RAW Review and Reactions
Last night's episode of Monday night RAW kick started with one of the men who will challenge Seth Rollins in two weeks time for the WWE World Heavyweight championship at Payback, Randy Orton. I did't mind the show starting with Orton. Because of how close Payback and Extreme Rules were it means they did't have much time to give each match a strong build up so most of the time and effort has to go into the main event so I was fine with that. I would however like to see the opening to Monday night RAW change up a little after Payback, but I know it wont. Anyway, back to last night and Orton headed straight to the ring to of course address what happened last week on the closing moments of RAW where we found out that in two weeks time at Payback, Orton would be competing alongside Roman Reigns and current champ Seth Rollins in a triple threat for the WWE World Heavyweight championship. Orton's promo last night focused mainly on this fresh news and directing he's message at both Reigns and Rollins, hyping up their match. It wouldn't take long for one of them that Orton decided to address to make he's first appearance of the night, Roman Reigns, who got a mixed reaction from the live crowd in Montreal, Canada. With a mic in hand Reigns it perfectly clear that things were not going to go Orton's way at Payback and he would be the one walking out of the pay per view the new WWE World heavyweight champion. I'll be honest, Orton won this promo for me. One thing they both shared in this little opening was that they both wanted their hands on Seth Rollins. Reigns did do a decent job but this was all about Randy and he did a real god job selling himself and the pay per view main event. What did surprise me was what happened next. Out of nowhere the New Day's music hit and they cut a nice little promo on Reigns and Orton. I honestly could not have been more happy with this. I'm always sitting here talking about how much I want the WWE to start using their tag teams more and making them appear more dangerous and important. This is exactly what we got as the New Day took on Roman and Randy in a handicap match, making me a very happy women. Finally, the tag teams are getting used better and having much stronger booking.
So our first match of the night, a handicap match between all three New Day member's and Roman Reigns and Randy Orton. As I already said, the fact that the New Day got such strong booking made me a very happy girl. I felt like the match was a little on the predicable side but I tried my best not thing too far ahead and just enjoy the match, keeping my fingers crossed that we wouldn't get that predicable ending I was thinking of and instead we would actually a strong handicap match that I could really get into. Don't worry I didn't have my hopes up too high. Kofi Kingston started this match for he's team and it wouldn't take very long for a short tag to be made to Roman Reigns from Orton. I lost a little bit of interest when Xavier Woods came into the ring. I will be honest, I'm still struggling to actually connect with Woods. He doesn't stand out for me for all the right reasons in any way and I still feel like he should of been given a role in the New Day witch didn't involve him Wrestling all that much at all. The early stages of this match saw Orton and Reigns in full control, walking all over the new day and they were actually working really well together. Making frequent tags and taking control whenever they were in the ring. We did eventually see the New day turn things around a little and their team work came into play eventually. There was just way too much Xavier woods for my liking. Anyway, back to the team work and we saw why the New Day are the current tag team champions. They all brought something new to the match. Big E brought the power, Kofi brought the fast paced, high flying moves and Xavier Woods was there. The closing moments was very interesting and really well done. We saw Roman go in for a spear on Kofi but accidentally hit Orton allowing the New Day tog et a quick cheap win. I really liked this and was not what I was predicting. I will admit I did think that the New Day were gonna suffer a huge loss so I was so glad with what we got. There was a huge story development between Orton and Reigns while at the same time the New day were able to get a good win after a decent match not damaging them as top heels and tag team champions in anyway. I was also really surprised with how long this match actually went on for. After the match Kane had some news for the two main event stars after suffering their loss, announcing that they would go one on one in the nights main event.
Up next, we had the beautiful Renee Young standing in the ring set to get some words from the big guy, Ryback, after what we have seen over the past week from Bray Wyatt. I have made it clear both here on twitter and on my blog that I have next to no interest in this feud at all but the in ring interview was a nice little touch and well it did manage to grab my attention a little...mainly because Renee was in the ring. What I do like however is haring Ryback speak. He always manages to talk about he's past and bring it into a feud really well and he did just that last night. It sucks, because I am such a big Ryback and Bray Wyatt fan but this not a feud I want to see and not one I think I will enjoy and work from at all. This was a nice promo from Ryback but I still have no interest. The words of Ryback did grab the attention of Wyatt and we got another strong backstage promo from
Former tag team champions Tyson Kidd and Cesaro were up next as they took on one of my all time favourite NXT tag teams, The Ascension. This was a nice littler surprise, I was not expecting the Ascension to have an appearance on last nights show and the fact they were taking on Kidd and Cesaro put another big smile on my face. I hate seeing that the WWE are still treating the Ascension pretty badly and having them come across in not the best of ways. We have seen them loose quite a thew matches over the past couple of months on superstar's so this was an important match for them to get back on track. We saw the Ascension dominate the match right from the very start as the former NXT Tag team champions really took it to Tyson Kidd, making frequent tags and not allowing Kidd to make the tag. The speed did change a heck of a lot when Cesaro finally got into the match and the momentum shifted greatly as Cesaro took complete control and really got the crowd going. He really did speed things up and get everyone far more interested in the match. He left me pretty speechless to say one thing. In the end Kidd got the pin fall win for he's team and the former champs walked away with a much needed win. Really enjoyed this little part of the night and I have to admit I'm really really enjoying the work from the tag division as a whole, and really loving Kidd and Cesaro right now.
