By Rich Twilling

WWE Raw on the USA Network
Live from Seattle, Washington

[Q1] A live shot of the crowd was shown. A guy had a sign that said he was married on 10-10-10, but he didn't seem to be with his wife. I guess she files for an annulment on 10-12-10. John Cena's music hit and he came out to the ring.

The King said some of the crowd was booing Cena because he was wearing The Nexus armband. Actually King, half of them just cannot stand Cena. Cena said he needed the reaction from the fans and needed them to believe.

He said the WWE Universe chanted "Never give up" last week. Hmmm, I never heard that. Cena promised he would never give up. He said he made a deal at Hell in a Cell and he lost, so now he has to take orders from Wade Barrett, and if he doesn't, he will be fired...

Twill's Two Cents: Is this a recap segment in case somebody missed last week's show? That's all this is thus far.

Cena continued to go on and on about nothing in particular, but The Miz interrupted the party. Miz and Alex Riley came out to the ring. Nice suit on Miz tonight. Miz said he was going to be the captain of Team Raw at Bragging Rights.

"Unlike you, I don't assemble my teams by what they do personally." Miz then offered Cena a spot on Team Raw. Cena liked the idea, but said Miz being the captain was as ridiculous as Betty White doing a spread for Playboy...

Twill's Two Cents: My eyes!!!!

Cena said he should captain Team Raw. Miz called it first. Standard shotgun rules. He was in the ring and called the spot, so he should be the captain.

Wade Barrett came out and said he did not care about Raw or Smackdown. He only cared about the WWE Championship. He said Cena would be in his corner and would not be on Team Raw. Cena said he could do both, but Barrett gave him a solid no.

Riley took the mic and said Cena would need to protect Barrett because even if he won, Miz could cash in and become the WWE Champion. Miz had a hilarious pissed look on his face and said, "There goes the element of surprise."

The Raw GM chimed in and said while Cena answers to Barrett, everyone else answers to him. He said there would be matches tonight to comprise Team Raw. Additionally, Cena will face Miz to determine the team captain.

Miz told Barrett that he would become the team captain tonight and then if he wanted to cash in, there was nothing Barrett could do about it. Barrett attacked Miz and Riley got involved. Cena ultimately got the best of both of them, before jawing with Barrett... [C]

Twill's Two Cents: Good opening segment. I like that Miz and the GM remembered Bragging Rights from last year (did anyone else?). Also, I'm confident Miz will win tonight and go onto Bragging Rights to captain the team. They took the two most important Raw angles right now and combined them. Too bad neither of them involve the WWE Championship. By the way, if Cena loses tonight, that will be four losses in eight days for him.

[Q2] Ted DiBiase and Maryse stood in the ring and footage was shown of Goldust being revealed as the person stalking them. He actually just wanted the Million Dollar Championship...

Twill's Two Cents: I would have sold the belt, but Goldust decided to do sexual things with it instead. To each is own.

1. R-Truth (with Eve Torres) defeated Ted DiBiase (with Maryse) to earn a spot on Team Raw in 3:21. Damn, Powell was right about Eve. Just watching her dance annoys the crap out of me too.

I was supposed to be at the show tonight and my friend is hold up a sign that says, "I'm with Awesome." Sorry I couldn't make it! Truth hit some high impact moves and scored a few nearfalls, but DiBiase kicked out each time.

DiBiase hit a nice AA spinebuster for a two count. By the way, Smackdown won last year when Big Show turned on Raw. Remember that? Goldust and the other Maryse, Aksana, came out to the stage. They fondled the belt and DiBiase was distracted. Truth hit the flying forearm for the win...

Twill's Two Cents: I like that Goldust is getting an actual program, but they put Truth on the team instead of DiBiase? Damn. By the way, do you think they told Eve to "go out there and dance like a PG stripper"?

Cena vs. Miz was hyped. Hot main event that they should have announced in advance... [C]

[Q3] The farmers' market in Seattle is "world famous." Hmm, didn't know that. I like going to those though now. Good company and healthy food. Wait, what? Oh, I have a show to cover...

2. John Morrison defeated Tyson Kidd to earn a spot on Team Raw in 3:21. Cole said this was supposed to be a triple threat with David Hart Smith, but Smith was nowhere to be found. Call hell and see if it has frozen over, because I'm with Powell on Smith as well. Glad to see this match.

Morrison scored the first nearfall with a flying heel kick. Awesome spot with Morrison trying a springboard into a kick, but Kidd jumping up on the rope and hitting a Russian leg sweep. Kidd tried to lock in the Sharpshooter, but Morrison sent Kidd to the floor.

