WWE Monday Night Raw
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
February 6, 2012
Commentators: Jerry Lawler & Michael Cole
Reported by: David Stephens of Wrestleview.com
Are you ready? There are only 55 days until WrestleMania, so stop questioning your heart and join me because it’s time for Monday Night RAW!!!
Video package highlights the confrontation last week between The Undertaker and HHH last week on RAW.
Pyro erupts in the arena as Michael Cole & Jerry Lawler welcome the viewers at home to the show.
HHH’s music hits and he walks his way down to the ring. After soaking up the crowd, the COO of the WWE begins to speak. He starts off by making it clear that he was out here last week to fire John Laurinaitis. HHH refers to Laurinaitis as a backstabbing weasel as well as an ass kisser. Laurinaitis flew up to the WWE Board of Directors today to try and make one last plea. That decision will be released in the morning.
HHH goes on to discuss the return of The Undertaker. It was the first time that Taker had been seen since he was carted from the ring last year at WrestleMania. He wasn’t able to walk out of the building of his own volition. HHH says that still after 20 years in the business, he gets chills when Taker walks down to the ring. In a reversal of last year, Taker was the one who walked down to the ring and silently pointed to the WrestleMania sign. HHH says that Taker humbles him when they are in the ring together. When he saw Taker last week, he didn’t feel humble. Instead, he felt sad for The Undertaker. HHH says that he knows what he did to Taker last year, and doesn’t want to do that to him again. He wants to remember Taker in his prime.
Video package airs highlighting the career of The Undertaker.
HHH wants to remember Taker in that light, not the way he was left in the ring last year at ‘mania.
Video package airs highlighting Taker being carted away at WrestleMania.
HHH says that no one will ever compare to The Undertaker, he will always be the most dominant force ever in the WWE. For that reason, out of respect, HHH declines Taker’s challenge for WrestleMania. HHH saw last year that Taker would not give up. If they were to fight again, HHH would push Taker past his limits. He respects Taker too much to do that to him. HHH declares that this is over. HHH goes to exit the ring, but his music abruptly cuts off.
The lights go out in the arena. A video begins to air of Taker watching his match against HHH from last year. Taker declares that this is not over. He says that this victory over HHH means nothing because he doesn’t want to be remembered as the man carted away from the ring like last year. He wants vengeance. In return, HHH will have another shot at earning immortality. The camera cuts back to the ring as HHH looks a bit startled.
****Commercial****
Daniel Bryan w/ AJ v. The Big Show
Bryan convinces AJ to come down to ringside, she is still wearing a neck brace as a result of her collision with Big Show last month on Smackdown.
Bryan is pushed into the corner and hit with a couple of headbutts. Show hits a scoop slam. Bryan is whipped into the corner and hit with a splash. Bryan bounces out of the corner with a dropkick to the knee of Show, which drops the Show to the mat.
****Commercial****
Back from the break, Bryan has Show in a leg lock. Show esc apes and spears Bryan. Cover, but Bryan kicks out. Show lifts his arm into the air to signal for the chokeslam. Bryan counters it into a headlock. Show releases him and Bryan goes on the attack. Cover, but Show throws him off. Bryan takes to the top turnbuckle, but drops back down to the apron when Show gets to his feet. Show kicks Bryan to the outside.
Bryan is near AJ and is nursing his knee. Show follows out as AJ pleads for Show not to hurt Bryan. When Show turns his back, Daniel attacks him. Show runs to Bryan, who rolls to his right. AJ is nearly clobbered by Show again. Bryan walks away in disgust.
Winner via Count Out: The Big Show
Bryan is on the entrance ramp with AJ and has a mic. He says that Big Show could have pulled up a month ago, just like he did tonight. This proves that he purposely ran her over the last time. Bryan says that come Elimination Chamber, he will still be a vegan, and he will still be World Heavyweight Champion.
****Commercial****
Video airs showing Carl Edwards entering RAW to talk to Cena last week. Cena is invited to be the honorary green flag waiver to start the race for the Daytona 500.
Video package highlights the Elimination Chamber.
****Commercial****
David Otunga is in the ring. He says that as a graduate of Harvard Law School, he has never had a boss as creative and intelligent as John Laurinaitis. He trusts that the Board will see this truth and not fire John. Otunga asks the audience to pray with him. Otunga drops to one knee and Tebows!
Justin Roberts announces that HHH has made a match for Otunga, right now!
David Otunga v. Sheamus
Sheamus grabs Otunga and tries to lift him up for the Celtic Cross, but Otunga slips out of his sweater and leaves the ring. Sheamus catches up to him and sets him up on the apron for the clobbering blows. Sheamus hits a lariat and tries to grab his opponent. Otunga holds onto the ropes, and then hits a DDT. Otunga is in charge for a few moments, and begins to take off his shirt and gloat. Sheamus hits the Brogue Kick, and this match is over!
