WWE Monday Night Raw
December 26, 2011
Chicago, Illinois
Report by: Mike Tedesco of Wrestleview.com
“Yes sir, we promised you a great main event…” The WWE video leads us into the show.
Michael Cole and Jerry “The King” Lawler welcome us to the sold out arena in Chicago. CM Punk’s music hits, and the place becomes unglued. Punk walks out, only it’s not him. It’s John Laurinaitis. He says he is the Executive Vice President of Monday Night Raw. That’s not right. Laurinaitis says they expected one thing, and they got another. That’s why he’s “Mr. Excitement,” and it’s a microcosm of what you can expect on Raw. Laurinaitis says he’s been told that he’s brought the new “Golden Era”. They’ll continue that tonight in Chicago. He’s honoring CM Punk by wearing his shirt and doing his entrance. He is a Punk believer. The crowd is chanting wildly for CM Punk.
CM Punk’s music hits again, and the WWE Champion makes his way to the ring. Punk gets a tremendous reaction as he dances around Laurinaitis in the ring. Punk says Laurinaitis is trying to get a reaction out of him. Punk says there’s a question he’s like answered: What is stopping him right now from kicking Laurinaitis in the face? Laurinaitis says he’s Punk’s boss, and he may fire him. Laurinaitis says he’s not here to argue. He’s taken several management classes, and he’s learned that he should empower his talent. Since it’s the holiday season, he’s giving Punk a holiday gift that he’d never expect. Tonight, CM Punk is OFF! The crowd boos, and Laurinaitis says he got him! Laurinaitis asks who says he can’t be unpredictable. Punk says everyone says Laurinaitis can’t be unpredictable. The crowd, even the aliens, says he can’t be unpredictable.
Laurinaitis says he listens to the WWE Universe, and they want to see him compete. Tonight, Punk will have a match, or maybe three. Laurinaitis will pick the opponents, and if any of them beat him, they’ll get a WWE Championship match against him next week. Punk asks what would happen if he beats the three guys. Laurinaitis says he hasn’t given it much thought. Punk says he’s not a forward thinker, but luckily for everyone he is. As a present to Chicago, when he survives the Gauntlet match, he’ll give them a fourth match. The crowd wants to see it. Punk says if he beats the three guys, then the fourth match will be CM Punk vs. John Laurinaitis!
Laurinaitis says he doesn’t want any of this. It’d be unfair to Punk. The crowd chants, “You can’t wrestle!” Punk says they must’ve been watching All Japan tapes. Laurinaitis says it’s not good business for him to beat the WWE Champion. Punk mentions that he said he listens to the WWE Universe. Punk asks the WWE Universe if they want to see John Laurinaitis take him on. They cheer for it. Laurinaitis says he’s left him with no alternative. He’s on!
They play another one of those creepy promos with the little kids. Whoever it is will be on Raw next week. TheEndBegins.
Booker T will take on Cody Rhodes in a rematch from TLC next.
-Commercial Break-
Booker T vs. Cody Rhodes
This is a non-title match. They show pictures of Cody Rhodes attacking Booker T backstage and during his entrance at TLC. They then showed footage of Booker T costing Cody Rhodes his match against Zack Ryder on Smackdown this past Friday. Booker T sang, “Cody The Red Nosed Reindeer” and it distracted Rhodes enough where he lost the match.
Booker wants a test of strength to start the match out, but Rhodes doesn’t want it. Booker applies a hammerlock, and Rhodes elbows out. Booker sends him to the ropes, and Rhodes shoulder blocks him down. Booker catches him with a hip toss, and he chops him in the corner. Booker hits a body slam for a one count. Rhodes kicks and punches him. Rhodes puts him in the corner, and he continues punching him. Rhodes has a whip reversed, and Booker hits a back elbow to the face. Booker hits a nice suplex for a one count. Booker goes for hits Scissors Kick, but Rhodes avoids it. Rhodes quickly comes back with a swinging neckbreaker. Rhodes brings his kneepad down, and he knees Booker in the midsection. Rhodes kicks away at him and taunts the crowd. Rhodes follows up by throwing him out of the ring.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Booker trapped in an overhead wristlock. Booker fights up and punches out. Booker chops him to the corner, and he knees him in the ribs. Booker sends him to the corner, and he runs into a back elbow. Rhodes stomps Booker and drops a knee for a two count. Rhodes hits a snapmare, and he applies a half nelson chin lock. The crowd gets behind Booker T, and he beings to fight up. Booker punches out and sends him to the ropes. Rhodes drops down and uppercuts him in the face. Rhodes quickly hits a clothesline for a two count. Rhodes continues to stomp away at Booker’s ribs, and the crowd begins chanting Booker’s name. Rhodes taunts them.