Both men traded rapid fire nearfalls. Morrison then hit, what could only be described as a "backflip Rock Bottom." Just awesome. Of course, Kidd deserves just as much credit for the move as Morrison does. Morrison scored the three count...

Twill's Two Cents: Anyone else salivating over the possibility of Kidd as a singles guy? I've been digging Morrison's act lately and watching a short match like this reminds me how much I would love to see more of an emphasis on the in-ring product.

Backstage, David Otunga tried to ask Husky Harris and Michael McGillicutty what exactly was going on with them and Nexus. They were tight lipped. Barrett came in and told them to take a walk. He got on Otunga for taking a leadership role with Cena, but they mended fences quickly.

Barrett said their job was to make sure he beat Randy Orton at Bragging Rights. He then put Otunga in a match against Orton tonight. Otunga said it should be Justin Gabriel. Barrett agreed and put Gabriel in the match and said Otunga would be in Gabriel's corner... [C]

Twill's Two Cents: I can understand Barrett being able to book Nexus guys, but what gives him the power to book Randy Orton in a match?

3. Santino Marella defeated Zack Ryder to earn a spot on Team Raw in 1:47. Santino won the match with the Cobra. Afterward, Tamina came out and mounted him in celebration...

Twill's Two Cents: Santino and Truth? Wow, this team is looking mediocre-rific.

[Q4] Randy Orton was shown walking backstage and the GM said he will face Justin Gabriel tonight... [C]

4. Randy Orton defeated Justin Gabriel (with Heath Slater and David Otunga) in a non-title match in 10:59. Orton immediately went to the floor and attacked Otunga. The referee then threw sent both Otunga and Slater to the back... [C]

Orton hit Gabriel with a big dropkick and then a series of stomps coming back from the break. Gabriel grounded Orton and then hit a slingshot somersault plancha for a two count. He scored another two count after a jawbreaker and a low dropkick to Orton's face.

[Q5] Orton came back and hit a belly to belly suplex for a two count of his own. Gabriel grounded Orton again and went for the 450 splash. Orton rolled away but Gabriel still hit him with the move. Orton got up and hit the RKO for the win...

Twill's Two Cents: That didn't seem like the way that spot was supposed to go with the 450. Nice showing for Gabriel though and an overall entertaining non-title match.

Orton celebrated for awhile in the ring as the crowd went nuts for him...

Cena vs. Miz was hyped as the main event of the evening...

Sheamus was walking backstage. He will face Daniel Bryan for a spot on Team Raw... [C]

Twill's Two Cents: I'm guessing this will not the night Bryan gets some heat back against Sheamus.

The Big Show is an asshole for turning on Team Raw last year, but it's still cool to promote his movie. Knucklehead. Go see it. Or don't. Either way. Show looks like he did a good job in this...

5. Sheamus defeated Daniel Bryan in a non-title match to earn a spot on Team Raw in 5:15. It's funny hearing Michael Cole call Daniel Bryan a dweeb. That's like the pot and the kettle calling Al Sharpton black.

Bryan went right after Sheamus when the bell rang. He dropkicked Sheamus into the ring post on the floor. Cole said Bryan was on Team WWE at SummerSlam and "We lost! Remember?" Weird silence because of course, Team WWE won at SummerSlam. Stay strong Cole.

[Q6] Bryan came back and hit some solid front kicks to Sheamus's chest and then one to his head for a nearfall. Another nearfall for Bryan with a missile dropkick. Sheamus closelined Bryan and Bryan was knocked loopy. Sheamus hit the brogue kick for the win...

Twill's Two Cents: Good match while it lasted, but it is pretty clear that Bryan is not a top guy right now and the United States Championship is not all that important. Fun to watch these two work together though.

Backstage, R-Truth told John Cena that Cena joining Nexus was not sitting well with the locker room. He said he knew Cena was in a tough spot, but there was another way out of it. He looked at Cena and said, "Just quit." ... [C]

Twill's Two Cents: Wow. Great advice. Truth had just said that they all love what they do, so yeah, Cena should just throw it all away so the locker room wouldn't be pissed at him anymore. Solid segment. Ugh. By the way Cole, Team WWE still beat Team Nexus at SummerSlam. No alternate endings on that one.

Logic-wise, why does Cole hate Daniel Bryan and love Evan Bourne? C.M. Punk was introduced as his opponent and the man acquired from Smackdown for Edge. Called that one. Glad I was right too. Hope he gets back on track...

