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5/13 Powell's WWE Raw Live Coverage: Brock Lesnar and Triple H meet in the ring, Chris Jericho and Fandango dance-off, final hype for Extreme Rules

Posted in: WWE TV Reports, MUST-READ LISTING
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May 13, 2013 - 07:00 PM

By Jason Powell

WWE Raw on the USA Network
Aired live from Tulsa, Oklahoma at the BOK Center


[Q1] A recap opened the show and focussed on Ryback's actions, and Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman invading WWE Headquarters... Michael Cole welcomed viewers to Raw and was joined on commentary by JBL. Jerry Lawler, who was standing in the ring which was covered by a dance floor. Lawler immediately welcomed viewers to Raw again just as Cole had done a second earlier. Oops.

Lawler set up footage of Chris Jericho and Fandango. Lawler introduced Fandango and Summer Rae. The duo danced their way to the ring and the makeshift dance floor. Lawler introduced Chris Jericho and "Dancing with the Stars" celebrity Edyta Sliwinska. Jericho had the light bright jacket, she did not, though no one would complain considering she was wearing a glorified bikini.

Once everyone was in the ring, Lawler said both teams would have 90 seconds to perform a dance routine. He said the winning team would be chosen by the live crowd. Lawler told the crowd it's not a popularity contest, they want the fans to vote based on their ability and dance moves.

Powell's POV: Well, this changes everything. Sigh.

Lawler brought up Fandango losing a dance contest to Great Khali. Fandango interrupted and said the fans may not like him, but they have to respect him. He said he doesn't think he will beat Jericho, he knows he will defeat him. Jericho was given a chance to respond. The crowd chanted Y2J.

Jericho said he's had a lot of impressive wins on Raw, but none were more impressive than when he became the first Musical Chairs Champion. He also recalled outsmarting Bob Barker to become the Price is Raw Champion. He said there's no doubt in his mind that he would win the dance contest.

"But even better, this Sunday at Extreme Rules, Fandunghole, I'm going to create a new dance sensation that is going to sweep the nation." Jericho said it will be called "The I just kicked your jackass all over this ring." He said he would dance all over Fandango's face at Extreme Rules. So, um, I guess this means they are having a match on Sunday. Lawler said they had a coin toss before the show and Fandango won and therefore gets to go first.

[Q2] The music played by Fandango and Summer stalled. Eventually, they got going, but she stumbled and grabbed her ankle. Fandango wasn't happy. Sliwinska went over to tend to her. Fandango told her it had nothing to do with her.

Fandango backed off and left the ring. He returned and caught Jericho with a kick to the face and then punched him repeatedly. Fandango took Jericho to ringside and slammed him into the announcers' table, threw him into the ring steps, and then into the ringside barricade.

Fandango grabbed a piece of the wooden dance floor and slammed it onto Jericho's celebrity sidekick was long gone, but the trainer was still tending to Summer Rae. Summer got back to her feet and showed that she was faking the injury. "We've been duped," JBL said. "You've gotta love Fandango, that was brilliant"...

Powell's POV: I don't know if it was brilliant, but I am happy to see they finally gave one of Fandango's dancers a personality. It still doesn't explain why she danced with Chris Jericho, but I think it's wise to give the NXT trainee more of a character than she had before. Sliwinska just scored the easiest appearance fee of her life.

The announcers hyped John Cena, Kane, and Daniel Bryan vs. The Shield in an elimination tag match... A shot aired of Ryback walking backstage... [C]

1. Ryback vs. Zack Ryder. Ryback plowed through Ryder and finished him off with Shellshocked. He yelled "Ryback Rules" a lot. A guy in the front row held up an O'Doyle Rules sign. Funny...

Ryback defeated Zack Ryder in 1:00.

Powell's POV: The squash match was logical, but I would have liked to have seen Ryback be a little more sadistic on the go-home show. I would have had him toying with Ryder and picking him up rather than pinning him so quickly.

[Q3] The announcers hyped the Brock Lesnar and Triple H as being face-to-face for the first time since WrestleMania... [C]

2. Brodus Clay and Sweet T (w/Cameron, Naomi) vs. The Prime Time Players. Darren Young struck Clay with a hair pick while the referee was distracted. Titus O'Neil rolled up Clay for the win...

The Prime Time Players defeated Brodus Clay and Sweet T in 1:40.

Powell's POV: Will we get the inevitable rematch as the free preview match on Sunday? Let's hope not.