The WWE World Heavyweight Champion was up next as thanks to Kane, he was forced to have a rematch with Dean Ambrose after their match from last weeks Smackdown saw some outside interference. Of course the announcement that we were getting a Dean Ambrose VS Seth Rollins match made me beyond happy and my TV screen had my full attention. We know that whenever these guys step in the ring against one another they re going to deliver to a whole new level and prove to be the best of the best. I'm really liking the stronger booking of Ambrose over the past couple of weeks. We're finally seeing him booked in stronger matches that allow him to showcase he's talents to the max. I will admit I was a little worried for Ambrose last night. I really did feel like he needed a win but at the same time as long as he had a strong strong performance I wanted to believe he had nothing to worry about. For Rollins however, this was a match that would really allow him to shine and gain some extra momentum during the build up to he's Payback championship match. Before the match began Kane had yet another huge huge announcement that if Ambrose won this match than he would be added to the Payback main event making it a fatal four way. Can I just say nothing has made me more happy in like forever. Every single part of me wanted Ambrose to win this match more than anything after this announcement. Adding Ambrose to the mix would of been very very interesting.He more than deserves to be in a main event picture. The early moments of this match saw things very mixed but Dean really used the crowd to get himself going and get in control of this match. As I said this match had my complete full attention and the fact that there was more importance added to this match meant I was more interested than before. Ambrose did spend a heck of a lot of time in control of this match and these two, because of their experience told a really good story throughout witch really added more to this match, it was nice seeing just how much their history came into play. I knew halfway through this match this was going to be another one to add to their list of great matches and it really was. The momentum shifted throughout this match. They kept us entertained and gripped throughout and as a whole it was such a well put together match. The crowd could not have been any more into this match neither could any one else home. These guys were able to give us an extreme, outstanding match on a normal episode of Monday night RAW. The closing moments made me the happiest person in the entire world as Dean Ambrose was able to pin Rollins making the Payback main event a fatal four way. I was honestly not expecting this at all and I may have marked out a little.
Rusev was in action next in a one on one match against Fandango. Before the match we saw Lana in a backstage interview with Byron Saxton where she was interrupted by Fandango and after it seemed as though Rusev gave her a good telling off and gave her her matching orders. I think I can see where this is all going. Once again when Lana came down to the ring we saw her really appreciating the fan reaction she was getting. This whole thing was really reminding me of what we saw with Sable and Marc Mero. We even saw Lana Fandango witch left Rusev sending Lana back to the locker room. I was surprise to see Fandango dominate so much of the match but he's efforts meant nothing and in the end we of course saw Rusev get a submission win, picking up some momentum before Payback in a couple of weeks. Weaker matches of the nigh included a one on one against Stardust and R-truth. I wasn't really into this match at all. It was better than I expected, there was some great little spots shared but it wasn't much that kept me entertained and interest. After being scared by fake spiders from a bag brought to the ring by Stardust and distracted, Stardust was able to get a quick win.
John Cena and he's open challenge was up next and before the match he did cut another promo and to be fair it wasn't a bad one but it was hard to focus on what he was saying because all that I was getting from this part of the show was that this crowd seriously wanting some Sami Zayn, who was backstage last night, but instead of Sami Zayn we got another huge surprise and another nice little gift when Bret the freaking Hitman Hart came down to the ring! Yes, I marked out. Yes a little too much. Yes my neighbours were beyond pissed off. Do I care? No. Not at all because it was freaking Bret Hart! Before Bret was able to make he's announcement however or even get a thew words out of he's mouth he was interrupted by Heath Slater but he was soon sorted out by Bret and was shut up. Bret's real reason to come out was to introduce one of the hottest, biggest, most popular NXT star right now, Sami FREAKING Zayn. First Bret Hart then Sami Zayn, I almost had a hear attack. There was honestly nothing in the entire world that could of made me any more happier than this very moment. Even though I knew Zayn was backstage I was really not expecting him to come out last night at all and when he did I'm sure my neighbours wanted to kill me! One thing I didn't like was that they started the match during the commercial break but it's fine, I got past that. Of course Zayn being in he's home town meant that the crowd were on fire throughout this whole section of the night. Not many people get to say they had their first proper match on RAW against a fifteen time champion in John Cena in your home town. There was a moment in the match were we thought Zayn was gonna have to leave the match when he had a slight problem with he's shoulder but all was good and he carried on like the true Sami Zayn we know. I did not like Cena's attitude throughout this match at all but the attention was almost all on Zayn and as a major NXT fan there is no words to describe how happy I was throughout this match. I can honestly say from start to finish I was so on edge throughout this match. It was so intense and I wanted Zayn to win so badly that I could hardly breathe for the full length of this match. There was not a moment in this match where the crowd fell silent at all and "this is awesome" chants echoed through the arena. In the end Cena scored a clean win to retain the title. I hated the clean loss from Zayn but he had such a strong showing that had nothing at all to be ashamed of. Great match and one of my favourite parts of the night. It was also a great way to promote NXT Takeover and NXT as a whole.
