MARK OUT: To temporarily forget that wrestling is fake because something cool happened. Urban Dictionary
VINCE MCMAHON / PAUL HEYMAN / BROCK LESNAR / TRIPLE H Segment: MARKED OUT!
This was an AMAZING opening segment for this week’s Monday Night RAW. It had Heyman and McMahon taking shots at each other, which then led to Lesnar and Helmsley taking shots at each other, and ultimately all HELL breaking loose. Lesnar was even busted open the hard way, with a crack of his skull into the ring post. Great segment to set the tone high going into the rest of the night; an awesome, old school, “attitude era” tone that is. Marked? Check… NEXT!
RYBACK def. DOLPH ZIGGLER: MARKED OUT!
Ziggler loses to the offspring of Goldberg and the Ultimate Warrior, Ryback. Not too worried about Ziggy’s loss affecting him, as he’ll cash in at WrestleMania and be as strong as ever. Ryback, or as I affectionately refer to him “RyHack,” needed a win like this. This was actually a decent match from the big guy and Ziggy, mainly because of the sick bumps Ziggler was taking throughout the whole thing. He looked like a little girl playing “popcorn” on a trampoline…with a bear doing the popping. RyHack looked more impressive in the ring this week as well. Had a few more new moves in his arsenal. He still looks wreck-less though. Still, entertaining match that had an intensity the first hour needed.
CM PUNK Promo: MARKED OUT!
Look…Punk is fantastic on the mic. We all know that. He might be the best on the mic since Rowdy Roddy Piper. We also know that his words last night were a subtle jab at The Undertaker. Taker is an icon who is immortalized, especially at WrestleMania correct? Punk said, “I am an icon that walks among Superstars. … You are in the presence of greatness on two feet. I am not just a human being. I am immortal … a legend. An icon…And in this world that you all inhabit, I … I am God,” which leads me (and every other smart fan) to believe, and it shouldn’t surprise anyone, that we will get a “God vs Devil” match at WrestleMania. Punk vs Taker and his streak. Marking out just thinking about it. NEXT!
MARK HENRY def. THE GREAT KHALI: …checked out…
I was early in checking out of this one…because I was afraid it would lead to an actual program with these two that would last all the way to WrestleMania. Thankfully, Henry squashed the giant from India and sent him into the Hall of Pain. It’s what he do…so now let’s put him in a meaningful storyline please. NEXT!
Miz TV with JACK SWAGGER / ZEB COULTER / *World Heavyweight Champion* ALBERTO DEL RIO / RICARDO RODRIGUEZ: MARKED OUT!
Love. This. Gimmick. Swagger and Coulter’s gimmick is the best that the WWE Creative have come up within a very long time. It’s telling a story. This feud is actually building and telling a story. It’s a feud that is working for a change! I love it. Del Rio got good fan reaction as a face, and this match will ultimately be Swagger’s saving grace until after Mania. After the segment was over, Miz got attacked by Swagger to set up a match between the two later in the night. Loved this.
RANDY ORTON def. *United States Champion* ANTONIO CESARO : …checked out…
Orton needs to turn heel…like yesterday. Miz and Cesaro have been building this storyline up to what looked like a match at WrestleMania, and then they’re completely kept apart from each other on RAW? All this match did was prove that the US title, much like the IC title and Tag Team titles mean NOTHING. Cesaro jobbed to Orton. Waste of a match. NEXT…
SHEAMUS / WADE BARRETT Segment: MARKED OUT!
Sheamus did his best mic-work in YEARS during this Oscars segment, which was all to set up him making fun of Wade Barrett being in the new WWE produced Colin Ferrell picture, Dead Man Down. Barrett came out and gave HIS best mic-work…of EVER. Entertaining segment overall, and early build to a feud. I like this pairing because the IC title NEEDS a feud between someone established to bring prestige back to it. Next.
R-TRUTH def. CODY RHODES: MARKED OUT!