Footage aired of Dolph Ziggler being struck in the head by a ladder last Monday, and then of the nasty kick to the face from Jack Swagger that concussed Dolph Ziggler. Lawler said Theodore Long would be out after the break to make a statement about the World Hvt. Championship and Extreme Rules... [C]

Matt Striker stood on the stage and introduced Teddy Long and noted that the WWE website reported that Dolph Ziggler would not be medically cleared to wrestle. Long said that since Vickie Guerrero has given him the authority, he has made a decision regarding the World Hvt. Championship.

Jack Swagger and Zeb Colter interrupted them. Colter said the title should go to the man who put Ziggler out of action. AJ Lee and Big E Langston objected. AJ said Swagger should be fired for what he did to Ziggler. Long announced that Swagger will face Alberto Del Rio in an "I Quit" match to become No. 1 contender.

Long also announced that Langston would face either Alberto Del Rio or Jack Swagger during Raw. Long said the fans who downloaded the WWE app would be allowed to vote to determine which wrestler Langston would face. Cole said the polls are not open yet. The announcers spoke about the ruling...

Cole said Mark Henry planned to call out Sheamus later in the show. Lawler hyped the six-man elimination match...

[Q4] Kofi Kingston made his entrance for a match against an unnamed opponent... [C] An ad for Smackdown focussed on the wrestlers in the Triple Threat ladder match that won't take place at the pay-per-view...

Powell's POV: Why does Long need the approval of Vickie Guerrero rather than Booker T to rule on the World Hvt. Championship? The loss of the ladder match from the pay-per-view really hurts it. I was looking forward to that more than anything else on the card. It would have been awkward to hold a ladder match without a title or a briefcase. More importantly, I don't think the ladder stipulation plays to the strengths of Swagger and Del Rio, so I understand why it was pulled.

Cole encouraged viewers to download the WWE app (download the free Prowrestling.net app while you're there!) and thankfully didn't give viewers a tutorial...

Cole announced Kofi Kingston vs. Dean Ambrose for the U.S. Championship will take place at Extreme Rules...

Powell's POV: That takes some of the sting away from the ladder match being pulled from Extreme Rules. I am curious to see whether Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns also challenge for gold by facing Team Hell No on Sunday.

3. U.S. Champion Kofi Kingston vs. Damien Sandow in a non-title match. Sandow cut a promo beforehand saying that Kingston's reign "will soon come to an end." Kingston finished off Sandow with the Trouble in Paradise kick...

Kofi Kingston defeated Damien Sandow in a non-title match in 2:30.

Mark Henry was shown walking backstage with a strap around his neck. Lawler said Henry planned to call out Sheamus for a Hall of Pain induction... [C]

Powell's POV: The great thing about the Hall of Pain is that I don't get emails from angry fans who hate that Sheamus is going to be inducted before Randy Savage.

Josh Mathews spoke with Mark Henry in the ring. They set up footage of Henry attacking Sheamus with a strap on Raw, and of Henry pulling two trucks on Smackdown.

[Q5] Mathews asked how Henry's power will help him defeat Sheamus on Sunday. "I'm going to show you," Henry said. He ordered Mathews to put the strap on, then shoved him to the ground. Henry walked around the ring and touched all four corners while dragging Mathews along with him.

Henry let Mathews loose. When Mathews scurried from the ring, Henry said, "Like a rat." Henry called out Sheamus, who eventually made his entrance. Sheamus spoke on the stage. Henry told him he was standing in the ring if he wanted some. Sheamus said Henry was holding a strap and it's not really a fair fight.

Henry accused Sheamus of being scared. Sheamus said he's never backed down from a fight. "You know what, Mark, you just talked me into it," he said. Sheamus stood at the top of the stairs and told him to back up so he could enter the ring. When Henry didn't comply, Sheamus said he left something under the ring earlier.

Sheamus grabbed a strap from underneath the ring and then cleared Henry quickly with strap shots. Henry, who dropped the strap, tried to get the strap back once. Henry headed backstage to boos and Sheamus played to the crowd...

Powell's POV: A good segment. Henry looked like a bully who would only fight when he had the advantage, and Sheamus looked like he outsmarted him by planning to even things up rather than humiliate him with silly games as he's done recently.

Footage aired of Brock Lesnar performing the F5 on Vince McMahon. Cole hyped the Lesnar and Triple H segment for later in the show. The announcers spoke at ringside and set up a trailer for Randy Orton's movie "12 Rounds Reloaded"... [C] The announcers recapped previous segments...

[Q6] 4. Randy Orton vs. Antonio Cesaro. Orton was in control of the match when Cesaro avoided a hanging DDT. However, Orton came right back with an RKO and pinned him...