Winner via Brogue Kick: Sheamus
****Commercial****
The lights go off in the arena, followed by Jericho’s coat lighting up. With his arms outstretched, it’s time to break down the walls. Jericho makes his way down to the ring.
Video highlights Jericho’s attack on CM Punk last week.
Jericho says that the end of the world as we know it has arrived. It is the end of charlatans and liars claiming to be something to be that they are not. Jericho says that just by arriving back in the WWE, he has made others obsolete. Jericho says that others are stealing his sayings and beliefs. The roster is full of wannabes. Chris points to the crowd and says that they are all wannabes. Jericho says he trolled the entire audience without saying a word. Jericho runs down a list of wannabes that have stolen his gimmicks. The worst of all is CM Punk. Jericho says that he is lying when he says that he is the best in the world. Punk is a Jericho-wannabe. Punk knows that Jericho is in the best in the world at everything that he does. Jericho doesn’t need the saying on a T-shirt because he lives it. Jericho says that he is back to reclaim what is his.
Punk’s music hits, and he makes his way out onto the entrance ramp with a microphone. Punk walks down to the ring. He holds up the mic as if to talk, but instead pauses. Punk lifts his WWE Title up into the air, and turns to walk away. Punk doesn’t move as if to invite Jericho to attack him from behind, and then walks out of the ring as his music hits. Jericho is yelling at Punk for not talking and calls him a wannabe.
****Commercial****
Randy Orton & The Great Khali v. Cody Rhodes & Wade Barrett
Orton and Cody start things off. Orton hits a high elbow followed by a scoop slam. Orton stomps on Cody and tags in Khali. Wade also gets the tag. Khali pushes him into the corner, and chops him hard across the chest. Khali tags in Orton with a hard chop. Orton was also forceful on his first tag. Wade hits a neckbreaker and goes for the cover. Orton kicks out. Cody gets the tag.
He stomps on Orton in the corner and then connects with a couple of punches. Orton is in the corner, but punches his way out. Cody hits a dropkick and goes for the cover. Orton kicks out. Cody hits a couple of punches and twists the arm of Orton. Orton punches back and pushes Cody into the corner. Cody escapes and looks for a bulldog, but gets hit with a side slam. Orton looks at Khali, but Wade charges into the ring. Orton hits him with a snap scoop slam and then turns his attention back to Cody. Orton sets up, and connects, with the suspended DDT. Orton looks for the RKO, but Khali tags himself into the match. Cody springboards into the ring, but is met with a chop to the head! Cover, and this match is over.
Winners: Randy Orton & The Great Khali
After the match, Khali tries to attack Orton. An RKO from Orton plants Khali on the mat. Orton celebrates with the crowd.
Video package highlights John Cena
****Commercial****
Kelly Kelly, Tamina, Alicia Fox & Eve Torres v. The Bella Twins, Natalya & Beth Phoenix
Eve and Beth exchange blows. Eve kicks her in the gut, but gets caught with an arm lariat. Cover, but Eve kicks out. Beth punches her in the back and hits a scoop slam. One of the Bellas gets the tag. She hits a neckbreaker and begins to pound Eve’s head on the mat. Tamina gets the tag and hits a Samoan drop. She heads to the top rope, but the other Bella distracts. Kelly and Alicia pull Bella off the apron. Tamina leaps and connects with the Superfly Splash. This match is over.
Winners: Kelly Kelly, Tamina, Alicia Fox & Eve Torres
Video package teases The Rock on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno tonight.
HHH is in the back on his phone. Laurinaitis walks into the shot. He says that he is here because until the final decision tomorrow morning, he is still the interim GM. He is optimistic about the decision that the Board will make. John puts over that Shawn Michaels will be appearing on RAW next week. Laurinaitis also proposes that Kane takes on Cena one on one in an ambulance match. HHH says it is a good idea, and then kicks Laurinaitis out of his office.
****Commercial****
Josh Mathews is in the back with Laurinaitis and asks him how he thinks the Board will vote. John feels confident and alludes to HHH being a coward for not facing The Undertaker.
****Commercial****
Six-Pack Challenge
CM Punk v. R-Truth v. Chris Jericho v. Kofi Kingston v. Dolph Ziggler v. The Miz
The winner of this match will enter the Elimination Chamber last.
Everyone clusters in the corner and then split off into groups. Jericho heads out of the ring to rest for a bit while the others fight. Punk goes after Miz with a couple of kicks. Truth tries for a cover on Kofi, but Kofi kicks out. Jericho thinks about entering the ring, but Miz kicks him back out. A couple quick covers occur, but with so many men in the ring, breaks are constant. Truth flies out of the ring with a somersault on Miz. Kofi leaps out with a crossbody. Dolph is alone in the ring and taunts the crowd. Punk sneaks in for a cover, but Dolph kicks out.
