WWE Raw Hitlist: Vince McMahon vs. Randy Orton, 10-man tag featuring Ricky Steamboat, Batista returns, Santina Marella vs. Beth Phoenix, Primo and Carlito vs. John Morrison and The Miz, Backlash six-man tag for the title
Apr 7, 2009 - 12:19 PM |
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WWE Raw Hits
10-man tag featuring Ricky Steamboat: This was a really fun Raw moment that stole the show. The live crowd loved Steamboat and sent him off in grand style. The rest of the match was also entertaining and it was great that they were given 15 minutes for the match. This was a treat to watch and no one seemed to be having more fun than Steamboat. I especially enjoyed watching his teammates clap from the entrance ramp, only to have an excited Steamboat jump into their arms after he was finished taking his well deserved bows in the ring.
Batista returns: Thank goodness WWE had this ace stashed in their sleeve because the live crowd couldn't have cared less about the big brawl involving Legacy, Hunter, and the McMahons. Sure, the fans popped for the various run-ins, but you could have heard a pin drop when the six men were slugging it out. The dynamic changed quickly when Batista's music hit. Nevertheless, WWE should be concerned by the lack of interest and even the boos that Triple H is starting to receive.
Primo and Carlito vs. John Morrison and The Miz: A fun tag match. The lumberjacks enhanced the action and helped the wrestlers perform some cool spots such as Carlito and Miz both falling off the ropes and into the arms of the lumberjacks. Better yet, Morrison got some major air when he hit that awesome shooting star press off the top and onto the lumberjacks at ringside. Was this a last hurrah for Morrison and Miz? Will they be split up via the draft next week? I guess we'll find out six days from now.
Santina Marella: A cute comedy routine that the live crowd seemed to enjoy. This will get old in a hurry, but I don't think WWE will drag it on forever. Enjoy it while it lasts.
Michael Cole: No, I'm not praising him for his performance, which I pretty much just blocked out mentally. Rather, I'm giving the possibility that this was Cole's final Raw broadcast a "Hit." The experiment with Cole taking over Raw has failed. The time has come to bring Jim Ross back to Raw, and I don't even care who his partner is. I'd actually prefer a Ross and Matt Striker team over J.R. and The King. Ship Cole back to the pre-taped Smackdown on Tuesday nights, give him the right partner, and maybe he'll rediscover the passion for his job that has been missing.
Overall show: A better than average edition of Raw. This wasn't the launching pad for the next year show that we've seen the night after previous WrestleMania shows. However, with the draft coming up next week and Backlash right around the corner, WWE has a lot more going on the day after the big show than they have in past years. So while it was somewhat uneventful for the Raw after WrestleMania, it was still an entertaining show.
WWE Raw Misses
Six-man tag for the title at Backlash: I hated this idea when TNA did it and I hate it just as much with WWE doing it a few months later. A few readers have pointed out that WWE used the same gimmick for a six-man tag match during the King of the Ring pay-per-view back in 2000 when The Rock, Kane, and Taker defeated Triple H, Vince McMahon, and Shane McMahon. The difference was that Rock, Kane, or Taker could capture the title in that match. This time around, only Orton can win the title if he or one of his minions pins Hunter, Batista, or Shane McMahon. I guess the only difference between the WWE and TNA versions of the match is that at least Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase are Orton's minions, whereas A.J. Styles was teaming with wrestlers who also coveted the tile. Even so, I'm not a fan of the stipulation.
10-Diva tag match: First off, does anyone really care about a Raw vs. Smackdown match when the draft is taking place next week? Second, why do they cram so many divas into one match lately? WWE should slow down and focus on one or two divas at a time. I'd much rather watch a good singles match involving two of the better workers in the division. The action was solid when Mickie James and Natalya were in the ring, and it would be nice if WWE would do something to shine the spotlight on Gail Kim, whose return has been uninspiring to say the least.
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