WWE Monday Night Raw
Birmingham, England
November 5, 2012
Report by: David Stephens of Wrestleview.com
A video airs showing Paul Heyman and The Miz from earlier today. Heyman informs Miz that Punk is employing the Art of War. The whole Survivor Series team needs to get on the same page. Miz retorts that he doesn’t need Heyman or Punk. He is quitting their Survivor Series team
Rey Mysterio, Sin Cara & R-Truth v. Antonio Cesaro, Darren Young & Titus O’Neil
Cesaro starts the match off against Sin Cara. Cesaro is met with a tilt-a-whirl headscissors that sends him crashing to the mat. Truth gets the tag but walks into a slew of European Uppercuts. Young gets the tag and Mr. No Days Off is knocked to the mat by R-Truth. Rey gets the tag and goes for the cover. Young kicks out. Mysterio is whipped hard into the post. Titus comes in off a tag but gets his legs kicked out by Mysterio. Cara gets the tag but quickly tags in Truth and holds Titus’ arms back as Truth kicks Titus in the gut.
****Commercial****
Sin Cara is in the ring with Darren Young and comes off the ropes with an arm drag. Rey gets the tag and attempts a 619 on Young but Cesaro runs into the ring and hits a hard back breaker on Rey. Titus gets the tag and lifts Rey high over his head. He drops him onto a back breaker. Cesaro is back in and continues to wear down Mysterio. Rey reverses a side drop with a spinning DDT. Truth runs into the ring and clotheslines Cesaro. He proceeds to knock Young off the apron and then causes Titus to fly outside the ring. Young is back into the ring to break up the momentum.
Sin Cara is alone in the ring with Cesaro. He spins around his head and sends him into the 619 position. Rey runs into the ring and hits his finisher. Truth follows with a finisher of his own and this match is over.
Winners: Rey Mysterio, Sin Cara & R-Truth
****Commercial****
Vickie Guerrero is introduced and she walks down to the ring. She is talking but there is no way that anyone in the arena has any idea what she is saying over the loud boos. She shows a video to review the John Cena/AJ situation.
Cena’s music hits and he comes down to the ring. Cena points out that when Vickie was in charge of Smackdown she used her power to give first Edge, and then Dolph, the World Heavyweight Title.
Vickie plays another video which shows AJ wearing a robe leaving and then entering a different hotel room. Cena says that it doesn’t prove anything. Vickie shows video from a different camera which shows John Cena putting a Do Not Disturb sign on his hotel room door while wearing but a towel.
Vickie calls out AJ Lee. The former GM appears on the Titantron. She tells Vickie that Vickie shouldn’t want her out there because if she goes down to the ring she will beat Vickie up. Dolph appears in the shot and implies that he might make a move on AJ. Cena is furious and heads to the back as Vickie cackles on the mic.
****Commercial****
Paul Heyman is in the back with Wade Barrett and is trying to convince him to join his team. Wade agrees on the condition that Heyman put in writing that he owes Wade one.
Daniel Bryan v. Cody Rhodes
Bryan and Rhodes start the match off. They exchange control of the match until Bryan takes over with a series of kicks and then tosses Cody out of the ring. Cody lands near Kane. Sandow runs up from behind to attack Kane. Bryan hits a baseball slide on Cody Rhodes. He follows with a suicide dive on Sandow. Rhodes hits a disaster kick off the apron and then rolls Bryan into the ring. Rhodes with Cross Rhodes and this match is over.
Winner via Skullduggery: Cody Rhodes
After the match Rhodes gets on the mic and volunteers Sandow to have a one on one match with Kane.
****Commercial****
Kane v. Damien Sandow
Kane and Sandow exchange blows back and forth. Sandow is whipped towards the corner and leaps out towards Kane only to be dropped with an elbow. Kane continues the onslaught. Rhodes tries to interrupt and Bryan runs after him. The referee kicks both of them to the back.
Kane climbs to the top turnbuckle and leaps for an arm lariat. Kane connects with a chokeslam and this match is quickly over.
Winner of this match: K-aaaaaaaa-nnnn-eeeeee
****Commercial****
Michael Cole brings Brad Maddox down to the ring. He plays the clip of Brad attacking Ryback at Hell in a Cell while reffing the match. Maddox denies that he was put up to it by Heyman. Maddox claims that it was his own plan. All his life all that he has ever wanted to do was be a WWE Superstar. For years everyone shut the doors as he tried to make it in the business. He tells the story of how he had a try out for $2,000. He had to go through the developmental system but could never seem to make it. When he realized that he would never make it to the main roster of the WWE is dream would never die. He wasn’t going to let anyone get in his way. He made a vow to himself to do whatever it takes to get to the WWE. That’s why he became a referee. He just needed one chance to make an impact. Maddox says Punk had no idea what was going to happen. It was all about Maddox trying to make impact and take his opportunity to get noticed. Maddox wants a WWE contract and he wants a match against Ryback.
