Raw Review (December 29, 2014)

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Marter

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Spoilers follow for the December 29th episode of Raw.

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On paper, the last Raw of 2014 looks to be a stellar one. Randy Orton and Bad News Barrett (supposedly) returning. Daniel Bryan making an announcement. Brock Lesnar showing up. The Ascension being called up. And Edge and Christian as our guest hosts. All of those make it a show worth seeing even regardless of the night's match quality. Edge and Christian alone more or less makes it worthwhile.

Raw opens with a flashback to 2011, during which time Edge made his retirement speech. That honestly doesn't sound like a good thing for Daniel Bryan's announcement later on. It's foreboding, at the very least. Edge and Christian are then welcomed to the ring. They do a bit of "fighting," which is funny. They're both going to host one of their talk show things. The guest? It'll be Seth Rollins. Rollins will also have a match tonight, and it'll be against Roman Reigns. Rusev, meanwhile, will be put in a match against Dolph Ziggler. Daniel Bryan is also here, and he'll address his future later tonight. They go for a five-second pose, but then Paul Heyman and Brock Lesnar come out. Both Jerry Lawler and Paul Heyman mention that Christian is retired, so I guess that's official now.

Heyman also says Lesnar doesn't want to break the necks of either member of E&C. Instead, he wants to break John Cena's neck. So, Cena comes out. Cena almost hits an AA on Lesnar, but Lesnar escapes. They stare each other down for a bit, but nothing comes of it.

Dolph Ziggler vs. Rusev (with Lana)

A perfectly serviceable match between Rusev and Ziggler, although a disappointment given what Ziggler and Luke Harper have done recently. It's slower and not anywhere near as fun, but it does have some good back-and-forth action, and compared to most TV matches, it's an enjoyable one. Ziggler can make anyone look great, and Rusev isn't exactly a poor worker himself, so it's fun. Unfortunately, it doesn?t get the cleanest of finishes. Rusev gets disqualified after refusing to stop kicking Ziggler in the corner. A Rusev DQ was the only way this match could have ended, but it's too bad anyway.

Match Rating: ***

Rusev locking an Accolade with Ziggler's neck on the bottom rope, but Ryback comes out to make the save and knock Rusev out of the ring. Ryback then stays in the ring for the entirety of the commercial break to cut a promo. He tells us his entire history with the WWE. It's seriously a few minutes of Ryback talking, and also some clips from years earlier. I think Ryback was more over before the promo than after. This took a whole segment. It did start shifting Rusev's feuds away from a patriotic angle, though, which is at least something.

Natalya (with Tyson Kidd) vs. Nikki Bella (with Brie Bella)

Early on, Tyson Kidd caught Nikki, which is apparently a heel move, so Natalya got mad at that. A few moments later, Brie talks to Tyson, Natalya notices, and Nikki hits the Rack Attack for the win. We could have had a real match here, but this was not that.

Match Rating: *

Backstage, we see Naomi running up to The Miz and hugging and thanking him. Naomi has a meeting with a producer thanks to The Miz, the awful heel that he is. Naomi wishes him good luck tonight.

WWE Tag Team Championship Match: The Usos (Jimmy and Jey Uso) vs. The Miz and Damien Sandow

How many times do we have to see this match or some variation of it? It's stale, especially because most of the match feels like a singles match, given that Miz spends most of the match in the ring -- and even when he's not, Sandow is using his moveset -- and each Uso is basically identical in the ring. Sandow's antics are the only truly entertaining part.

It's not even like the matches are bad, but we've seen it all at this point, and we've seen it far too frequently in the last couple of months. Like, this match is perfectly fine, but it's stale.

This match does have a very exciting finale, which had more than a couple of false finishes. That's new. Eventually, a flurry of superkicks and a splash leads to The Usos picking up the win.

