Raw results 25/02

[HarmonicGenerator]

I didn't watch RAW, but I looked at the results on WWE.com.

 

Triple H and Brock Lesnar had a brawl, which I think everyone was expecting, but was also the reason for my starting the thread this week.

 

The reason is, the WWE.com results refer to Lesnar as 'The Anomaly'.

 

The ANOMALY?

 

Are they really going with that as a nickname for him?

 

ANOMALY?

 

That's awful.

 

Anyway, what else happened? Ryback won a match, but he beat Dolph Ziggler, which is probably counter-intuitive in a whole other way.

 

CM Punk set up a feud with Shawn Michaels by revealing he no-showed their tag team match at Backlash 2006.

 

Menry beat Khali. That's what he does.

 

Swagger and Colter were on Miz TV. Don't know if they addressed any of last week's happenings, but Swagger also beat Miz, and his finisher is now the Patriot LOCK.

 

Randy Orton beat Antonio Cesaro, which I guess means Cesaro's 'no American can beat me' thing is done now? Was that a thing he was doing or did I make that up? I imagine it was quite a good match, in any case. Orton's fighting with The Shield now, as well.

 

Sheamus did a film critic thing and fought with Wade Barrett, but is also fighting The Shield, R-Truth's back which I must have missed last week, he beat Cody Rhodes with Damien Sandow at ringside, even though Rhodes Scholars apparently aren't team-mates anymore. Confusing.

 

Team Hell No beat the Primetime Players with one of Kane's arms tied behind his back and Daniel Bryan blindfolded.

 

And finally, Cena beat CM Punk and is going to WrestleMania! Again, I assume this was probably quite a good match?

 

So by the sounds of it, the matches already more-or-less set for 'Mania are progressing, with the odd hint as to another addition or two to the card, but otherwise, they don't seem to be going into WM-hype-overdrive yet.

 

Or has just reading the results given me the wrong end of the stick?

[Shane O' Mac Version 2]

They've referred to Lesnar as The Anomaly since he first F5'd Cena. I agree, it's an odd name.

 

Cena vs. Punk is my MOTY so far, find it and watch it. It's Wrestlemania worthy.

[neil is brill]

Antonio's "No American can beat me" thing is actually "No American can beat me for the United States Championship".

[JLM]

The Rhodes Scholars split was amicable and they're still "best friends", they just don't do tag matches any more. Not entirely sure why. Sandow's commentary was excellent this week.

 

Cesaro's claim is that no American beat him for the U.S. title, so technically it's still intact. He's lost to Americans in non-title matches before this week's episode. Both the U.S. and IC titles are so utterly worthless that it's irrelevant anyway.

 

A couple of other things that aren't mentioned in that recap happened. They talked briefly about the footage of the Undertaker working a house show and the latest Fandango vignette said he's making his debut on Smackdown this week.

 

The Miz TV segment with ADR and the increasingly less controversial not-quite-racists was a bit awkward I thought. ADR had to start shouting and delivering incredibly cheesy lines to get the crowd to react as they all sat listening to Dutch ramble on about illegal immigrants. Also Swagger looks like an absolute bell end shouting "WE DA PEOPLE!" over and over again.

 

The Lesnar brawl was fun but honestly I'm not that psyched about the Lesnar/HHH rematch, which is a shame because I think Brock is absolute magic at the moment.

 

The main event was brilliant and should be watched by anyone who missed it. It built on their previous matches and did a great job of putting over how well they know each other and how they can both instinctively counter the other's signature spots. I particularly loved Punk ducking the second shoulder tackle, and the gradual introduction of extra desperation moves when nothing else seemed to be working. It's great that the pile driver is seen as such a deadly move now that it's only saved for special occasions and I thought both the commentators' and crowd's reaction to it were phenomenal. Great storytelling, and the huge number of near falls made sense in this context because the whole story of the match was them not only knowing how to counter the other guy's arsenal but also that they'd hit and been hit by all of them so many times before. Fantastic stuff.

[PSF]

Cesaro's claim is that no American beat him for the U.S. title, so technically it's still intact. He's lost to Americans in non-title matches before this week's episode. Both the U.S. and IC titles are so utterly worthless that it's irrelevant anyway.

 

I'd usually agree with you on this, but I think Cesaro is doing a fantastic job as US Champ and he and the belt have grown a lot over the past few months.

[Guy Bifkin]

I quite like The Anomaly, even if it is one of those words I cannot say properly.