Vince McMahon’s music hits and he comes out and says that he doesn’t believe Maddox. He thinks that Heyman was involved and he is going to get to the bottom of it. As for the contract, Vince says that he will give Maddox a 1 million dollar contract if he can beat Ryback next week on RAW.
Vince goes and grabs Vickie. He asks why he would allow CM Punk to hide behind a team at Survivor Series. Vince asks Vickie who Punk is going to face for the Title at Survivor Series. Vickie says Dolph Ziggler. Vince says no, it will be against Ryback. And, it will be a triple threat match with John Cena!
****Commercial****
Sheamus v. The Miz
The Big Show joined in on commentary for this match. They square off and Sheamus takes him down to the mat with a side headlock. Miz tries to shy away but Sheamus inflicts an onslaught. Miz attempts to fight back but gets placed on the apron. Sheamus lands a ton of clubbing blows and Miz falls to the outside. Sheamus follows after but gets shoved into the announce table as well as the steel post. Miz rolls him back into the ring and applies a headlock.
****Commercial****
Back from the break The Miz is in control. He knees the back of Sheamus’ head and goes for the cover. Sheamus kicks out. Miz shoves his jaw down on the ring apron. Miz applies a rear headlock. Sheamus attempts to get to his feet but The Miz fights him back down.
Sheamus is set up in the corner and Miz charges from across the ring. Sheamus responds by running right at him and then hitting him with a knee lift. Miz attempts to fight back but is ultimately slammed to the mat. Miz kicks out.
Sheamus looks for the White Noise but Miz scurries off and hits his snap DDT. Sheamus kicks out at the last instant. Miz attempts a kick, but Sheamus dodges. Miz dodges a kick from Sheamus and tries for his finisher. Sheamus kicks him off and then lifts him up for White Noise. Sheamus is looking for the Brogue Kick. Sheamus connects and the crowd yells the count along with the referee. This match is over.
Winner via Brogue Kick
Vickie comes out of Vince’s office and tells a waiting Dolph Ziggler that he is the new captain of the team, replacing Punk. The WWE Champion walks up and complains to Vickie about his match at SS. Vickie says it wasn’t really her decision, but she did okay a match for tonight. It will be Punk & Ziggler v. Ryback & John Cena!
****Commercial****
Sheamus is in the back with William Regal. Sheamus agrees to get a pint with him later.
Eve Torres & Aksana v. Layla & Kaitlyn
Layla attempts some sort of springboard move against Aksana, but it doesn’t really work out. This match received more time than a typical Divas match. That being said, I can understand by they don’t usually give the Divas that much time. (It seemed as though nothing really happened). Kaitlyn hit an inverted DDT for the win on Eve.
Winners: Layla & Kaitlyn
Alberto Del rio is in the back with Ricardo Rodriguez. Rosa Mendes bumps into Del Rio and they share a moment.
****Commercial****
Alberto Del Rio v. Kofi Kingston
They lock up and Kofi takes control at the offset. Del Rio starts to fight back and applies a front headlock. He releases Kofi and kicks him in the gut. Kofi applies a ten punch in the corner and tries for a cover. Del Rio kicks out. They brawl to the outside of the ring. Rio tosses Kofi into the barricade and then back into the ring. Rio hits a backbreaker and then stomps across the back of Kofi. Cover, but Kofi kicks out.
After enduring a lengthy onslaught Kofi tosses Rio shoulder first into the steel post. He starts to fight back with a couple of drop kicks and a Boom Drop. The crowd is very quiet. Kofi calls for Trouble in Paradise. Del Rio counters it but misses the arm breaker. Kofi hits the SOS, but Del Rio kicks out. Kofi leaps from up high but Del Rio moves out of the way.
Randy Orton’s music hits, but he doesn’t appear. Kofi Kingston rolls up Rio and this match is over.
Winner via Orton being a distracting jerk: Kofi Kingston
Orton hits an RKO on Alberto Del Rio from behind and out of nowhere.
****Commercial****
Santino & Zack Ryder v. Primo & Epico
Santino tries some trickery on Primo until Ryder gets the tag. Primo knocks him down and into the corner before tagging in Epico. He immediately tags back in Primo who comes flipping into the ring. Cover, but Ryder kicks out. They continue the back and forth quick tags in attempts to pin Ryder. Ryder flips over Primo and hits a neckbreaker. Santino and Epico get the tags. Santino splits and then drops a headbutt. Primo makes the save, but Ryder knocks him out. Santino reaches into his tights for the Cobra. He hits Primo and this match is over.
Winners: Santino & Zack Ryder
****Commercial****
Brodus Clay v. Wade Barrett
After a lengthy dance with stellar pyro, Brodus starts the match against Wade. He hits Wade, but is met with a side slam. Cover, but Clay kicks out. Wade hits a Black Hole Slam as well as driving his head into the apron. The attack from Wade continues until he hits Clay square in the jaw with his elbow, this match is over.