Match Rating: ***

So, The Usos get to win just so they can feud with The Ascension, right? That has to be the only reason. Jerry Lawler interviews The Usos -- who are joined by Naomi -- after the ring. Nothing of importance is said. Well, one of the Usos namedrops Jim Ross. That's something.

Cesaro is sitting in the ring after we return from commercial. Is he going to cut a Ryback-esque promo? He does get cheers, not boos, for some reason. He mentions he doesn't care about anything but his ring work, which is fine. It's less effective given that he's almost winless in the second half of 2014, but whatever. He issues an open challenge. Bad News Barrett comes out. Is he a face now?

Cesaro vs. Bad News Barrett

He's not a face. Or, he's not using face tactics. Cesaro dominates the middle portion of the match, but the referee gets distracted, Barrett uses an eye rake to blind his opponent and then hits a Bull Hammer Elbow to pick up the win. It's a short, mediocre match, but it's good to see Barrett back.

Match Rating: **

Luke Harper cuts a promo from backstage after the match. It's suitably creepy.

Jack Swagger vs. Luke Harper

Luke Harper gets to dominate Jack Swagger, because that's how this has to work. The match actually gets two segments, somehow, even though Swagger really shouldn't be making this competitive at all. He's not high on the card right now, and Harper is in the middle of a big push. In truth, the match isn't competitive, but Swagger gets beaten up for a long while. It's a long squash match. Swagger does get in some moves, but we know it's false.

Harper wins after countering a Swagger Bomb, getting up, and hitting the Discus Clothesline.

Match Rating: **

Cena and Edge get to have a humorous -- and eventually touching -- reminiscence about their feud. Man, their rivalry really was great.

Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins (with J&J Security)

Big Show is on commentary. I wonder if that's going to have any impact on the match -- a match which really can't have a clean finish.

Roman Reigns showing his improvement in the ring by working over Seth Rollins' arm for the early portion of the match. Rollins then gets control, which allows Reigns to sell for a while. When it's Reigns' turn to have the momentum, he gets to do a couple pretty sweet moves. He has definitely improved.

The finale is pretty fun, with both men countering each other's finishers. Reigns sets up for another spear, but Big Show stops commentating and interferes. I'm so surprised. Reigns wins by DQ.

Match Rating: **1/2

Big Show throws Reigns over the announcer's table, and then flips the table on top of him. Michael Cole tries to sell that Reigns might be seriously hurt. Sure.

Seth Rollins has a pep talk with his buddies backstage. He's going to do a New Year's toast later on, and he's going to invite John Cena to it.

A Bray Wyatt backstage promo is aired. Wyatt and Dean Ambrose will be in an Ambulance Match next week.

Daniel Bryan is out next to make a "major announcement. He takes us through his 2014, which was both a great story and a sad story. He's not retiring, if that's what you were worried about. He will be competing in the 2015 Royal Rumble match. Hooray.

Edge and Christian are interrupted backstage by The Miz. Miz wants another match. He wants the rematch for the Tag Team Championships. He's given a match, but it's not against The Usos and it's not for the titles. He's not given an opponent, but since The Ascension is supposed to debut, I'm pretty sure we can figure it out.

The Miz and Damien Sandow vs. The Ascension (Konnor and Viktor)

Miz tags in Sandow right away, and Sandow gets squashed by Konnor and Viktor. The Ascension should have been disqualified, since they were both in the ring for more than a five count before hitting their tag team finisher, but such is life. They win with The Fall of Man.

Match Rating: *1/2

Seth Rollins informs us that Brock Lesnar is also getting an invitation to the ring.

Edge and Christian are in the ring after the commercial break. It's time for an episode of The Cutting Edge Peep Show. They invite Seth Rollins out, who comes down with his security team. He goes back and forth with E&C for a bit, showing us his deficiencies on the mic. Rollins eventually brings out Big Show, because he's only ruined a single segment so far.