Randy Orton defeated Antonio Cesaro in 3:00.

Powell's POV: Just in case you weren't sure after watching WWE Main Event, now you really know that Orton is bette than Cesaro. Look on the bright side, Cesaro fans, at least he's not yodeling.

Cole announced The Miz vs. Cody Rhodes as the Extreme Rules free preview match...

Powell's POV: Well, that beats the Tons of Funk vs. Prime Time Players tag match that I was fearing earlier tonight.

5. The Miz vs. Heath Slater (w/Drew McIntyre, Jinder Mahal). The announcers played up Miz's return. He eventually applied the Figure Four and got the submission win. "I'm back, baby," Miz yelled afterward while standing on the ropes...

The Miz defeated Heath Slater in 4:15.

[Q7] Cole set up a video on Layla and Alicia Fox at a Susan G. Komen "race for the cure" event... The announcers hyped the six-man elimination main event... [C] Footage aired from a past WWE Raw event with Triple H running Brock Lesnar into the ring post and busting him open. The announcers hyped the Hunter and Lesnar face-to-face...

Cole announced Kane and Daniel Bryan vs. Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns in a tag team tornado match for the WWE Tag Team Championship at Extreme Rules. He also announced Kane vs. Seth Rollins as the featured match on WWE Main Event... Ring introductions for the elimination match took place. Cena received a favorable reaction...

6. John Cena, Kane, and Daniel Bryan vs. Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, and Roman Reigns in an elimination tag match. Kane and Ambrose opened the match. Bryan tagged in quickly and threw some kicks. Cena tagged in and worked over Rollins heading into the break.

[Q8] [C] The Shield isolated Bryan after the break. Bryan eventually made the hot tag to Kane, who grabbed Rollins and Ambrose by the throat and then shoved them both over the top rope. Kane also cleared Reigns to ringside. Kane went to ringside and threw punches at The Shield members and ran Rollins into the post. He slammed Reigns off the steps and the announcers table.

Kane pulled the top pice off the announcers' table while the referee shouted at him and eventually DQ'd him to eliminate him from the match. Kane was disqualified at 11:55. [C] The Shield isolated Cena and worked him over for the next few minutes. Cena finally made a hot tag to Bryan.

[Q9] Bryan checked into the match and brought amazing energy. He performed a suicide dive onto Reigns on the floor and caught Rollins with a missile dropkick for an excellent near fall. However, Rollins managed to tag Ambrose and the numbers game got to him. Ambrose performed his finisher on Bryan and pinned him. Daniel Bryan was eliminated by Dean Ambrose.

Cole noted that Ryback had to be licking his chops because Cena was facing three men just six nights before Extreme Rules. Lawler played up Cena's Achilles injury. Cena got the better of Rollins and performed some of his signature offense, but Ambrose ran in before he could hit the Attitude Adjustment. Cena came back and performed the Attitude Adjustment on Rollins. Seth Rollins was eliminated by John Cena at 22:45.

Moments later, Reigns knocked the referee down and speared Cena to prevent him from performing the AA on Ambrose. Roman Reigns was disqualified. Ambrose worked over Cena a bit, but Cena came back and locked him in the STF. Reigns and Rollins returned and attacked Cena for the DQ. Dean Ambrose was eliminated by disqualification.

John Cena, Kane, and Daniel Bryan defeated The Shield by DQ in a six-man elimination tag match.

After the match, The Shield roughed up Cena and left him lying with the Triple Powerbomb. The Shield left the ring. Ryback's music played and he headed to the ring. He stood over Cena and then exited the ring. Ryback stopped and decided to grab a chair from underneath the ring. Ryback entered the ring with the chair and slammed it over Cena's bad ankle before yelling "Ryback Rules"...

The announcers shifted focus to telling viewers they could now vote for Big E Langston's opponent... Shots aired of Triple H beating Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 29. Lawler hyped their segment for later in the show... [C]

Powell's POV: The announcers played up the elimination of Rollins as his first loss in WWE, but they didn't make a big fuss over The Shield losing the match by DQ. A very good entertaining match. The flurry by Bryan was the highlight for this viewer. Ryback still doesn't have big heat. Even after the chair shot, the guys yelling Goldberg were louder than any boos. The announcers did a good job of establishing that Ryback was targeting Cena's injured ankle. I wasn't a fan of the abrupt shift to the Raw music and the plug for the app poll. They really should have let the Ryback attack sink in during a commercial break rather than moving right on to the next thing.

