Yours truly delivers a recap of every Raw and Smackdown from the WWE. Tonight's show featured top stars such as John Cena, Ryback, Brock Lesnar, Cm Punk, Fandango, Randy Orton, Sheamus, Big Show, Mark Henry and Dolph Ziggler.
Here is a detailed recap:
1) Sheamus and Randy Orton vs Big Show (2 on 1 handicap match)
Summary
Great rematch (The same match happened this last Friday on Smackdown). Sheamus and Big Show was involved in most of the match. Sheamus showed his massive strength when he lifted Big Show on his shoulders. Sheamus gave Orton the hot-tag. The match ended after Sheamus hit Big Show with a Brogue Kick, and then he stumbled in to an RKO from Orton.
Winner
Sheamus
and Randy Orton
My opinion
Great match. But this made no sense. Nothing happened that helped develop new feuds. Henry never showed up, so this felt like a time-filler.
2) 3MB calls out The Shield but gets Brock Lesnar
Summary
3MB wants payback on The Shield after their attack on them last week at Smackdown. This week 3MB called out The Shield, but instead Brock Lesnar came out. The monster lay'd out all of the members, and delivered two thunderous F5's to Heath Slater. Out comes Heyman and cuts an epic promo! On the behalf of Lesnar he challenged Triple H to one last match, so they could even the score!
My opinion
This was a great spot. Yes 3MB gets buried once again, but damn Lesnar looked strong! Finally WWE found a way to make him look strong again. Great thinking by the WWE. Expect Lesnar to win this match, which makes him win their feud 2-1. I have to give WWE props for this one.
3) USA-title match. Antonio Cesaro (C) vs Kofi Kingston
Summary
As expected this was a great back and foreword match, with some pretty nice spots! Cesaro shows his massive strength at a couple of occasions. The European uppercut was once again amazing! After this move, Cesaro dominated the match for a while. Which makes sense, because he was the favorite of this match. But Kingston managed to get back in the match, connecting with a Trouble In Paradise. But Cesaro rolls out of the ring. Kingston uses a while to get him back in the ring for a pin. When he manages to get him back in the ring, Cesaro kicks out of the pin after two. Then Kingston goes up in the top-corner for a cross body, but once again Cesaro shows his massive strength by catching Kingston and hitting a knee to his back. This sequence is followed up with some great counters and near pin-falls. After a great sequence, Kingston manages to connect with another Trouble In Paradise kick, and scores the victory. What a fantastic match!
Winner
Kofi Kingston
My Opinion
I don't like the way Cesaro is being buried. He is to good to be a mid-card player. This was a match that easily could have been a PPV-main event. I also have been waiting for something to happen with Kingston. It seams like a possible heel-turn was scratched today with his win. I will get behind WWE on this one if they manages to give back some credibility to Kingston. Though Cesaro deserves more than this!
4) Dolph Ziggler cuts a promo but gets interupted
Summary
First we get to see a recap of Ziggler's title-match against Del Rio, before he comes out to cut a promo. Ziggler cuts a great heel-promo, which gets a lot of "boos" by the live crowd. This shows how great he is playing his character! During Ziggler's promo Del Rio comes out and tells the crowd that he wants his rematch right now. Vickie Guerrero comes out and tells us that the match will happen. But then Swagger comes out before the match gets started. Zeb Colter explains that Swagger deserves a title-match, because he was the reason Ziggler won the title-match. Del Rio and Swagger starts fighting. Swagger takes out the bad leg of Del Rio. Swagger puts Del Rio in the "patriot lock". So the match never happens.
Winner
No contest
My Opinion
WWE continues teasing us with a WHC-title match. Once again it ends up being a tease. This is a good way to build up the anticipation for Ziggler's first title-defense, which most likely will happen at Extreme Rules. Most likely we will see a triple-treat match for the title. Because in that way WWE has the opportunity to remove Swagger and Del Rio from the WHC-title picture for a while if Ziggler wins the match. Because in that way Ziggler can move on and start new feuds with other possible contenders.