Rollins then asks John Cena to come out. No music plays. Rollins pleads with him, telling Cena that he wants something from him. Rollins will force Cena's hand. He attacks Christian with his briefcase. Edge then gets surrounded by all four heels. They get him ready for a briefcase curb stomp. Cena does indeed run out, but is stopped before he gets in the ring. Rollins tells Cena that Cena knows what he wants. I presume it's putting The Authority back in power. Cena tries to rush the ring, but Rollins has his foot on Edge's face. This lasts several minutes.

Cena eventually caves. He brings back The Authority. Rollins decides to attack Edge anyway, but Cena stops him. Big Show knocks out Cena. Rollins then curb stomps Cena. Edge manages to escape. The heels -- including Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman -- celebrate on the stage. The Authority even comes out, because apparently they were backstage anyway. That's how Raw ends. No Randy Orton.

The Good: Ziggler/Rusev. Usos/Miz & Sandow. Barrett's return.

The Bad: Bella/Natalya. Miz & Sandow/Ascension.

Match of the Night: Dolph Ziggler vs. Rusev.

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Imperioratorex Caprae

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God dammit they pulled the trigger with the Authority too damn quick. Stupid stupid WWE creative, can't stick with an idea long enough for it to work or gain any form of organic traction... same with the Miz/Mizdow title reign... seems pointless now that they gave it back to the Usos.
*headdesk* This is why WWE keeps losing folks and since NXT is a niche program on the Network, the casual fans who are getting shit on the most have absolutely no hope that it can get better.
 

shintakie10

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I'm not goin to lie. When Daniel Bryan was makin his speech I was about ready to cry because I honestly thought he was goin to retire. Tears in my eyes and everythin. When he said he wasn't retiring and started his Yes! chant I actually did cry, but the good kind of cry.

It'll be interestin to see what WWE does with this though. Last year the fans damn near rioted when he didn't even make it into the rumble. I'm a little worried they wont be happy at all if he doesn't win the Rumble. In fact, god help whoever eliminates him because that will be nuclear heat.
 

Imperioratorex Caprae

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shintakie10 said:
**snips**
Uhm... I think you misread my post. My gripe was bringing back the Authority (HHH/Steph) so soon and nothing about the Ascension. I'm happy they made it over to the main roster finally. I quite enjoy them since they're not a comedy team and actually use a tag finisher that reminds me of the Road Warriors/Dudley Boyz days... Tag division is weak right now and with the Ascension it looks a bit stronger by comparison. Sure they're not the best, but I like them anyway.
 

shintakie10

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Imperioratorex Caprae said:
shintakie10 said:
**snips**
Uhm... I think you misread my post. My gripe was bringing back the Authority (HHH/Steph) so soon and nothing about the Ascension. I'm happy they made it over to the main roster finally. I quite enjoy them since they're not a comedy team and actually use a tag finisher that reminds me of the Road Warriors/Dudley Boyz days... Tag division is weak right now and with the Ascension it looks a bit stronger by comparison. Sure they're not the best, but I like them anyway.
Oh whoops! Sorry, I'm hella tired so when I read it my brain saw Ascension. Offending parts removed!

However I do disagree with that statement, if only because of a returning Daniel Bryan. If he hadn't returned I'd absolutely agree, but you can make a beautiful sequel to the Daniel Bryan story with a returning Authority.
 

Rozalia1

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We can only hope that the Authorities return next week consists of Triple H receiving the knee that beat John Cena, and than the announcers quietly announcing that the Authority has once again been banished from the WWE.
Now to try and find some good in it all... they may be bringing them back for a short time to build a big Wrestlemania match. Say Ziggler doesn't win the rumble he could say get a match against Triple H where if he wins the Authority is done for good.
If so I don't like it but whatever I can deal just fine, if this means the Authority is back for years and years than bloody hell will that be bad. I'll take Big Johnny over that.

