly the best handled heel since Orton, but when’s the last time WWE had a heel this dominant? Kevin Nash? Yokozuna?

John Cena cuts a promo where he tells us all the stuff video packages already do (thanks for the help, John!), then faces Christian in Christian’s punishment for pissing off Triple H. CM Punk and Alberto Del Rio are on commentary and it’s absolutely embarrassing how easily Punk talks circles around Del Rio. The company’s obsession with ADR aside, Punk is simply better in every way at this point. The match goes until ADR attacks Punk then Cena, then is chased away and cuts a generic promo. So, is there any way this match is superior for Del Rio’s presence? A young Kurt Angle, he is not.

Dolph Ziggler finally puts the title on the line against Zack Ryder. Interference from Jack Swagger leads to an Air Boom save, and Teddy Long making it a 6-man tag, except Vickie Guerrero has to find her team’s sixth. I get the slow build on Ryder getting the title, but this is getting absurd. Luckily, Vicky trying to find a third member for her team distracts from how Ryder is screwed… again. Vickie eventually brings out Mason Ryan. Well, if anyone didn’t need to go back to FCW…hey wait a minute! Seriously, this couldn’t have been Tyson Kidd?

“I wonder how Vickie convinced Ryan to join her team?” I don’t know, Michael, any excuse to get on TV? Ryan then decides to crush the heels to a huge response. That was cool, but how in the hell does he end up any different than Ezekiel Jackson? Ryder gets the pin, so, good enough for this week!

David Otunga backstage plans a lawsuit against Triple H with the heels. Nothing makes for thrilling wrestling television like lawsuits! God forbid they get together and kick his ass, challenging him to fire them all and have no heels. That might make compelling television.

ADR vs. CM Punk is the main event. Whoa, no Orton all show, but Cena does commentary. They have a generic match and, well, anyone who thinks that Cena can’t wrestle needs to watch his Raw matches with Punk through the years, then this Raw’s Punk/Del Rio match. The quality isn’t even close. Del Rio isn’t bad, but he isn’t what one expects from a smaller top guy.

Punk eventually wins clean, meaning he won’t win at the PPV, then the Cell comes down and Punk and Cena double team Ricardo Rodriguez. Punk tries to turn on Cena, Cena counters, but both escape just to be killed by ADR with a chair. Del Rio stands tall to end the show to great heat. That might have sold some PPVs if this wasn’t the 147th PPV in the past 6-weeks. This has been for your… wait a second. Goodnight everybody! For Your Consideration will be up in the morning!

Glazer is a former senior editor at Pulse Wrestling and editor and reviewer at The Comics Nexus.