Rhodes punches him down in the corner, and Booker comes back with a punch of his own. They trade punches, and Rhodes dropkicks him down for a two count. Rhodes applies a modified hammerlock/chin lock combo. Booker powers out, and Rhodes knees him in the ribs again. Rhodes shoulders him in the corner. Rhodes sends him to the other corner, and he runs into an elbow. Rhodes charges again, and Booker boots him in the face. Booker has a whip reversed, and he hits Rhodes with a pair of forearms. Booker clotheslines him a few times, and he hits a sidewalk slam for a near fall. Booker picks him up, and Rhodes punches him in the ribs. Rhodes sends him to the corner, and Booker counters with a roll up for a near fall. Rhodes quickly rolls him up for a near fall as well. Booker stuns him and goes for a Scissors Kick, but Rhodes counters with a roll up for a near fall. Rhodes catches him with the Beautiful Disaster for a near fall!
Rhodes kicks him in the knee, and he goes for the Cross Rhodes, but Booker counters with a high calf kick. Rhodes ducks a roundhouse kick, and he goes for a whip. Booker counters into a Scissors Kick for the win!
Winner by Pinfall: Booker T
Match Rating: * 3/4
Booker T can’t believe it, and the crowd gives him a nice round of applause. Booker T gets them into it, and he executes a nice spinaroonie.
Zack Ryder is backstage, and he says none of this would be possible without him. They show John Cena in the locker room, and Cena says Ryder doesn’t owe him anything. All this is happening because of Ryder. Ryder was waiting for him moment at TLC for forty-four weeks. Every decision maker in WWE was afraid to take a chance on him, but he didn’t listen. Ryder is the United States Champion not because he was given anything. He earned it. Ryder says he has a chance to make another Christmas wish come true. Ryder then asks him about Kane. Cena says he’s been attacked for the past two weeks. If Kane is anywhere in the building, he’ll make sure the last Raw of the year goes off with a bang.
They announce the three men that will face CM Punk. If any of them beat him, that person will get a WWE Championship shot next week. The first opponent is Jack Swagger. If CM Punk beats him, he’ll face Dolph Ziggler. If Punk beats him, he’ll then face Mark Henry. If CM Punk can beat all of them, then he’ll face off against John Laurinaitis tonight!
Big Show is backstage with Kelly Kelly. Scott Armstrong comes up, and he says John Laurinaitis needs to see Big Show in his office. Armstrong says it’s important. Big Show says it better be good.
-Commercial Break-
John Laurinaitis is talking to Brodus Clay on the phone. Laurinaitis assures him that he’ll be on next week’s Raw. Big Show walks in, and Laurinaitis asks him to explain why he punched David Otunga in the face on Smackdown last week. Otunga says that’s a lawsuit. Otunga asks what kind of man would sucker punch someone. Big Show says he can beat Otunga any day of the week with one arm tied behind his back. Laurinaitis says if Otunga forgets the lawsuit, then he’ll face Big Show with one arm tied behind his back. Big Show says a giant with one arm is still better than a smug lawyer with no testicles. Big Show fakes a punch, and Otunga flinches big time.
Jack Swagger and Dolph Ziggler are talking backstage. Swagger says Ziggler shouldn’t have even gotten dressed since Punk won’t get by him. Ziggler says Swagger should get a time machine to 2009 when he was relevant. Vickie Guerrero tells them to stop fighting. They should just stay focused on bringing the WWE Championship to her stable. Mark Henry bumps into them, and the act scared of him.
Eve Torres and Zack Ryder will be in a mixed tag team match next.
-Commercial Break-
Tyson Kidd and Natalya vs. Eve Torres and Zack Ryder
Kidd and Ryder lock up, and Kidd backs him to the corner. Kidd kicks him down, sends him to the ropes, and hits a shoulder block. Kidd kicks him in the back for a one count. Kidd punches him in the corner, and sends him to the opposite corner. Kidd runs into Ryder’s boots, and Kidd quickly tags in Natalya. Eve Torres has to come in. Natalya pushes her, and Eve forces her to the corner. Eve takes her down, and she hits a snapmare. Eve kicks her in the face, does some booty popping, and hits a standing moonsault for a near fall. Natalya pulls her into the ropes, and she talks some trash. Natalya pushes her around before attempting the Sharpshooter. Eve kicks her away and tags in Ryder.