Anyway rejoice friends because once again Kane will be main eventing PPVs over and over again. Can the Demon/Corporate Kane be stopped? Statistics would have you believe he is very much stoppable, but remember he killed CM Punk and nearly ended Bryan... the man is the fan favourites worst nightmare. Watch your back Ziggler, he Comin For You *****!!

So Miz finally loses the titles in a hard fought handicap match. Some would say that its all been unfair, but Miz was the most see WWE champion of all time after all. Beating entire tag teams by himself as he has been doing these last couple of months is just what a guy as good as him does.

Ascension didn't have the best debut, especially when they were squashing a guy who is... bigger than them. Squashing bigger guys can be good if the gimmick is right, and the match flows well... but this didn't have that.
Nice titantron though, and I'm giving them a chance as I enjoy power and paint tag teams. Not a huge fan of the Fall of Man though as I'm more of a Demolition Decapitation type of guy as I prefer one of the guys to immobilise the victim first... which speaking of is why if Tyson and Cesaro stick with it I'm going to very much enjoy their blockbuster powerbomb combination.
 

shintakie10

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Rozalia1 said:
Ascension didn't have the best debut, especially when they were squashing a guy who is... bigger than them. Squashing bigger guys can be good if the gimmick is right, and the match flows well... but this didn't have that.
Nice titantron though, and I'm giving them a chance as I enjoy power and paint tag teams. Not a huge fan of the Fall of Man though as I'm more of a Demolition Decapitation type of guy as I prefer one of the guys to immobilise the victim first... which speaking of is why if Tyson and Cesaro stick with it I'm going to very much enjoy their blockbuster powerbomb combination.
I'm tryin to think of who they could have debuted against that would have given them any heat at all. The tag division has so few legitimate talent left that I honestly can't think of one. Goldust/Stardust are a joke after creative had them lose to the Usos over and over again. Los Matadores have always been a joke. Slater Gator is a joke, but a purposeful joke that's actually fun unlike Los Matadores. Miz/Mizdow are a joke team. Cesaro/Kidd are too new a team to get wasted by the Ascension. The Usos aren't goin to get wasted by a new tag team because they're the current measuring stick.

Really, that paragraph shows the problem with the tag team division. Everyones a joke that can't actually hold the titles except the 1 team that doesn't have a dumb gimmick. Its doubly annoying because it could be fixed easily, but the WWE doesn't choose to do it.

Los Matadores has 2 insanely good wrestlers that just couldn't get over before without an actual gimmick, but I say fuck it. The gimmick has done them no good and it pretty much disqualifies them from gettin a legitimate shot at the tag titles. Let them be who they used to be and ditch the gimmick and suddenly we have another legit team on the roster.

Stop having Goldust/Stardust lose every single time I see them. Let them actually win, even if its cheap cheating wins, because heels that can't ever win even when they cheat can't get any heat and if heels can't get heat they're dead in the water.

Add in Kid/Cesaro and we have ourselves 4 legitimate teams that can hold the titles at any 1 time which would still leave room for a ridiculous team to win a title here and there (I'm rootin for Slater Gator myself, give that man some gold already WWE).
 

Imperioratorex Caprae

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shintakie10 said:
Rozalia1 said:
Ascension didn't have the best debut, especially when they were squashing a guy who is... bigger than them. Squashing bigger guys can be good if the gimmick is right, and the match flows well... but this didn't have that.
Nice titantron though, and I'm giving them a chance as I enjoy power and paint tag teams. Not a huge fan of the Fall of Man though as I'm more of a Demolition Decapitation type of guy as I prefer one of the guys to immobilise the victim first... which speaking of is why if Tyson and Cesaro stick with it I'm going to very much enjoy their blockbuster powerbomb combination.
I'm tryin to think of who they could have debuted against that would have given them any heat at all. The tag division has so few legitimate talent left that I honestly can't think of one. Goldust/Stardust are a joke after creative had them lose to the Usos over and over again. Los Matadores have always been a joke. Slater Gator is a joke, but a purposeful joke that's actually fun unlike Los Matadores. Miz/Mizdow are a joke team. Cesaro/Kidd are too new a team to get wasted by the Ascension. The Usos aren't goin to get wasted by a new tag team because they're the current measuring stick.