 

Sounds like a good Raw, I might watch.

[The Whole Show]

I asctually stayed up for Raw, only the third time in history and Im realy glad I did just for the fact that if id of watched it on sky + this morning id of skipped most of the Cena/Punk match.

 

The match was wonderful, A real moty contender and possibley the best WWE TV match since HBK/Cena in London for me, This would not of looked out of place at Wrestlemania, these guys have wonderful chemistry together. I liked the fact Cena got the win and for the first time im looking forward to Cena/Rock. Id love for Cena to lose a second time in a row to Rock aswell, theres some possible intrigue in this match now.

 

It sets up Punk nicely for Taker now.

 

Lesnar/HHH brawl at the start was real fun too, Lesnar is a absolute beast, a no holds barred match at Mania would actually work a treat.

 

HHH/Lesnar, Rock/Cena, Taker/Punk, Del Rio/Swagger are becoming more interesting for me now, id guess at The Sheild/Ryback & Orton & Jericho, Sheamus/Barrett for Mania too and wouldnt be suprised to see Team Hell no vs Henry & Show.

[ColinBollocks]

The Cena/Punk match was brilliant (which is the level you expect when both men do anything together). Proper match of the year candidate, and one of the finest matches ever on Raw. The crowd were going mental towards the end, which made both blokes seem like they were a level above. Even in defeat, Punk looked like a boss, which is the sign of a truly excellent wrestle battle.

 

Both men set the match up perfectly with two of them cutting two excellent promos.

 

As with most of the Triple H/Lesnar stuff, I was a bit underwhelmed with their big confrontation. No idea why, either, as they did everything well. I must say, Triple H looks even harder with his new haircut, makes him look even more like the rugged bad man he portrays.

[d-d-d-dAz]

That's the most I've enjoyed a match in years. Probably ever.

 

I'm not even exaggerating.

 

It's all well and good getting a little kid jumping around, but to get a cynical, 25 year old shit to the edge of his seat, jumping about and buying EVERY nearfall? Yeah, fair play.

 

The would-be count out is what really got me.

 

Absolutely superb.

 

If Vince has any sense, he's using his not insubstantial budget to buy a convincing Rock suit that Punk can wear at Wrestlemania. Otherwise, the main event will be a right let down.

 

(Not the Rock costume that Miz wore the other year, though)

 

I should also talk about how great the opening segment was, but the main event has made me not care. But, yeah, a bit of blood was nice; not to be upstaged, Triple H dropped an MF bomb and I believe they do want to kill each other. Job done.

[SSJLogan]

For me personally, Punk vs Cena was the best match in Raw history (mainly cause i also have a very bad memory).

 

To me, Cena vs Punk is the Stone Cold vs Rock of this generation and im very surprised that its never main evented a Wrestlemania and probably never will. The match on Raw was Mania Main Event worthy. Both guys were excellent.

[SpursRiot2012]

Cena/Punk: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcQBPZ38G1w

[Rickfest]

As everyone has said it was a fantastic main event. I agree that the piledriver being used so rarely nowadays made it all the more impressive as a potential match winner here. How about this, Cena vs Punk at WM30 in an Iron Man Match? That would be something to see!

 

Only seen the main and a bit of HHH and Lesnar. I'm really looking forward to mania now and it will be interesting to see if Punk does end up against Undertaker or somehow manages to get himself into the main event after all.

[d-d-d-dAz]

I think you're missing the point. It's over.

 

This was all about Cena getting one monkey off his back, before going after the bigger ape.

[quote the raven]

Brock bleed like a hog! and didnt care.

 

He comes over as a total badass no matter what. If there is a god he kills HHH at maina.

[Reznor]

Can only echo the praise for that match. Off the top of my head, it's the most I've enjoyed a TV match since Cena/Rey anyway, probably longer.

 

Both of them are brilliant, it's amazing the amount of shit they still get.

 

I think being on RAW helped it to, as you could believe almost any one of those big moves and finishers would've been enough. A good crowd helped too. And a fecking Haku/Orndorff level piledriver!

 

They've had so many matches now but they've never become boring or repetitive - The WM main event has little chance of measuring up to that

 

Overall, great start and end, but the mid portion of the show was a bit shite. Last night could've been one of the best ever 90 minute RAW's.

 

I love Alberto & all, but to be honest, I'd be more interested for Ricardo v Zeb at Wrestlemania than I am for what's going to happen. Hopefully it lasts about as long as Bryan/Sheamus.