Ryder ducks Kidd’s springboard, and he clotheslines him down. Ryder has a whip reversed, and he counters with a face buster. Ryder runs into a kick to the midsection, but Ryder catches him with a sit-out spinebuster. Natalya breaks up the pin, and Eve dropkicks her down. Ryder and Eve both hit Broski Boots. Ryder hits the Rough Ryder for the win!
Winners by Pinfall: Eve Torres and Zack Ryder
Match Rating: 3/4 *
Zack Ryder lets Eve Torres hold his United States Championship. He puts his arm around her, and she acts like he’s taken it too far.
John Cena will call out Kane next.
-Commercial Break-
John Cena’s music hits, and he comes out to an overwhelmingly negative reaction from Chicago. They show footage of Kane viciously attacking John Cena on last week’s Raw. Kane smothered him on the table, and he ripped his shirt off. Cena was left looking shaken.
Cena says he can’t say that he’s “Chicago’s favorite son”. Cena says he’s had his first match in this arena, and he’s been here countless times since. Sometimes Chicago is a little salty to him, and sometimes they’re a little more than salty. They continue to boo him wildly. Cena says there is magic in the building. He has seen it, and they have lived it. Chicago has hosted three WrestleMania’s, and Eddie Guerrero was inducted into the Hall of Fame in this city. The crowd chants, “Eddie”. Then, in one of the greatest moments in recent WWE history, CM Punk beat him right here and walked out of the All State Arena with the WWE Championship. It’s been said that New York City is the home of WWE, but he sees another sold out crowd here tonight, and he sees the WWE Universe unafraid to tell you how they feel. This is the last Raw of 2011, so he says let the world remember this night and remember Chicago. They actually cheer that.
Cena says he’s probably going to sign his own death warrant. Cena says he’s going to callout the Devil’s Favorite Demon. Tonight, they will see John Cena vs. Kane! The Miz’s music hits instead, and he comes out to the stage. Miz says right now he wants to see himself take on John Cena. As the year comes to a close, they have some loose ends to tie up. Everyone knows that 2011 was “The Year of The Miz”. He beat Cena in the main event of WrestleMania. Honestly, that win was tainted. Everyone says the reason he beat Cena was because of The Rock. The crowd chants for The Rock. Miz says The Rock stole his moment, and he won’t let the year end without proving to everybody that he doesn’t need The Rock to beat John Cena. He wants everyone’s lasting image in 2011 to be him standing tall over John Cena. Cena wants him to shut up and wash the tan off his body. Cena says all they need is a referee, and he’ll beat the hell out of him right now. Cena asks for a referee.
John Cena vs. The Miz
They circle the ring and lock up. Cena quickly takes The Miz down, and he smirks at him. They circle the ring again, and Cena takes him down with a waist lock. The Miz is not happy about that, and the crowd is electric for this. They circle the ring once again, and they lock up. Cena takes him down with a headlock, and the crowd has dueling chants for The Miz and John Cena. The Miz fights up, and he twists out. Cena sends him into the ropes, but Miz holds on and gets out of the ring.
The Miz grabs a microphone, and he says they are chanting the wrong superstar’s name. The Miz says they need to understand that he is the most must see WWE Champion of all time. He’s beaten Cena at WrestleMania. It doesn’t matter how he did it, but he did beat him. This match doesn’t matter in this crappy city. He did it on the grandest stage of them all. The referee counts The Miz out.
Winner by Count-Out: John Cena
Match Rating: N/A
The Miz says he is a winner. Like the Packers beating the Bears, he is a winner. Miz says he’s walking out of this crappy city with his head held high to end 2011 because he’s The Miz, and he’s…
R-Truth’s music hits, and he stomps his way down to the ringside area. R-Truth takes The Miz down, and they fight it out at ringside. R-Truth sends him into the barricade, and he beats him down. R-Truth tackles The Miz over the table, and he smashes his face off it. R-Truth puts him in the barricade and the table a few times. R-Truth looks at him wildly before sending him into the steps. R-Truth looks crazy as he grabs a microphone.