5) Team Hell No vs The Prime Time Players
Summary
Before the match starts we get a great announcement. Next week Team Hell No and The Undertaker will face The Shield in a 6-man tag team match.
Over to the current match. This is a bout that has happened many times before. It is great entertainment though, because both teams always delivers good stuffs in the ring. This was a short but good back and foreword match, concluding with Team Hell No taking the win.
Winner
Team Hell No
My Opinion
A good match, as expected. It gives The Prime Time Players some air-time, and it helps building Team Hell No as a great team. Though the announcement before the match stole the show. It will be great to see The Undertaker make his in-ring return at Raw. What better way to do it, by returning in England? The crowd there are one of the best crowds in the world, so expect this to be an epic match. It will also help building the feud between Team Hell No and The Shield heading to Extreme Rules.
6) Ryback's addresses his actions from last week!
Summary
Great promo by Ryback! This was taped previously, and showed on the big-screen. Ryback explained that being a friend of Cena, means that you also have to live in the shadow of Cena. Ryback explained that he is not going to be an afterthought, and that he will step out of Cena's shadow. This promo set the stage for a Ryback heel-turn without a doubt! Time will show what will happen next in this feud!
My Opinion
To bad Ryback is going heel. But he will be a monster without a doubt! Only hopes WWE don't bury him in his first main-event. Maybe we will see a shocker at Extreme Rules? Maybe Ryback will be one of few people who manages to take out Cena cleanly? Hope so!
7) R Truth vs Wade Barrett
Summary
Barrett faces R Truth. This is a while since last time, so fun to see something "refreshing". Both men are great in the ring, and at this point in his career R Truth has to be considered as in-ring veteran within the WWE. He has never won any major titles in his career, but Truth has been loyal to his company, and deserves something big before he gets to old. Anyway, the match was okay. We have seen this type of action before, but it was a good time-filler. The match ends with Truth hitting his finisher after a great counter.
Winner
R Truth
My Opinion
Most likely this win was set to give R Truth a possible title-shot at Extreme Rules. Expect him to win the battle-royal match at Main-Event, which officially earns him a title-shot. Though I don't like how many losses Barrett has to take as a champion. I call it bad booking!
8) Santino Marella and The Great Khali vs Team Rhodes Scholars
Summary
Another time filler. But when the show is 3-hours long, you have to expect some time fillers. The crowd has been good though, but they are far away from the post-Wrestlemania crowd though. This was a short match, with no particular big spots. After Santino connected with the Cobra, Cody runs in for the save. He gets taken out by Khali, but in the meanwhile Damion Sandow takes advantage of the distraction outside the ring, and wins by a roll-up pin.
Winner
Team Rhodes Scholars
My Opinion
As mentioned before, when the show lasts for three hours, you have to expect time fillers. But at least Rhode Scholars took a win, which helps them building momentum. Hopefully WWE finds something good to do with Cody and Damion, because they are great talents and deserves more than time filler matches!
9) Fandango comes out after being introduced by Jerry Lawler
Summary
This spot was all about the #fandangoing craziness. Of course the fans did not manage to do is as well as hoped, but a lot of them starting humming his theme as expected. The fans will go wild when WWE goes back to England on Raw next week. Expect it to be epic!
My Opinion
Johnny Curtis has really made the best out of his character. He is indeed a true talent with a great potential! Believe me, this is not an easy character to make a successes of. So the fact that he has managed to do it is so impressive! I can't wait to see what is going to happen next for FAN DAAAAN Go"h.
10) Dolph Ziggler vs Jack Swagger
Summary
This is an unusual heel vs heel match. Who knows, maybe something exciting will happen during this match! One can only hope.
This match started with Ziggler doing some heel-tactics. After he slapped Swagger early in the match, Swagger started to dominate Ziggler. Fans was behind Ziggler during this match, but they have been dead the last hour. They started great the first couple of matches, but lately they have been bad! Over to the match. This match had some great spots. At one point Swagger clothesline'd Ziggler from the top rope and down on the apron. Swagger dominated a big part of the match, but Ziggler managed to turn it over sometimes. This is an unusual situation for Ziggler. Usually he is the one dominating the matches, but in this match Swagger has controlled most of the match. Fun to see Ziggler in a new situation though!
