MARKED OUT! …checked out… RAW 06/17/13

MARK OUT: To temporarily forget that wrestling is fake because something cool happened. Urban Dictionary

*World Heavyweight Champion* ALBERTO DEL RIO and CM PUNK In-ring Segment: MARKED OUT!

One night removed from WWE Payback, and the new WHC Alberto Del Rio opens the show. Not only does he open the show, but he solidifies his heel turn with an good ol’ fashioned fan attack. As he’s tearing down the relatively hot crowd in Grand Rapids, Punk interrupts the new champ to what sounded like an explosion.

What a great reaction for Punk’s first presence on Monday Night Raw since he was last seen on the program on April 15^th. Punk says he wants to continue to prove he’s the best in the world, and will take on Del Rio later. Awesome. Loved it.

CHRISTIAN def. WADE BARRETT: MARKED OUT!

I’m not the biggest Christian fan, but this was a great return for him. We’ve been hearing that he’s been ready to return since January, and Creative was reportedly told to make his return happen VERY soon. Looks like they had to be told to bring him back for it to actually happen, but nonetheless, we got a great match and a MARK OUT-able return out of it.

TEAM RHODES SCHOLARS def. SHEAMUS: MARKED OUT!

Have I mentioned that I love Damien Sandow? This guy can work with ANYONE. This handicap match was pretty fun to watch, and it ended with Sandow getting a victory over Sheamus. Looks like this feud is going to continue. Bet on seeing these 2 guys in the same Money In The Bank ladder match next month. NEXT!

RANDY ORTON def. DANIEL BRYAN via something: MARKED OUT!

A great match that got stopped because of “health concerns” for Bryan. Bryan hit the barricade when Orton moved out of the way of the “Flying Goat” dive out of the ring, and suffered a legit stinger because of it. This led to an abrupt and awkward ending to the match. Bryan was trying to keep the match going, but a doctor and the ref said that the match was stopped. A NO DQ match was being stopped for health reasons. If it was being called a “No Contest,” Orton wouldn’t have gotten a W out of it. However, even after they “called it off,” Orton gets credited a win. I don’t understand how he won a bout that hadn’t been finished yet, but ok. Still a great match and I think we see this one go until Money in the Bank. Bryan will win the WWE Title briefcase. Book it.

*Divas Champion* AJ LEE / STEPHANIE MCMAHON / KAITLYN segment: MARKED OUT!

Did we really just get an awesome Divas segment? Kudos to McMahon and Lee for a job well done here. And kudos to Kaitlyn for letting her…”emotions” get the best of her. Without her snapping and attacking Lee…we wouldn’t have got the free nipple show we did. MARK OUT for the boob? Big E Langston says no. He probably went  backstage saying, “big whoop. Mine are bigger.”

KANE def. *United States Champion* DEAN AMBROSE via DQ: MARKED OUT!

Saw this finish coming, but still enjoyable. Consistency is key with The Shield.

ANTONIO CESARO def. WILLIAM REGAL: MARKED OUT!

Cesaro is getting ANOTHER push. This time, it should last longer than one show though. He’s been paired with Zeb Colter now…and he’s saying “We the People”…as a Sweid. Could work I guess? Regal gets on RAW out of no where though…that gets the MARK OUT.

MARK HENRY and JOHN CENA segment: MARKED OUT!

Best. Swerve. Ever. We had the rumor of Henry/Cena after WrestleMania and were surprised that Ryback got the push instead. Obviously Henry would have been the better option, and now we get it. Henry put on the performance of a lifetime, faked retirement, then owned Cena. Best Mark Henry segment since he touched a transvestite’s penis in ’99. MARK OUT indeed.

CHRIS JERICHO def. HEATH SLATER: MARKED OUT!

Jericho owns Slater in basically a squash match, then owns the other 2 guys in 3MB (I know their names, but until they’re out of this stable, they don’t need names). 3MB is basically the Job Squad Class of 2013. This was just a fun filler match, period, but Y2J was involved, so it gets a MARK OUT.

*Intercontinental Champion* CURTIS AXEL def. SIN CARA: MARKED OUT!

I marked out because I wanted to see Axel get a clean win on RAW with a perfect plex. Didn’t happen…and there was mood lighting for this one. I checked out on the mood lighting, but hung in there because I believe Axel can be better than this match.

CM PUNK def. *World Heavyweight Champion* ALBERTO DEL RIO via Count-out: MARKED OUT!

Punk and Del Rio can always give a great match, but this one was about what happened AFTER the match. Dolph Ziggler attacks Del Rio at the top of the ramp and solidifies his new babyface status, then Brock Lesnar returns and F-5’s Punk. Classic ending to RAW, it felt very “Attitudinal” if you will. Let’s hope it stays this way.

RAW 06/10/13 OVERALL: MARKED OUT!

Was this episode of RAW not awesome? And the crowd wasn’t even being insane! This was great booking all the way around, and the talent showed up in a big way.

Punk being back is very good for the WWE going forward. Bryan’s push, Henry’s performances, and the anticipation of Bray Wyatt, the Wyatt family, and Rob Van Dam keeps the hype going until the next PPV. Money in the Bank should be awesome this year. I can’t wait. I just hope Mondays continue to be as enjoyable as this week’s was.

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