R-Truth beats him down a little more before grabbing his face. R-Truth says he could finish this right now, but what’s the fun in that? There isn’t any. That’s the problem with Christmas. You open all your presents, and it’s over. R-Truth continues to beat on him. R-Truth wants every Monday night to be like Christmas, so he’ll take his time getting to The Miz. Little Jimmy said it’s ok, so this New Year’s all acquaintance be forgot – no, all acquaintance is gonna get got! R-Truth grabs a water bottle, and he hits The Miz over the head with it. R-Truth walks off as The Miz lies in a heap at ringside.
CM Punk will compete in a Gauntlet Match tonight. If he’s able to beat Jack Swagger, Dolph Ziggler, and Mark Henry then he’ll take on John Laurinaitis.
-Commercial Break-
The announcers talk about what just happened between The Miz and R-Truth. They also confirm that Kane is in the building, and he’ll address John Cena tonight.
Big Show will wrestle with one arm tied behind his back
Big Show vs. David Otunga
Big Show’s right hand is tied behind his back. Otunga, despite having the advantage, still tries to avoid Big Show. Big Show uses his legs to catch Otunga. Big Show head-butts him, and he chops him. Big Show clubs him down, and Otunga kicks him. Otunga kicks him, and he tries to shoulder him to the corner, but Big Show head-butts him. Big Show clubs him down, and he throws him out of the ring. All of a sudden, Mark Henry’s music hits, and the referee throws the match out as he gets in the ring.
No Contest
Match Rating: N/A
Mark Henry stares at Big Show as he tries to free himself from the ropes.
Henry knocks him down. Daniel Bryan’s music hits, and he distracts Henry as the referee helps Big Show get untied. Big Show grabs Henry by the throat, and David Otunga interferes. Big Show Chokeslams Otunga as Henry gets out of the ring. Big Show stares at Henry as he walks off.
Kane will answer John Cena later tonight.
-Commercial Break-
Alberto Del Rio’s music hits, and Ricardo Rodriguez wheels him out to the stage. Rodriguez is in a neck brace as well. Del Rio says it’s a tragedy. The man who won everything in 2011; Royal Rumble, Money in the Bank, the WWE Championship twice; the man who brought class, honor, and cahones to the WWE has been injured. Del Rio says he suffered the most painful injury a man can suffer. He completely tore his groin. Del Rio asks what is wrong with the people. Del Rio wonders if they’re happy. The crowd cheers, and he’s disgusted. Del Rio says he’ll be back.
The Bella Twins come out, and one of them says the crowd should treat him with respect. The other one says when he’s recovered that she plans to personally throw an honor in his party. They argue about who came up with the idea. Del Rio throws them out. Del Rio says he promises one thing, and it’ll be his New Year’s Resolution. He’ll be back, and he’ll be more vicious than ever before. He doesn’t care who he has to destroy. He’ll be the WWE Champion again. Rodriguez wheels him out of the arena.
They show footage from WWE ’12 with what could happen if Mark Henry took on CM Punk tonight.
CM Punk is walking backstage. He’ll compete in a Gauntlet Match next.
-Commercial Break-
Gauntlet Match
CM Punk vs. Jack Swagger w/ Vickie Guerrero
If Jack Swagger can beat CM Punk right now, he’ll face CM Punk on next week’s Raw for the WWE Championship. If Punk beats him then he’ll go on to face Dolph Ziggler immediately.
They circle the ring and lock up. Punk gets a side headlock applied. Swagger turns it to a waist lock, and Punk fights out. Punk wrenches the arm, and he kicks Swagger in the back. Punk puts pressure on Swagger’s wrists, but Swagger comes back. Punk fights up, and he forces Swagger down. Swagger kicks him, and he applies a side headlock. Punk whips him off, and Swagger shoulder blocks him down. Punk leapfrogs him, and he hits a nice jumping calf kick. Punk knees him a few times, and he kicks him in the ribs. Swagger avoids a clothesline, and he catches Punk with a gut-buster. Swagger gets a near fall.
Swagger applies a grounded bear hug. Punk fights up, and he elbows out. Punk catches Swagger charging with a boot. Punk goes for a springboard cross-body, but Swagger catches him with another gut-buster for a near fall. There was some miscommunication there. Swagger knees him in the midsection, and he takes him down. Punk counters a Swagger Bomb into a GTS attempt! Swagger gets out, but he misses a clothesline, and Punk catches him with a roundhouse kick to the skull for the win! He’ll face Dolph Ziggler right now!