Divas action next and the divas champion Nikki Bella was set to go one on one with long term rival Naomi. I'll be honest I wasn't expecting much from this part of the night just because it was pretty late in the show. Before any match could begin we got exactly what I predicted when Naomi and a retuning Tamina attacked the Bella's from behind before he match could even begin. I mentioned in my prediction post that Tamina and Naomi had been doing some work during live house shows throughout last week and we now know that Tamina will be working as Naomi's body guard type of figure. I was glad the match never wet ahead this seemed to be enough to push the feud and bring something new at the same time.
Up next was the one match I was most looking forward to last night and the one that I personally enjoyed the most, a tag team match between four of my favourite singles superstars in the WWE right now, Adrian Neville and Dolph Ziggler VS Sheamus and the two thousand and fifteen King Of The Ring winner, Bad News Barrett. I actually did predict this match in my RAW prediction post (witch of course will be linked bellow). I was so glad this match was happening. The booking made sense and well as I said these guys are four of my favourites right now so I was left with a huge smile on my face the moment this match was announced on the pre show. For the past month these guys have been working together a heck of a lot. There of course is he huge feud between Sheamus and Dolph Ziggler and we have seen Neville work some great matches against Barrett and Neville become very friendly with Ziggler, so it all came together very well. Going into this match, I will admit, I was team heel. We had a Brit on both sides so it was difficult to choose one over the other but purely because I'm more of a fan of Sheamus and Barrett over Ziggler in particular I find myself rooting for the heels of the match. When it came down to who needed the win the most out of the two teams I also felt like Barrett and Sheamus needed it more so this was one I was keeping a very close eye on and one that I paid very close attention too. Starting the match was Dolph Ziggler and King Bad News Barrett with Barrett taking early control. When the match returned after a commercial break we saw the heels still in control but once Neville was able to make the tag things speeded up real quick and the momentum shifted completely. It was nice to see some deeper story telling between Sheamus and Ziggler during this moment of the night. The closing moments saw Barrett hit a perfect bull
It was then finally main event time, and as announced back at the start of the show, after teaming with one another earlier on in the night it was time for Roman Reigns and Randy Orton to let out some of their built up tension and frustration out on one another. Don't get me wrong, I was looking forward to this match but by this point of the night I was really really tired and lacked a lot of energy. I mean after all, I did have a major head ache after all the excitement of the night and it was almost four am when this match started. Before the match could begin we were began everyone was given there roles, witch included Rollins as part of the commentary team. The start of the match saw Orton try he's best to get an early win but wasn't quick enough for Reigns. Roman did take control of this match a heck of a lot more than I was expecting and he did have strong showing. He really is starting to show some serious improvements in the ring. Randy defiantly had the crowd on he's side. In the end we found out the whole thing was one big fix and the reason the Authority was out at ringside was because they were waiting for their moment to take out both Orton and Rollins and it worked until Dean Ambrose made and appearance aka the fourth man in the now fatal four way at Payback. The closing moments saw Orton take out Reigns out of nowhere and Ambrose take out Orton in the finale moments leaving the Lunatic fringe the last man standing. I could not have bee made happier.
All round I thought this was an amazing RAW. I was not expecting it to be half as good as it was. Stand out matches had to be Dean Ambrose VS Seth Rollins and of course John Cena VS Sami Zayn. The match that did disappoint me greatly was the tag team match between Neville and Ziggler and Sheamus and Bad News Barrett. But I can't moan too much because this was an outstanding RAW. We got an appearance from Sami Zayn and one of me all time greats, Bret Hart, Tamina returned, Dean Ambrose won a match against the World champion putting him in the payback main event, what more could a person simply ask for. A great night and I really enjoyed the show. But what did you think? Let me know by leaving a comment bellow or by tweeting me at @TezangiVictoria.
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Top 5 Superstars of the week
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