When Ziggler finally gained some momentum, Swagger managed to counter Ziggler and won cleanly by a roll-up pinfall. After the match was over, Del Rio comes out and takes out Swagger. This is building more and more to become a triple-treat match.
Winner
Jack Swagger
My Opinion
A good build up so far. But they have to cut those "injuring" angles away. When Ziggler has his first title-defense, it should be against 100% healthy opponents. Ziggler lost his first match a champion, but this was a okay loss, because it helps building the feud he is involved in! Swagger needed a win against the champion to insert himself in the title-picture.
11) Cm Punk addresses his loss against The Undertaker at Wrestlemania 29
Summary
Before Punk comes out. Mark Henry attacks Sheamus backstage. A short but sweet angle.
The Cm Punk comes out to address his loss against The Undertaker at Wrestlemania.The best in the world cuts another epic promo! This time he explains us that he never got to enjoy his title-reign, because he was always looking for the next challenge. Then he found The Rock, but during his battles with The Rock, he was still looking for the one thing that could be even bigger and even greater. Then he got the chance to break the streak. He says that he pushed Undertaker to the limit, but he couldn't get it done. Then the fans starts to cheer Undertaker, before it splits up to half the crowd chanting Cm Punk. Punk does not say another word before he hugs Heyman and leaves the ring.
My Opinion
This was just a fantastic promo. Now Punk can take a break and heal himself. Was this the start of a possibly Cm Punk face-turn? One can only wait until he returns again! Cm Punk proves once again that he is a future legend.
12) Nikki Bella vs Kaitlyn
Summary
Another time filler. But it is good to see a divas-match. A great match though, with some good back and foreword action. The fans was not as dead as they usually are in a divas match, which was good to see. Hopefully this match is the start of a feud between The Bella's vs Kaitlyn. Kaitlyn takes out Nikki Bella, but then Brie switches with here when the referee was distracted. Brie manages to secure a win.
Winner
"Nikki" Bella
My Opinion
Hopefully this match was the start of a good feud between The Bella's and Kaitlyn for the Divas-title. Only time will show if The Bella's and Kaitlyn can help give the divas division some credibility again.
13) John Cena comes out and addresses Ryback
Summary
Cena comes out to reply on Ryback's promo earlier tonight. Expect this to explode between the two if Ryback comes out!
Cena calls out Ryback. His theme song hits, and out comes Ryback. Ryback and Cena has a stare down before Cena cuts a promo. Cena does all the talking during this one. When he is done talking, he asks Ryback if he is man enough to confront him face to face. Both men has another stare down before Ryback retreats. Out comes The Shield who takes out Cena while Ryback is watching from the stage. This was the official Ryback heel turn that we have been waiting for.
My opinion
Ryback will be a brutal heel without a doubt. But now the WWE needs more faces. Expect Cm Punk to turn face when he returns later this year. Cena, Sheamus and Orton are the only top babyfaces left within the WWE, which is not enough. Only Cena has been in the main-event scenes during 2013, so they need another man who can affect the main-event scene as a babyface. Good angle between Ryback and Cena, but during their promo WWE had a couple of technical glitches. They showed The Shield backstage waiting for the signal, and a couple of minutes later the ring announcers talked to each other with the mic on. But mistakes happens even in the biggest promotions! Just don't make a habit out of it.
Overall Summary!
My opinion
This show was far away from living up to the expectations we had before it began. Sadly enough today's live-crowd was very bad during a lot of the segments. A bad crowd makes the show feel less special. But it had some big spots, like Punk's emotional promo, and the stare down between Ryback and John Cena. But WWE has to pick it up when they go to London next week. If they make a good show next week, you can bet your ass on the fact that the fans will transform it from good to epic. Because next WWE enters an arena filled with hardcore British wrestling-fans who are ready to sing for three hours.
Match of the night
Antonio Cesaro vs Kofi Kingston
What do you think of tonight's show? Tell us your opinion in the comment section below.
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Have a great one!