Really, that paragraph shows the problem with the tag team division. Everyones a joke that can't actually hold the titles except the 1 team that doesn't have a dumb gimmick. Its doubly annoying because it could be fixed easily, but the WWE doesn't choose to do it.

Los Matadores has 2 insanely good wrestlers that just couldn't get over before without an actual gimmick, but I say fuck it. The gimmick has done them no good and it pretty much disqualifies them from gettin a legitimate shot at the tag titles. Let them be who they used to be and ditch the gimmick and suddenly we have another legit team on the roster.

Stop having Goldust/Stardust lose every single time I see them. Let them actually win, even if its cheap cheating wins, because heels that can't ever win even when they cheat can't get any heat and if heels can't get heat they're dead in the water.

Add in Kid/Cesaro and we have ourselves 4 legitimate teams that can hold the titles at any 1 time which would still leave room for a ridiculous team to win a title here and there (I'm rootin for Slater Gator myself, give that man some gold already WWE).
I think you've summed it up but haven't hit the actual tie up to make it stick. There are too many gimmicks and not enough tag teams. Edge and Christian, the Hardy Boyz and the Dudleys were great because they were great, they didn't have gimmicks (beyond the TLC matches which by far were the best damn tag matches of all time). But they didn't rely on character gimmicks to get over, they just were that damn good.

Ascension has costumes but they're not a gimmick, which gives them some organic legitimacy. They look like guys you probably don't wanna fuck with.

Los Matadores need to drop the gimmick and just fucking wrestle but creative isn't smart enough to realize that the character gimmick age is an art form that only works some of the time.

The Dust brothers are arguably the only gimmick that can work, if they're booked right. Goldie has his character down, is arguably one of the best in-ring technical performers for his age (and shows up some of the young guys when he's allowed to), and Cody is way better than he's booked. I believe Cody knows how to perform characters, he's proved it with his Dr. Doom-ish persona, the moustache/Sandow team, and his ultra smarmy pretty boy character. I like Stardust, I think he's really coming into his own somewhere in that character but hampered by creative's inability to book matches with any sanity.

Slater Gator might be off screen for a while until Heath clears up his legal issues. If you weren't aware, he's got a bench warrant from a case that happened a couple years ago where he allegedly put a woman in a headlock during a (I want to say Wrestlemania but I'm not sure) afterparty and tried to drag her into an elevator and presumably back to his hotel room. Of course this is all alleged and not proven but he didn't show for a court date and is now dealing with that mess. Too bad because I was actually getting behind Slater Gator myself.
 

shintakie10

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Imperioratorex Caprae said:
Los Matadores need to drop the gimmick and just fucking wrestle but creative isn't smart enough to realize that the character gimmick age is an art form that only works some of the time.
This could not be more true.

I sound like I come off as anti-gimmick, but I absolute adore gimmicks that just work. I will forever and always have fond memories of hoppin out of my chair and dancin with Too Cool and Rikishi whenever they won. They were fun to watch with moves that involved the crowd. Even with the gimmick they were treated like a legitimate tag team, winning the tag titles at least once (can't remember if they did it a second time) and before that being in a honest to god feud with D-Generation X.

Can you see any of our current gimmick teams having a legitimate feud with anyone? I don't and that's a problem.
 

Rozalia1

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shintakie10 said:
I'm tryin to think of who they could have debuted against that would have given them any heat at all. The tag division has so few legitimate talent left that I honestly can't think of one. Goldust/Stardust are a joke after creative had them lose to the Usos over and over again. Los Matadores have always been a joke. Slater Gator is a joke, but a purposeful joke that's actually fun unlike Los Matadores. Miz/Mizdow are a joke team. Cesaro/Kidd are too new a team to get wasted by the Ascension. The Usos aren't goin to get wasted by a new tag team because they're the current measuring stick.