CM Punk vs. Dolph Ziggler w/ Vickie Guerrero and Jack Swagger
Before the bell rings, Swagger chop blocks him in the knee. Swagger punches away at the knee, and the referee forces him to leave the ring. The referee checks on Punk, and he assures him that he’s OK.
-Commercial Break-
We join the match in progress to see Punk trapped in a leg lock. Punk kicks out and goes for a body slam, but the knee gives out. That gets Ziggler a two count. Ziggler continues to work over the knee, and he picks up a one count. Ziggler works over the knee some more, and the crowd chants for CM Punk. Ziggler goes for a suplex, but Punk catches him with an inside cradle for a two count. Ziggler quickly chop blocks the knee and picks up a near fall. Ziggler wrenches the knee, and he DDTs it. Ziggler hits him with a nice dropkick for a near fall. Ziggler applies a submission, but Punk fights out of it. Punk head-butts him, counters a dropkick, and he catapults him to the corner.
Punk goes for a neckbreaker, but Ziggler shoves him to the corner. Ziggler takes him down by the knee for a two count. Ziggler kicks him in the knee, and he applies a single leg crab. Punk scratches and claws to the bottom rope. Ziggler really has that leg stretched out. Punk reaches that bottom rope, and he takes advantage of that five-count. Ziggler runs into a boot, and Punk punches him in the midsection. Punk blocks some punches, and he hits a pair of chops to the ears. Punk kicks him down, and he hits a body slam. Punk kicks him in the back a few times, kicks him in the head for good measure, and he picks up a near fall.
Ziggler kicks him in the knee and goes for a leg drop bulldog, but Punk throws him away. Punk sends him to the corner, and he hits a running knee. Punk goes for the GTS, but Vickie Guerrero grabs the leg as Swagger distracts the referee. Ziggler hits a leg drop bulldog for a near fall!
John Laurinaitis comes to ringside, and he says there has been an injustice. Laurinaitis says the referee can’t see everything, but Vickie Guerrero just got involved in the match. Laurinaitis ejects them from ringside. During all that, Punk had Ziggler covered forever. Laurinaitis gets on the apron, and he distracts Punk by talking about his proposed match against him. Ziggler hits the Zig-Zag for the win!
Winner by Pinfall: Dolph Ziggler
Match Rating: **
Dolph Ziggler will face CM Punk for the WWE Championship on the January 2nd edition of Raw. Ziggler grabs the WWE Title, and he runs around ringside with it. Ziggler puts it down at the top of the stage, and he taunts Punk big time.
Kane will answer John Cena next.
-Commercial Break-
Kane’s pyro hits, and his music cues up. Kane walks to the ring with that Iron Man mask on. Kane gets in the ring, and he says we are seeing his true self. This is his essence. He may wear a mask, but it is all of us who spend every waking second living a lie.
John Cena’s music hits, and he walks out to the stage. Cena stares at Kane before attempting to walk to the stage. Kane has the stage make a wall of fire to keep him back! Kane asks if Cena wants to know why he chose him. Kane says it’s simple. Cena has led all of the people astray. Cena asks them to rise above hate, but that’s a fallacy. This world is a dark, dark place. It’s okay to hate. Humans are hateful by nature. Deep down, everybody hates. Why rise above it when the natural impulse is to embrace it? To let it consume you, people hate. They hate their bosses, their neighbors, their spouses, and their miserable existence. Rise above? That’s a fraudulent myth perpetuated by Cena. Hate is the seed from which we are all born. It drives us, motivates us, and fuels our impulses. Kane knows that Cena feels it swimming underneath his skin like insects eating away at him. But once you embrace the hate, you become honest with yourself. The crowd is chanting for John Cena. Kane says you become free.
What Cena fails to realize is that with his denial, he grows weaker by the moment. Until he embraces that which he denies, he can never be truly free. The crowd starts dueling John Cena chants. Kane says he is going to help Cena. All of the people are going to help him on his path towards enlightenment. Right now, the last image that Cena will see this year, the last thing that he will hear, is each and every one of the people chanting the words which tear Cena’s soul apart: “Cena sucks!” Kane tries to start the chant, and some try to hop on with him. The crowd is really unglued for this, and they start the dueling John Cena chants again. The episode airs with the chants going off.
