Hey it’s another edition of Best & Worst! It’s the go home edition of RAW before Survivor series this Sunday and several questions remain. What will the rest of the card look like? Will there be another traditional SS match? Who fills the remaining spot on Team Foley? What will Lawler be like as he returns to the announce desk? As always check back throughout the night for updates.
Best
Tag Match: Not only was the Rey-Cara-Kidd-Gabriel vs PTP-Epico-Primo 8 man tag match strategically positioned after the crass Punk-Heyman segment (see below) to add a feel good moment in a face team victory, but it was quite exciting. A solid 10 minutes of action with a frantic breakdown in order leading to a Gabriel 450 Splash for the win. This is what the Tag division should be like every week.
Maddox: So former ref Brad Maddox gets his chance to be a star…if he can beat Ryback. While the match ends predictably with the former FCW wrestler getting destroyed, it was pretty funny to see Ryback yell ‘You’re Dead’ at Maddox before continuing the assault. He even tosses him into a nearby ambulance that was brought probably for that express purpose. Hopefully that’s it for this lame ref angle.
Last Man: So WWE needs to fill the last spot on Team Foley and leaves it up to a vote of the WWE Universe? Meh, I suppose they have to get the crowd involved somehow. The winner is revealed as Kane’s ‘mystery partner’ against Rhodes Scholars. It’s painfully obvious the choice will be Miz and thankfully the ‘Universe’ doesn’t screw it up. As good as it is to see the guy on the PPV poster get onto the card, I feel they could’ve made a bigger deal of this since it seems to suggest Miz is turning face. I’ve said many a time in this column how only good can come of that.
Main Event: Punk-Cena was supposed to be THE feud at this time, before Cena’s injury threw a wrench into it. Now we get these two in a non-title main event on TV. Even given that nothing’s on the line, they still put on an excellent match with plenty of action. It could’ve done without Ryback coming down to ringside, but it was sort of necessary to sell the PPV main event. The ending with Cena and Ryback playing tug-o-war with the title belt as Punk looks on in anguish was excellent for just that and fitting way to end the final RAW before Survivor Series.
Worst
O Captain My Captain: So this Orton-Ziggler match opens the show and is billed as a Captain v Captain match. Normally these two guys in the ring means a good match. However Orton wins in like 3 minutes despite a distraction from Del Rio and during the post match Kofi runs in for the save. You know what this means! TAG MATCH PLAYAS! Yes Teddy Long comes and makes the tag match, despite Vickie a) being the RAW GM and b) too ‘busy’ with the AJ scandal. Everyone in IWC groans in agony. Basic, predictable booking previewing the SS match on Sunday. Couldn’t they try something different?
Scandal: More of Vickie’s ‘evidence’ of the AJ-Cena affair? There’s been video footage and this week it’s a series of voice mails? Oh God please make it stop. I’m half expecting Vickie to somehow mockingly call AJ ‘Claire’, though that would make it worse. This segment right after the opening match(es) is not a good start for RAW.
Return of The King: I was worried that WWE would handle Lawler’s return poorly and turn a life-threatening health scare into some sort of angle, but it was handled with class as Cole & Ross were in-ring to welcome him back. What lands this in the Worst column is Punk interrupting and him saying Lawler’s heart attack was a stunt to steal his spotlight. Heyman faking one later was even more distasteful.
Regal: As excited as William Regal fans were last week to see him back on TV, they have to bummed to see him served to an angry Show this week. I know he’s being used as an enhancement talent to make Show look dominant headed into his WHC match with Sheamus, but still a wrestler of his caliber and history deserves something better.