Really, that paragraph shows the problem with the tag team division. Everyones a joke that can't actually hold the titles except the 1 team that doesn't have a dumb gimmick. Its doubly annoying because it could be fixed easily, but the WWE doesn't choose to do it.

Los Matadores has 2 insanely good wrestlers that just couldn't get over before without an actual gimmick, but I say fuck it. The gimmick has done them no good and it pretty much disqualifies them from gettin a legitimate shot at the tag titles. Let them be who they used to be and ditch the gimmick and suddenly we have another legit team on the roster.

Stop having Goldust/Stardust lose every single time I see them. Let them actually win, even if its cheap cheating wins, because heels that can't ever win even when they cheat can't get any heat and if heels can't get heat they're dead in the water.

Add in Kid/Cesaro and we have ourselves 4 legitimate teams that can hold the titles at any 1 time which would still leave room for a ridiculous team to win a title here and there (I'm rootin for Slater Gator myself, give that man some gold already WWE).
I'd have had them debut against Big Show and Rollins in a quick squash match where they pin Show after a fall of Man to show that the Ascension is a big deal (excuse for match can be the same as the Miz match, Rollins runs his mouth and gets put into a tag match after already having wrestled). Than build towards a three man tag at fast lane consisting of Roman and the Ascension vs Rollins, Show, and Kane. Royal Rumble can be Roman vs Show, Ascension vs Rollins and Kane.
Ascension should be more Demolition than anything else as they'd work great as a tag team that can work as either face or heel, the whole permanent heel thing really won't work for them long term.

As for the tag teams:

Los Matadores exist to get the bull over and keep him on TV, and that is it. They are warm bodies, not the real stars.
Both are dead in their current role, dead in their previous role, and dead as singles stars. Best hopes is they get a different mask gimmick without the bull.

Slater Gator will always be a joke which unlike the Matadores is quite sad as both men in Slator Gator are awesome.

Kid and Cesaro I think will be getting a push soon in the tag ranks, they might after the Rumble turn Nattie heel and have her manage them and actually do all the little heel moves Tyson always wants her to do.
Both men are masters in the ring, good chemistry, and both play that cocky arrogant better than you heel role well.

Dusts who knows really. I predicted them losing a lot way back, but I thought logically Goldust was going to eat all the pins... but instead Stardust has consistently been the guy losing.
Easy to make them credible again however when you've got talented guys like that. As the announcing gig is quite limited Eden (Cody's wife) should really be given a manager role.
 

Imperioratorex Caprae

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May 15, 2010
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Speaking of tag teams, the Network is showcasing the Edge and Christian/Hardy Boyz/Dudleys rivalry... just watching that makes me wonder what the hell has happened to the tag division. If I were part of today's tag division, I'd be watching those matches looking for what made them special and trying to find a way to make that work today. Of course the WWE of today is a bit safer and controlled so that type of rivalry is far between (though I did see a chair shot to the head in the Wyatt/Ambrose match on Smackdown last week).
Still there needs to be more investment, even if creative is being stupid in the booking, the guys in the ring need to show more enthusiasm for their spots if they really want to get more airtime and pushed.
 

vector_zero

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Is it just me, or did The Ascension's debut, really suck? I have some fears that outside of the smart and focused writing of NXT that The Ascension may fall to the wayside really quick. I mean was there any reason to not have them decimate the Usos after they had just won the WWE Tag Team Titles?

It really seems that NXT Stars are just going to have a hard time on the main roster because the writers just seem to have no clue how to keep anything constant. And I agree with the above comments that The Authority coming back this early just takes everything away from the "Match of the Year".

The Show itself was actually pretty good. Even the bringing back of The Authority was done right in my mind, just way to early. But how they handled the debut of The Ascension, just made me sad.