WWE Raw on the USA Network
Live from Indianapolis, In

[Q1] Chris Jericho introduced himself and called himself the best in the world at what he does. He explained that there would be a seven on seven Raw vs. Smackdown match at Bragging Rights. He said although he is a unified tag team champion, he is a proud member of Smackdown and is the captain of that team...

Twill’s Two Cents: Isn’t Big Show on the Raw roster?

Nancy O’Dell, wearing a Peyton Manning jersey interrupted Jericho and introduced herself. She said Monday Night Raw did not begin with Jericho, Monday Night Raw began with Degeneration X. DX’s music hit and they headed out to the ring. Actually, Triple H was out by himself. Hunter brought a production guy into the ring.

Hunter did the pointing as the production guy ran Michaels’ laps. Hunter then sent the guy packing. He did the DX opening and said, “For Shawn Michaels, who is not here.” He said he was upset, but he could let it go, or call his best friend on his cell phone. So, he called Shawn and put it on speaker. Shawn’s outgoing message was him singing his theme music to a “I’m not home, leave a message” beat. Hilarious.

Triple H asked Shawn where he was. Shawn said he was home with his daughter, who was sick. He said he read her a bedtime story. They plugged their new book and joked about reading it to their young children. Hunter and Shawn said their goodbyes. Chris Jericho and Big Show came out to the ring to their semi-cool music...

Jericho threw the DX book on the mat. Jericho said he was the captain of the Smackdown team and that Smackdown was the best show in WWE. Triple H put over Smackdown as a great wrestling show, like great wrestling from the Great Khali. He said Smackdown is not in Raw’s league. Hmmm. Jericho said he wanted Show in his team even though Show was on the Raw roster.

[Q2] Triple H attempted to drive a wedge between Jericho and Show by calling Jericho the boss. Show said he carried the team. Jericho argued with him. They started to bicker about just about everything. Show mentioned Jericho getting punked out by Bob Barker. Jericho reiterated that he would “fight Bob Barker anytime, any place.” Awesome.

Jericho said he was the reason Show rejuvenated his career and was not just known as the guy who was knocked out by Floyd Mayweather. Show said he wanted to be on Team Raw. Hunter said there was no room, but he talked to Nancy O’Dell and said Show could earn his way on the team. All Show had to do was beat Chris Jericho, and the match is next... [C]

Twill’s Two Cents: What in the hell was that? Hunter had to make sure we all knew Raw was better than Smackdown? They had to drive a wedge between a very cool tag team? By the way, how in the hell did Hunter know to ask Nancy O’Dell to give Show a chance to win a spot on the Raw team? Can he predict the future? Ugh. Horrible opening segment.

1. Big Show defeated Chris Jericho by countout in 4:35. They playfully shook hands as the bell rang. The bickered for awhile and Jericho kept getting pissy. Show kept talking to Jericho like a dad trying to calm down his bratty kid. Jericho tried to play possum on the floor with a bad knee. He tried to sneak back into the ring to beat the count, but Show was the successful one...

Twill’s Two Cents: Well, Show is on Team Raw and Jericho is on Team Smackdown. I guess the tag belts will go back into mothballs. I hate when Jericho is made to look so inferior.

The announcers (King had a “Lawler for Mayor” shirt on) said DX was in charge of the matches tonight to determine would comprise Team Raw. Backstage, Maria Menounos (Cole butchered her last name) interviewed Legacy. She said they would participate in a triple threat match in which one man would join Team Raw. The third opponent will be John Cena... [C]

Twill’s Two Cents: Any chance Cena loses this thing? He does have an hour long match at the pay-per-view.

[Q3] Tyler Hansborough (UNC, Indiana Pacers) was shown sitting at ringside. Despite his look, he is older than twelve years old...

2. Jillian Hall defeated Mickie James to win the Diva’s Championship in 1:14. Actually, they are just calling her Jillian now. She pinned Mickie even though Mickie had her foot on the ropes. After the match, she celebrated by singing.

Nancy O’Dell came out and talked over her introduction. She said she made a diva trade. Jillian was still on the show and had to defend her title against the new acquisition. Melina came out to her entrance...