Quick Match Results
Booker T def. Cody Rhodes (non-title)
Eve Torres and Zack Ryder def. Tyson Kidd and Natalya
John Cena def. The Miz via CO
Big Show vs. David Otunga went to a No Contest
Dolph Ziggler def. CM Punk in a Gauntlet Match (non-title)
Bump of the Night: R-Truth’s beat down of The Miz
Match of the Night: The Gauntlet Match **
Mike’s Thoughts
Raw kicked off in a big way with hometown boy CM Punk making his way to the ring, only it was John Laurinaitis. Laurinaitis seemed really pleased with himself, and then he immediately followed that up by messing up his first line. That’s what I love about John Laurinaitis. He has no business being on a microphone so he gives you that one line every week that he completely botches. His discomfort is what makes that character so hilarious. CM Punk then came out, and he had some good back and forth with Laurinaitis. I thought they set up the Gauntlet perfectly with Laurinaitis trying to prove that he is “Mr. Excitement”. Laurinaitis delivers that line like a champ. It’s so funny. The reaction that Punk got in his hometown really made this segment work, though. That was absolutely electric.
Cody Rhodes took on Booker T in a very decent match that was given some time. I personally thought their bout at TLC was better, but this wasn’t bad by any stretch. Booker T wrestles well for a 46-year old guy. He hasn’t been full-time for a while, so it was nice to see him wrestle with very little rust in his game. I wasn’t too surprised to see him go over, especially since it seemed like this feud would continue a little longer from their interactions on Smackdown.
The mixed tag match with Zack Ryder and Eve Torres going over Tyson Kidd and Natalya was pretty good. Ryder continues to be one of the most likeable wrestlers going today, and the divas were more than tolerable in this. How much more can you ask?
John Cena was out next, and he called out Kane only for The Miz to come out. The Miz wasn’t happy that The Rock tainted his WrestleMania victory, so he wanted to have a match tonight to prove to the world that he can beat Cena. Then about two minutes into the match, Miz leaves the ring and says that he already beat Cena at WrestleMania and one more victory over Cena won’t mean anything. That was pretty funny. Then R-Truth came out, and he beat the ever-loving crap out of Miz. It looks like they’re going with R-Truth as a face. I’m not sure how well that would work out. I personally can’t see R-Truth being involved in serious feuds that much longer. He can’t really work a match. He was completely exposed during his feud with John Cena. He wasn’t good as a serious face, so I say it’s time to make him a comedy face. I think they should give R-Truth a Santino Marella-type deal, and that would work best for him. The guy just can’t be taken seriously.
The next match saw Big Show have to wrestle with one arm tied behind his back against David Otunga. Big Show had destroyed Otunga’s jaw on Smackdown with a WMD in one of the coolest punches of the year. The match never really got off the runway as Mark Henry came to the ring to attack Show. Daniel Bryan then distracted Henry so Show could get free. It looks like they’ll be going the triple threat route with Bryan, Henry, and Show heading into the Royal Rumble. I could be wrong, but that’s how it looks right now.
CM Punk competed in his Gauntlet Match in the main event. Punk first wrestled Jack Swagger in a match that I didn’t think was too hot. Punk beat Swagger, and then he had to face Dolph Ziggler immediately after. That match was much better than the first. Swagger had attacked Punk’s knee before it began, so Ziggler spent a lot of time working on it. They seem to have good chemistry, and it should make for a nice match next week on Raw. John Laurinaitis remained the key figure in this feud as he’s the one who cost Punk the match. Ziggler came off looking great because he beat the hometown boy, and he got some legit heat from that. I’m looking forward to that match next week.
The final segment had me thinking that I had accidentally popped in the DVD for “Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith”. When Kane was talking about how John Cena should embrace the hate, I was having flashbacks of the Emperor trying to turn Anakin Skywalker over to the Dark Side. Then when Kane was stretching some of his words out, I was thinking of the Joker in “The Dark Knight”. I’m sure the eventual match between these two will be fine, but this story so far is really far fetched. I know it’s wrestling, but come on. Embrace the hate? Really?
This was a nice Raw to close out 2011. Next week’s show looks great. It’ll see Dolph Ziggler take on CM Punk for the WWE Championship, the debut of Brodus Clay, and the mystery person behind those videos will finally be revealed.
Final Rating: ** 3/4
You can follow me on the Twitter here or e-mail me.
E-Mail – MikeTedesco@wrestleview.com
Be sure to check out the Win-Loss Record of your favorite WWE Superstar on the main page! Also be sure to check out my Smackdown recap this Friday! Finally, check out my annual edition of Smackdown: Year in Review here!
Thanks for reading!