I have to admit, I didn’t mark out during this match, but I enjoyed it too much to say I checked out of it. It wasn’t a particularly great match (there were some great spots) but Sandow was on commentary verbally raping everyone. He’s such a great character. I would have checked out but this just fueled my suspicions about Team Rhodes Scholars being broken up. I still say we see them take on R-Truth and Kofi Kingston at WrestleMania. Then, if WWE knows what’s best for their Tag Team Division, they’ll keep BOTH teams together.
*Tag Team Champions* TEAM HELL NO def. PRIME TIME PLAYERS: …checked out…
There were a few humorous moments of this match…but it’s Kane and Daniel Bryan. These guys are GREAT wrestlers. They do not need to be held down by this comedic tag team angle any longer. Have them drop the straps to The Shield or a fully reunited Team Rhodes Scholars, and start a SERIOUS feud between them. They need it.
“Doug O, would you drop the belts onto Prime Time Players,” you ask? The answer is…”aint nobody got time for that!” They continue to get buried match by match. Titus O’Neal looks like he could be a break out singles competitor, but until the division gets solid enough that Creative will let tag teams that AREN’T the champions win and try to get over, they’re just going to keep getting buried, and the division will keep being a WASTE of time. NEXT!
THE SHIELD in-ring segment: MARKED OUT!
That Dallas crowd last night was weak. They didn’t react to the Shield coming out AT ALL! The good news is, they’re so freakin’ good on the mic (all of them in my humble opinion) that the crowd quickly woke up and got involved. As the Shield begged for someone to challenge them that would give them a good fight, Sheamus came out and distracted Ambrose and Reigns as Rollins received a RKO from Orton out of no where. Orton fades back into the crowd Shield style, and it looks like a new feud with Orton and the Shield may be starting. I like it. Next…
JACK SWAGGER def. MIZ: MARKED OUT!
This was actually a good match. They kept me entertained and hit some good spots. I’m pretty sure you could actually see the breath leave the Miz when he took that belly-to-belly suplex out on the floor. He was lookin’ gassed after that, but they still but on a good show. Patriot Act (lock…Cole changes it EVERY time he says it) for the win. Weed…I mean…WE…the people!
JOHN CENA def. CM PUNK: MARKED OUT!
What a match. I mean WHAT A MATCH! Captivated the crowd, showcased BOTH men’s amazing talents, and proved to me that these guys are both superstars. Cena hit moves we’ve NEVER seen him hit before. Punk sold EVERYTHING like it was nobody’s business. They both did a fantastic job selling this match, and it was probably the best match we’ve seen between the 2 of them. It went for 20 minutes, and for all 20 minutes I was a mark. Just forgot that everything was scripted and enjoyed what I was watching, wondering “will there be a swerve? Will the Undertaker show? Does Cena win clean? Etc, etc, etc…” Phenomenal match, on free TV no less, that ended a great RAW perfectly.
RAW 2/25/13 OVERALL: MARKED OUT!
I thought this show was fantastic. Great kick-off with Brock/HHH and a great send off with Cena/Punk. Little spots here and there were iffy, but I thought THIS is what the Road to WrestleMania should look like. The talent was there, the intensity was there, and the overall attention grabbing entertainment was there. We got a tremendous show out of the talent that is on the current roster and working on TV EVERY WEEK. True, Lesnar/HHH started the show, but the show would have been good without that as well. This proves that Creative has the tools to make the current roster relevant without having to include SO many part-timers. The WWE Champion wasn’t even ON RAW…and he’s not expected to be there again THIS week. To me, that’s a down-right disgrace to the Title. The man that carries that belt IS considered to be the man. He’s considered to be the face of the company. He should be on TV. He should be WRESTLING in matches that air on TV. Anyway, my point is RAW didn’t need the Rock or Brock to have an amazing show, but it goes to show the kind of energy they can bring to the table if they actually use them correctly. Brock is willing to fight on TV, at least scuffle enough to get bloodied…the Rock just constantly talks…talk, talk, talk. Waste, waste, waste. Raw was awesome last night. Here’s to hoping it’s just as good next week!
Follow Doug McDonald on Twitter and tune in to RSM WEEKLY this Thursday night LIVE at 7pm EST!