Twill’s Two Cents: Wow; Mickie was forgotten pretty quickly.

3. Melina defeated Jillian to win the Diva’s Championship in :24. Melina won with her flipping victory roll. Cole said, “Melina’s motto is ‘you don’t know what you will accomplish unless you try.’” Yes, I’m sure Melina walks around telling everyone that...

Twill’s Two Cents: I wonder who is going over to Smackdown. I hope it is Mickie actually because she deserved better than that. I’m not a big Melina guy, but it was good seeing her back on the show.

[Q4] Did you know? WWEClassics.com is the only place you can see the first 100 episodes of Raw. Wow. That was weak...

Backstage, Hunter was talking to Michaels on the phone and had a Michaels cardboard standup. Hornswoggle walked in to Michaels’ music. Shawn was in the bathroom and wanted to know what was going on. When he saw it, he freaked out. Horny stomped all over the cardboard Michaels...

Cole said the details of the diva trade will be available on WWE.com after the show...

Santino was hanging out with Maria and Nancy. He even “auditioned” for Access Hollywood. Beth Phoenix came in and was pissed that she was traded to Smackdown. Maria made a joke and Beth threw her up against the wall. Santino then booked Maria vs. Beth for later in the show. Menounos looked scared to death...

Snoop Dogg was announced as next week’s guest host...

Twill’s Two Cents: I loved that actually. You wonder why some of these guest hosts get away with the crap they try to pull and Beth looked freaking awesome here.

A John Cena vs. Randy Orton video package was shown. Just in case you are not excited about it yet, Cena vs. Orton for one hour will take place at Bragging Rights...

King plugged Cena vs. Rhodes vs. DiBiase... [C]

A WrestleMania XXVI video aired. Tickets are on sale very soon...

DiBiase and Rhodes came out together even though they are opponents...

[Q5] 4. Cody Rhodes defeated John Cena and Ted DiBiase in a triple threat match to earn a spot onto Team Raw in 13:23. Cena tried to go after both guys, but Legacy successfully double teamed him. Legacy continued their dominance as the match was a glorified handicap match... [C]

Back from commercial, Cena had an advantage, but it was short lived. Ted went for a pinfall and Cody broke it up. They did the “What are you doing?” bit. What the hell do you think he is doing fool? Cena kicked out of a neckbreaker by Rhodes. Cena fought back on Rhodes with DiBiase on the floor, but Ted snuck in to break up a Cena three count.

Cole “explained” why Ted broke up a Cena pin attempt. Okay, explaining why they would break up an attempt from one of their partners makes sense, but that was just idiotic. Cena applied the STF, but Randy Orton came out to the ring. Cena was distracted. Rhodes school-boyed DiBiase for the win...

After the match, from the back, Nancy booked Legacy vs. Cena and Orton for later in the show... [C]

Twill’s Two Cents: What in the hell was that? That was basically a handicap match with Cena hanging for a long time with a team that beat DX. Then we get the “reluctant partners” match? Damn, this show is a mess right now.

[Q6] Members of the Indianapolis Colts were shown at ringside. The next match was another qualifier. By the way, would DX not want Cena on their team? Why not just add him to the squad? Anyway...

5. Jack Swagger defeated MVP to become a member of Team Raw in 2:32. King made the lame “MVP has convictions” joke. Actually, he pined it off on Swagger. Swagger was an academic All American at OU as well. Nice. Cole told MVP’s sob story for the first two minutes.

MVP scored a two count with the “Ballin’” elbow. Swagger is no Chavo! Swagger quickly hit the gutwrench powerbomb for the win. By the way, that referee counts the shit out of the mat...

DX, Show, Rhodes, Swagger, and two more people will be on Team Raw...

Twill’s Two Cents: This qualifying match show would have been pretty good if they would have hyped it before. They came into this show with nothing.

Backstage, DiBiase and Rhodes were arguing as if they didn’t know the rules of a triple threat match. Orton stepped between them and said he would not tag himself into tonight’s match. Both men accused the other of wanting to pin Orton tonight. Orton said that would not happen...

Kofi Kingston and Evan Bourne came to the ring for their qualifying match...