Winner: Wade Barrett
****Commercial****
Heath Slater v. Uso
Slater and Uso start the match. Uso slams Slater down to the mat and then whips him into the ropes. Slater kicks him hard in the side. Slater taunts the crowd and then returns to the attack with a side headlock. Slater attempts a cover, but Uso kicks out. Slater kicks Uso square in the jaw. He takes him down to the mat with a side headlock. Uso gets to his feet and hits a superkick. Slater responds by shrugging off his attack by hitting a Jumping STO. This match is over.
Winner via Jumping STO: Heath Slater
****Commercial****
CM Punk comes down to the ring with Paul Heyman. He puts over his 351 day reign. He announces his displeasure at the changes to his Survivor Series situation. Instead of leading a team, he has to face Ryback and Cena for his Title.
****Commercial****
CM Punk & Dolph Ziggler v. John Cena & Ryback
John Cena and Punk start the match. Cena locks on a side headlock and takes control. Ziggler gets the tag but runs right into a hip toss from Cena. Ziggler uses his speed to get in control and drop a series of elbows. Ziggler hits a clothesline before tagging in Punk. Punk hits a high running knee, which Cole refers to as ‘Vintage Punk’. The Champion locks on a front headlock and isolates Cena in the middle of the ring. Cena somehow gets to his feet and hits an AA out of nowhere. Ziggler comes in off of a tag and at first is swatted away by Cena, but responds by hitting the Zig Zag. Cena kicks out of a cover and Punk gets the tag.
Punk applies a leg scissors to the head of Cena, but is lifted up into the air and flattened with an Electric Chair.
Ryback gets the hot tag from Cena and plows Punk into the mat. Ziggler is whipped hard inot the corner and then tossed onto Punk. Ryback tosses him out of the ring. Ryback powers up and looks for the arm lariat. It connects and Ryback lifts Punk up into the air for Shell Shock. This match is over.
Winners: John Cena & Ryback
After the match Cena gets into the ring and stares down Ryback. Cena watches as Ryback leads the crowd in a Feed Me More chant.
David’s Thoughts
Why, hello. It’s nice to back. I survived Hurricane Sandy without a scratch, but my heart goes out to my fellow New Jersey residents that were hit hard by the storm as well as my friends in New York City.
The WWE was in England tonight and it’s always a different feel when RAW is on a pre-tape. I personally do not read spoilers because heck, I have to sit through the show if I know what’s going to happen I might as well scrape out my eyeballs with a rusty spoon.
It’s quite obvious that there is a new producer for the WWE. We are seeing a different style of video package including the soap opera-esque ‘Previously on RAW’ packages.
John Cena is back and he teamed with Ryback in a main event that limited Ryback’s efforts while still making him look like a monster. That’s essentially been their strategy with him from the start so they might as well continue a formula that’s produced a monster. It was a fine match, if not particularly overwhelming. I felt that the Ryback/Cena staredown was far less climatic than it should have been.
Speaking of a small climax – Kofi Kingston did not have many fans in the building tonight. The reaction to his antics was much smaller than it is in the states.
Wade Barrett got his win tonight over Brodus Clay to a chorus of cheers as he is in his home country. William Regal received a small amount of screen time as well.
It was hard not to notice the tag team heavy element to the show tonight. Even several non-tag matches involved members of tag teams. Point being that tag-team apologists have little room to complain at the moment.
Vickie Guerrero was barely audible during her appearance tonight. The crowd really hated her. At the moment I just can’t bring myself to get into the AJ/Cena/Vickie/Ziggler storyline. I just don’t care.
It was interesting to see Vince McMahon appear on the show tonight. I expected him to stay in Connecticut as his wife’s election results come in tomorrow. They even avoided mentioning the election on the show this year. Two years ago Stephanie and HHH were involved with a sketch de facto supporting their mom.
I like Brad Maddox. He had this look in his eye when Vince was coming down to the ring that showed his passion and desire. The story he told on the mic felt real, and he won my heart over.
I’m going to leave you with a Jack O’ Lantern that comes to us from Twitter user: @LoveYourHate337
Oh, and if you live in the United States of America – VOTE!
David Stephens
Follow me on Twitter!@TheDaveStephens
The Teacher’s Lounge (Saturday)
“The Teacher’s Lounge” is a weekly podcast archived every Saturday on the Wrestleview Radio Network featuring hosts David Stephens and “Mr. V” Anthony Valvo. The show reviews all of the news from the week, tosses out Gold Stars and Detentions, PPV previews and special guests. Past Interviews include: Colt Cabana, Hernandez, Sara Del Rey, CZW Owner DJ Hyde, Shane Douglas & more!