[Q7] 6. C.M. Punk defeated Evan Bourne to earn a spot on Team Raw in 2:16. First nearfall went to Punk about a minute into the match. Very impressive kicks by Bourne, setting Punk up for the SSP, but Punk crotched Bourne. He hit the GTS (Go To Sleep) for the win...

Twill's Two Cents: Glad to see Punk back on Raw, although he has not been pushed very hard on the show before, but I think he could take Chris Jericho's spot as a top guy who is great on the mic.

After the match, Punk attacked Bourne. On the floor, he rammed Bourne's head and shoulder (I don't have dandruff... I know!) into the ring post. He locked in the Anaconda Vice on the floor. Referees got Punk off of Bourne. Punk had a satisfied look on his face...

Cena vs. Miz was hyped once again... [C]

Footage was shown of Punk taking out Bourne and Bourne being taken to the back. They said Mark Henry was tending to a personal matter tonight and was not there...

Twill's Two Cents: Nice job making Punk look strong upon his return to Raw.

Natalya was in the ring for a promo. She said Bret Hart taught her to always stand up for herself, and she would become the Unified Divas Champion at Bragging Rights.

LayCool came out to the ring. Usual crap from them. They put a picture up on the screen of Jim Neidhart and Natalya with the Anvil's beard. Natalya said their combined I.Q. was smaller than their combined waste size. LayCool loved that.

They pulled out Bret Hart's catchphrase in talking about themselves. Michelle said all of the Divas loved them and in two weeks, Natalya would love them too. Their music played and they headed to the back.

[Q8] The Bella Twins, Melina, Gail Kim, and Eve forced LayCool back down the ramp and into the ring. Natalya put the Sharpshooter on Layla, but Michelle pulled her out of the ring. The Raw Divas chased them off...

Twill's Two Cents: Well, the division is not good right now, but that was how to build to a title match. Well done in that sense. However, LayCool is just nauseatingly bad on the mic. Solid, yet unspectacular mic work from Natalya.

The Miz and Alex Riley made their way through the backstage area... [C]

7. The Miz (with Alex Riley) defeated John Cena in a no disqualification match to become the captain of Team Raw in 10:25. Early on, Riley pulled Cena to the floor and gave him a huge closeline. Cole said Miz had the advantage... [C]

Miz stood Cena up on the announce table and wanted to hit the Skull Crushing Finale, but Cena countered into an Attitude Adjustment attempt. Miz slid out and pushed Cena off of the table into the protective fan barricade.

[Overrun] Cena fought back and beat on Riley, but Miz used the distraction to his advantage. Miz missed his corner closeline and Cena hit his spots. Miz slid out of another AA and hit a big boot for a two count.

Backbreaker/neckbreaker combination by Miz for a two count. Riley handed Miz his briefcase. He swung and missed. Cena locked in the STF. Riley hit the ring, but Cena locked the STF on him. Cole said, "It doesn't matter! Miz is the legal man!"

Twill's Two Cents: Wow Cole. The legal man? In a singles match?

Husky Harris and Michael McGillicutty hit the ring. McGillicutty hit his swinging neckbreaker finisher and Harris followed up with his back splash. Miz then pinned Cena...

Miz and Riley celebrated up the ramp. McGillicutty and Harris circled Cena, who then beat both of them up. Barrett hit the ring and pulled Cena off. Cena almost punched Barrett but thought twice of it.

The Raw GM sent the message that McGillicutty and Harris will have an official match next week; a tag match against John Cena and Randy Orton. Barrett said if Cena loses, he will officially induct Harris and McGillicutty into The Nexus.

Barrett said Cena would do the right thing. Barrett egged Cena on and tried to get Cena to hit him. Barrett said Cena was scared to hit him and that he was a coward. He said he could turn his back on Cena and did so.

Cena made faces at Barrett as Barrett just laughed at the situation. You know what isn't funny? This long ass overrun. Cena just left the ring. Barrett did Cena's "You can't see me" gesture. Cena walked away dejectedly...

Twill's Two Cents: I didn't really like Miz taking a backseat to Barrett and the new Nexus guys to be, but otherwise, that was a good segment. Sure, it's easy to be down on the overall product right now, but in terms of booking a program, fans are supposed to want to see Cena beat the shit out of Barrett, and they were there tonight. Of course, it won't happen for a long time, so the build needs to be strong.

I will have plenty more to say during tonight's Members' Exclusive Audio. Thank you for following along with me.

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