Twill’s Two Cents: I like that one of these two will be on the Raw team at the PPV.

[Q7] 6. Kofi Kingston defeated Evan Bourne to become a member of Team Raw in 2:44. The match was joined in progress. Cole announced the final member of the team would be determined when Mark Henry faces Chris Masters on Superstars. Bourne scored the first nearfall and applied a half crab.

Kofi and Evan had a few nice exchanges. Kofi hit the SOS for a nearfall. Evan followed up with a knee and tried a springboard maneuver, but Kofi hit the Trouble in Paradise for the win...

Twill’s Two Cents: Well, at least it will not the be the same old guys. I would have loved to see them go balls out for ten minutes or so.

Backstage, Michaels’ cardboard self was bandaged up. Maria came up in her ring gear. She had a tank top on with the Greek flag. Triple H said he helped her get ready for the match. She said, “You taught me two kicks and a head scissors for fifteen minutes.” Funny.

Chavo came up and said he should be the captain of the team and listed off a bunch of reasons. Hunter prompted Maria, and she kicked him in the nuts. Michaels, over the phone, did the DX catchphrase. The crowd responded loudly, “Suck it!” ... [C]

Beth Phoenix, Rosa Mendes, and Alicia Fox were in the ring, so I guess we are not getting a singles match. They showed a scene from Maria’s movie “Serial Buddies.” I think one of the guys had a championship belt on...

7. Maria Menounos (with Nancy O’Dell), Kelly Kelly, and Gail Kim defeated Beth Phoenix, Rosa Mendes, and Alicia Fox in 2:27. Maria tagged in early and even got the best of Beth with a slap in the face and kick. Kelly tagged in and pinned Rosa. That was fast...

Twill’s Two Cents: Maria looked better in the ring than probably about half of the roster. That was fun and it will get the Access Hollywood footage they were going for.

A graphic for Cena and Orton vs. Legacy was shown. Basically, Cena will face Rhodes and DiBiase in a handicap match for the second time tonight... [C]

[Q8] Footage aired of The Miz defeating Kofi Kingston to become the United States Champion last week on Raw...

Justin Roberts introduced The Miz, who came out in street clothes. Miz stayed at the top of the ramp and delivered a promo. He said to get used to his bragging, because at Bragging Rights, he would face the Intercontinental Champion from Smackdown, John Morrison. He said he was the talent of their tag team and Morrison will be the next Richard Simmons. He said he would be the face of Raw in ten years...

Twill’s Two Cents: I love that Miz was given mic time to put over his title win and I am especially loving Miz vs. Morrison at the pay-per-view.

Cole and King ran down the current Bragging Rights card with help from the Smackdown vs. Raw video game...

Randy Orton made his ring entrance... [C]

Legacy stood in the middle of the ring and Orton grabbed a mic. Orton said he just got off the phone with Snoop Dogg and told him next week would be Cena’s last Raw show. He said Cena would compete in one of the biggest matches of his career next week, but did not say what it was. Cole revealed that they would announce the match after the main event...

Twill’s Two Cents: I just think the idea of Orton talking to Snoop on the phone is hilarious.

[Overrun] 8. Legacy (Ted DiBiase and Cody Rhodes) defeated John Cena and Randy Orton in 6:08. Cena tagged in Orton, who was not paying attention. Rhodes almost surprised Orton with a pin. DiBiase did the same. Orton tagged Cena back in. Cena did his thing. Orton made the blind tag and attacked Cena. Then DiBiase school-boyed Orton for the win...

Cena hit an Attitude Adjustment on Orton afterward. His music played as Orton rolled around the ring and Legacy looked both triumphant and worried...

It was announced that Cena’s possible last opponent on Raw was Triple H...

Twill’s Two Cents: Were they testing people who have said they didn’t want to see Cena for an hour? I feel like he wrestled for an hour tonight. I was thinking Hunter or Michaels for Cena next week. I pretty much dumped on this show, but looking back on it, it wasn’t bad. However, they did not promote anything and that hurt the perception of the show going into it.

What did you think of the show? Feel free to let me know by shooting an email to dotnetrich@gmail.com.

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