[Q10] Backstage, Matt Striker interviewed Ryback, who said he tried to play by the rules and do the right thing for the last year. He said time and time again he was screwed out of the WWE Championship. He said Sunday everyone will know that Ryback Rules...

Powell's POV: This Ryback Rules stuff felt tired the second time he ever said it. It isn't helping that we now hear it five times an hour.

Big E Langston and AJ Lee headed to the ring. Lawler stood up and revealed the results of the poll. 65 percent of the fans voted for Jack Swagger over Alberto Del Rio...

Powell's POV: It looks like Swagger used Ted Stroehmann's hair gel. Franks and Beans!

7. Big E Langston (w/AJ Lee) vs. Jack Swagger (w/Zeb Colter). Swagger was on the offensive when the match went to break. Cole continued the hard sell of the action continuing on the WWE app during the commercial break. Langston came back, but missed a shoulder block in the corner. Cole plugged comments from Ziggler on the app.

Swagger performed a Swagger Bomb for a two count. Langston performed a superplext. He lowered his straps and was going for his finisher, but Swagger avoided it and clipped his leg. Swagger applied the Patriot Lock. Langston reached the bottom rope to break the hold. Swagger charged at Langston, who dumped him over the top rope and down to the floor at ringside.

Langston went to the floor where Swagger was selling and threw him into the barricade. Langston rocked back and forth before charging at Swagger, who ducked and sent Langston flying over the barricade. The referee counted to count as Swagger rolled back inside the ring just before ten...

Jack Swagger defeated Big E Langston by count out at 10:15.

[Q11] After the match, Alberto Del Rio ran out and fought Swagger, who quickly locked him in the Patriot Lock. Ricardo Rodriguez ran out and hit Swagger from behind with the stupid bucket. It distracted Swagger long enough to apply the Cross Arm Breaker. Langston recovered and broke that up. Eventually, Del Rio was the last man standing, which would have been fitting if he were facing John Cena or Ryback on Sunday... [C]

Powell's POV: The live crowd didn't have much of a rooting interest in the Langston vs. Swagger match. They seemed to dislike Swagger more, but it's not like they rallied behind Langston throughout the match. I like the non-finish here because there's no point in having Langston lose or look weak considering his current role, but it would not have made sense if he had won since it's Swagger vs. Del Rio on Sunday.

Cole hyped the pre-show match...

8. A.J. Lee vs. Natalya (w/Great Khali, Hornswoggle). Kaitlyn and The Bella Twins were on commentary. Cole had no idea why Khali and Hornswoggle were out there until the Divas explained they were with Natalya. Kaitlyn received and opened her latest gift from her secret admirer while on commentary. Attention whore.

Lawler joked that AJ might be the admirer since she's gone through all the men in the locker room. AJ acted like she was knocked out at ringside. Natalya threw her back inside the ring, and then AJ suddenly twisted around her back into a submission hold. Lawler said the move is called The Black Widow. Natalya tapped out...

A.J. Lee defeated Natalya by submission in 3:10.

Highlights aired of Brock Lesnar breaking shit from last week, then the announcers hyped the Lesnar and Triple H segment... [C]

Powell's POV: The women were too quiet or talked over one another on commentary, so I just zoned them out. I do know that Kaitlyn received a Trivia Box as a gift. They go for $10.97 online, so her secret admirer is one cheap prick. By the way, i always thought there should have been a Cheap Trick parody band named Cheap Prick, but that's probably just me. My apologies if there actually is, but there's no way I'm doing a Google search for Cheap Prick.

[Q12] A Did You Know graphic hyped that WWE Magazine has more readers per copy than ESPN, Rolling Stone, and Maxim combined... The announcers recapped the dance-off...

Backstage, Matt Striker asked Chris Jericho if he felt foolish because Fandango and Summer Rae got one over on him. Jericho said it was his fault because he's been trying to play by other people's rules. Jericho said that changes now. He said no more dance-offs, no more joking, or holding up score cards.

Jericho pronounced Fandango's name properly and said he knows how to say it. He got fired up and said he wanted to tell Fandango who he is. He said he's a six-time World Champion who has done it all and seen it all in WWE. Jericho said that if Fandango wants to dance, he's going to show him how and teach him how to dance Chris Jericho style. "See you Sunday," an intense Jericho said...

Powell's POV: Good fire from Jericho. I get a kick out of some of the silliness, but this attitude change came at the right time.

