RAW
Raw comes to you live from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Video package of Undertaker/HHH from last week. A Six Pack Challenge featuring the Elimination Chamber names, and Daniel Bryan vs. Big Show tonight as well. Why no hype for these?
HHH starts the show with a promo. He says John Laurinaitis’ job was in jeopardy and that Ace was fighting for his job to the Board of Directors, who would have a decision as early as Tuesday. Even though HHH said he was COO and could fire anyone he wanted, he’s somehow lost that power in a matter of weeks. Good booking. The announcement Tuesday was that Ace stays, but as interim. As expected.
He moves on to Taker. He says Taker won the match, but HHH was the only one leaving under his own power. He says being in the ring with Undertaker gives him butterflies in his stomach and he stands here humbled by Taker. Only Undertaker makes him feel that way. He says last week he didn’t feel those butterflies because he felt sorry for Taker. He remembers what he did to Taker last year and wants to remember him in a different light. There’s a video package of Taker’s dominance, and HHH says that’s how he wants to remember him, and not this way–a video package of Taker being helped off from the WM26 match. He says he turned down the challenge out of respect, and if they had another match, he’d have to finish Undertaker for good, and Undertaker knows it too. He points at the WM banner and says “this is over” between their rivalry.
HHH leaves to his music, but it stops. A video package played as Undertaker was watching parts of last year’s match, voiced over by HHH talking about how Taker had to be carried out. Undertaker says “this is not over… will not let that be the last image of me.” Taker said he would give Hunter one more chance at immortality and said again, “this is not over.” Nicely done. They’re definitely having a third match, and this one supposedly has HBK as the special guest ref.
Big Show d. Daniel Bryan via countout (D)
Show was using his strength to muscle out of Bryan’s submission attempts. Show kicked Bryan out to the floor, and Bryan sold a knee injury. AJ, wearing a neck brace, stood in front of Big Show so he couldn’t attack Daniel. Bryan got up quickly and went on offence. Show went to hit Bryan with the steel steps, but AJ got in the way. Show stops himself at the last second. Bryan is pissed, so he grabs AJ and heads to the back for the countout finish. Post match, Bryan says the first time Show ran her over it was intentional because he was able to stop himself this time. He said protecting the woman who loves him is more important than winning or losing a match. At Elimination Chamber, he’ll still be a vegan and he’ll still be World Champion. Good mic work, but bad match.
WrestleMania 28 video package.
Clip from last week’s Raw when NASCAR’s Carl Edwards had his thing with John Cena about waving the flag at the Daytona 500.
Elimination Chamber video package.
Backstage, David Otunga says Ace should remain as interim GM. He was informed by Justin Roberts that he had a match next.
Sheamus d. David Otunga (D)
Sheamus won with a Brogue Kick in 2 minutes.
Daniel Bryan vs. Randy Orton in a non-title match on SD.
Chris Jericho promo. He talked about how other people in WWE have stolen his things, from mannerisms to his looks to phrases. He calls the fans wannabes. He talked about trolling people, and said each of the other 5 guys in the Chamber match have stolen something from him. He says R-Truth’s “what’s up” is a copy of his “shut the hell up” line. He calls CM Punk a liar and a wannabe. “I am the best in the world at everything I do and I don’t have to write it on the back of a t-shirt to prove it.” He says he’s won every world title, was the first Undisputed Champion and eliminated 28 guys from the Rumble including Randy Orton in his hometown. He said it was the end of the world as we know it because he’s back to reclaim the World Title.
CM Punk comes out and the two have a staredown in the ring. Punk fakes talking, then raises his WWE Championship. He turns his back and leaves as Jericho is screaming at him to talk. Overall, a solid promo. I still can’t believe they didn’t let him win the Rumble.
Randy Orton & Great Khali d. Cody Rhodes & Wade Barrett (D)
Khali tags himself in and hits Rhodes with a judo chop to the head in 3 minutes. Post match, Orton is pissed because of the tag as he was on a roll. Orton RKO’s Khali.
Rock/Cena Twitter plug.
John Cena video package.
WrestleMania 28 plug.
Tamina, Eve, Kelly Kelly & Alicia Fox vs. Beth Phoenix, Natalya, Nikki Bella, Brie Bella (D-)
Early on, Eve took a hard clothesline from Beth and was in serious pain. She reportedly suffered a broken nose, and Jack Doan immediately signalled the ‘X’ motion to the back. Tamina got the tag in and hit a Superfly Splash at 2 minutes. The control room cut to crowd shots after the match, but they were stone faced.
Rock plug on Jay Leno on Monday.
Backstage, Triple H was talking to somebody about the Ace decision, as Ace walks into the shot. He told HHH that HBK would be on the show next week. HHH says Shawn is busy hunting things. They also announced Cena vs. Kane in an Ambulance Match at Elimination Chamber.
Another Undertaker/HHH video package.
Backstage, Josh Mathews bumped into Ace. Ace rips HHH and says he’s unfit to run Raw and won’t accept Taker’s WM challenge.
Shawn Michaels on Raw plug.
Chris Jericho d. CM Punk, Dolph Ziggler, R-Truth, The Miz & Kofi Kingston in a Six Pack Challenge Match (C-)
The winner of the match got to enter the Chamber in the sixth and final spot. R-Truth tried a senton over the top rope to the outside, but Miz missed the catch and smashed his head hard into the mat. Luckily he’s OK. Truth still exited the match. Miz also made a poor decision making an in-ring call to Jericho for a move that picked up on the microphone. He’s so in the doghouse. Punk broke up the Walls of Jericho, then threw him outside. Ziggler tried a Fame Asser on Punk, but it was reversed into a GTS. Punk goes for the pin, but Jericho pulls Punk out and throws him into the announce table. Jericho ran back in and pinned Ziggler at 12 minutes. Post match, Jericho put the WWE Championship on his shoulder while sitting cross-legged in the ring like Punk. Punk is pissed at ringside. Jericho is the final entrant in the Elimination Chamber.
Kane stalked Eve again like last week. He says he’s afraid for Cena, afraid for Eve and for the first time in his life he’s afraid for himself.
Three Stars of the Show
* Chris Jericho
** CM Punk
*** Triple H
Final rade: D-
Back to back solid shows before this stinker. Why so many video packages? There was like 20. It’s looking like HHH/Taker and Punk/Jericho will be set in stone for WM28.