****Commercial****
Dolph is in the ring with Punk and Miz. Miz tries for a splash, but Punk moves out of the way and attacks Dolph. He gains control with a dropkick and a stereo neckbreaker on both men. Punk puts Miz in the Anaconda Vice, but Ziggler makes the save. Punk tries to put the move on Ziggler, but Kofi makes the save. Kofi whips him into the corner, but gets lifted onto Punk’s shoulders. Punk throws him out of the ring. Jericho enters the ring and stares down Punk. Punk extends his arms. Miz and Ziggler slide into the ring and attack both men. Jericho and Miz collide with clotheslines. Ziggler takes to the top rope, but Punk knocks him to the turnbuckle. He climbs up the ropes and looks for the Superlex. Jericho and Miz run up and turn it into a Tower of Doom! Miz and Jericho cover at the same time, so the ref counts together. Kofi makes the save. Miz goes for the Skull Crushing Finale, but Kofi hits him with the Trouble in Paradise which sends him out of the ring. Jericho drops Kofi to the mat and goes for the cover. Kofi kicks out. Kofi hits a couple of dropkicks and goes for a cover. Jericho kicks out.
Jericho gets to his feet and knocks down Kofi. He goes for the lionsault, but Kofi moves out of the way. Jericho counters a Trouble in Paradise into the Walls of Jericho. Punk makes the save. Ziggler runs into the ring and throws out Jericho. Ziggler is caught with a GTS and Punk covers! Jericho pulls Punk out of the ring and throws him over the commentator’s booth. Jericho slides back in and covers Ziggler. Jericho uses the ropes for leverage, and this match is over!
Winner & Entering EC Last: Chris Jericho
After the match, Jericho takes the WWE Title and sits in the ring with the Title over his shoulder, mocking CM Punk.
We cut to back where Kane is with a frightened Eve Torres. He says that the hate is rising in his heart. Kane says that Cena is starting to embrace the hate, but he isn’t there yet. Kane says that if Cena doesn’t embrace the hate soon, he is afraid for Eve. He is afraid for Cena. This is because for the first time in his life, Kane is afraid of himself.
David’s Thoughts
It was a weird opening segment to RAW. We found out that Laurinaitis was definitely fired last week, kind of. But the real decision won’t be released until tomorrow. That just seems unnecessary to me, but whatever.
I’m still not convinced that HHH/Taker deserves a rematch. Watching the video of Taker being carted away only made me wish that if he does end up leaving the arena like that once again this year; it should be because of an up and coming star, not HHH.
Show/Bryan was a storyline match, nothing more. AJ might be coming off as a fool in this for falling for Bryan’s lies and tactics, but to be fair she is in love. Love makes us all a bit crazy. Yeah I know that’s lame, I’m just trying to make it work.
I still think Goldberg should have won the year he was in the Elimination Chamber. Never understood that one.
David Otunga Tebow’ing cracked me up. Asking the audience to pray for Laurinaitis was so out of the blue that I laughed out loud. I’ve been saying for over a year that Otunga had a future and not to write him off so quickly. Finally, people are beginning to see what I knew was there from the start. He might not be the best, but with the right gimmicks he will have some longevity. Was I crazy when I said he would be a WWE/World Champion by the end of his career? Maybe, but The Miz held the Title so crazier things have happened.
Interesting segment with Punk/Jericho. Punk being silent was a clever way of stealing another one of Jericho’s gimmicks, but also coming across with the upper hand. That’s a fine line to walk but I’m very optimistic about this feud.
The tag match was pretty short. There was nothing to really note other than that Khali has certainly not become any more nimble during his absence.
The John Cena video package for WrestleMania is very well made. Look, I know that’s a pretty crappy bit of insight on my part, but it’s all I can come up with at the moment. It’s a damn video package I don’t even need to comment on it. So I won’t. Well I did, but hitting backspace requires effort so let’s just forget this paragraph happened. Cool? Awesome.
So…. where is Kharma? They are setting it up as though Beth Phoenix has no viable challengers, yet Kharma is nowhere to be found. She came back at the Rumble, it’s not like it’s a secret that she is back. The match itself was lame, but that’s not exactly a surprise.
Cena took the night off? OMG Cena lied! He said he’d never leave!
Jericho was the expected winner of the main event, so I wasn’t surprised in the slightest. The match itself was a bit of a cluster, but I haven’t seen a tower of doom in a while, so that made me smile. Nice tease between Jericho and Punk, if not a bit over extended.
Kane’s storyline has bizarrely been one of the most intriguing as of late, but tonight’s segment felt like an afterthought. It will be interesting to see if Kane and Undertaker both using supernatural techniques on the same show will detract from the effectiveness of the mystique.
I might be over thinking that one.
It was a very blah kind of RAW tonight. This is generally the case for a RAW in the middle of two PPVs. It’s like a soap opera on Tuesdays and Thursdays – nothing important happens.
David Stephens
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