Triple H made his entrance and a cage lowered around the ring as he was standing on the second rope. Cole said the confrontation between Hunter and Lesnar was coming up next... [C]

An ad for Friday's Smackdown hyped The Highlight Reel hosted by Chris Jericho with guests Randy Orton and Big Show...

Triple H, who had his hands tapped, stood inside the caged ring. He said nothing has truly been settled between he and Lesnar. He said he never felt more at home during his career than when he was surrounded by steel. "I guess what I'm trying to say is, Brock Lesnar, you're here, I'm here, they're (fans) here, and more importantly the steel is here, so I'm at home. Why don't you come and try to take it?"

Brock Lesnar's entrance music played and he made his entrance with Paul Heyman. They remained on the stage, where Heyman tried to introduce himself. Triple H cut him off and said everyone knows who they are. "Brock, get your ass in the ring and let's do this," Triple H said.

Heyman calmed Lesnar down and asked Triple H if he knows what they are about. Heyman said they are about the little perverse pleasures in life like Triple H being driven to use the word hate. He said it's on the list of words they're not supposed to use anymore. "You know that you and my client hate each other," Heyman said.

Heyman told Triple H that Lesnar will teach him the true meaning of the world hate. He said Brock is a cage fighting carnivore and Triple H is the biggest piece of meat in WWE. He said Triple H is going to hate letting down his father-in-law. Heyman said one man will emerge from the war a winner, and Triple H will have to face the fact that he goes down in history as the loser "and I can't imagine how much you're going to hate that."

[Overrun] Heyman said his client is ready for a fight...that Triple H will have to wait until Sunday to experience. Heyman said Triple H knows better than anybody that his client does not fight for free. Lesnar's music played and he and Heyman turned and headed toward the back. Triple H stopped them.

Triple H said he should have figured out before why Lesnar won't stand face to face with him like a man. He said it has nothing to do with Lesnar, it's the fact that Heyman can't afford to let Lesnar do that. Triple H said he did the unthinkable in Heyman's eyes by knocking out Lesnar cold and beating him.

Triple H said it doesn't bode well for Heyman the businessman if Triple H beats him up again on Raw. He said that if he beats Lesnar again on Sunday, the sound Heyman will hear is the sound of Lesnar's mystique flying out the window along with his meal ticket. "I can look at Brock and tell Brock Lesnar still believes inside him that he is the baddest man standing in this room," Triple H said. "The problem is, Paul, you don't believe that's true anymore, do you?"

Triple H said he was finished talking to Heyman. He addressed Lesnar and asked if he was going to walk to the ring and prove to the world that he's Brock Lesnar the best or stand on the ramp, looking for Heyman to tell him what to do and be Brock Lesnar the bitch. The crowd gasped.

Lesnar walked toward the ring while Heyman desperately tried to talk him down. Hunter stood in mid-ring and waved for Hunter to join him. Lensar walked slowly up the steps as Heyman and referees pleaded with Lesnar not to enter the cage. Finally, Lesnar entered the cage and put one foot over the middle rope. He paused and then eventually entered the ring. "It's on," JBL said on commentary.

Lesnar and Triple H stood face-to-face and then traded punches. Lesnar caught Triple H with shoulders in the corner. Triple H fired back with punches, but Lesnar came back with a wicked German suplex. Brock removed his shirt as Heyman closed the cage door. Lesnar charged at Triple H, who moved and shoved Lesnar into the cage in the same motion.

Triple H motioned for Lesnar to stand up and then caught him with more shots before throwing him into the cage door, knocking Heyman to the floor in the process. Lesnar also went through the cage door and tumbled to the ground. The fans chanted for Triple H. The announcers narrated footage from the brawl. Back live, Lesnar stood on the floor at ringside and smirked as Triple H stood in the doorway of the cage. Brock picked up Heyman and they headed to the back while Triple H's music played...

Powell's POV: A good segment to close the show. Triple H looking strong here combined with his comments about Lesnar losing his mystique with a loss on Sunday is a good indication that Brock is going over at Extreme Rules. This match certainly feels bigger than John Cena vs. Ryback for the WWE Championship.

Overall, this was a good go-home show. The new match announcement added a lot to the lineup. The two Shield matches are excellent final hooks for a pay-per-view lineup that needed it. I went from feeling pretty ho-hum about Extreme Rules to really looking forward to seeing the undercard along with the top matches. Join Chris Shore and I for live coverage of Extreme Rules on Sunday night, and then join us on the ad-free version of the website for the Dot Net Member Exclusive audio review of WWE Extreme Rules by signing up for membership now via the Dot Net Members' Signup Page.

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