RAW
Raw comes to you on a tape delay from London, England.
Pyro opens the show.
No DQ, No Countouts: WWE Championship: (C) CM Punk d. Mark Henry (B-)
Big pop for Punk. Punk hit a nice suicide dive through the ropes to the outside before the commercial. Fans are chanting “YES!” between babyface shots. Punk nailed Henry with a pair of chairshots, then vice versa. Punk countered the World’s Strongest Slam with a kick to the head and hit his running high knee in the corner. Henry charges at Punk in the corner, but goes head-first into a propped chair wedged in the ropes. Punk grabs the chair and hits an elbow drop off the top for the pinfall at 12 minutes. A nice opening match, with a good change of pace from the usual promos.
Post-match, Chris Jericho comes on the titantron. Jericho is sitting at a bar, and tells everyone he’s been given a WWE Championship match at Extreme Rules in a Chicago Street Fight. Punk says this feud is no longer about who’s the best in the world, but that he’s kicking Jericho’s ass. Jericho asks Punk to come to the show sober, and throws up clip of Punk walking in and out of a pub earlier today. Jericho asks if Punk was drinking or was drunk right now. Punk calls him down to the ring, saying he was having fish and chips with a friend. Jericho calls him a liar like his father. Jericho says Punk went because he wants to be surrounded by alcohol, and that Punk has lost his honour and personal beliefs. In two weeks, he’ll lose his WWE Championship as well. Punk tries to say something, but Jericho stops the feed.
Backstage, R-Truth tells Teddy Long that he’s trying to find him a job.
Santino appeared. He had multiple football/soccer team jerseys on. Finally he entered in an England jersey. Otunga appeared doing his posing.
United States Championship: (C) Santino d. David Otunga
Otunga hit his Spinebuster, but a weird cover allowed Santino to get the bottom rope. Santino mounted his regular comeback and hit the Cobra for the pinfall at 2 minutes.
Backstage, Josh Mathews interviewed Lord Tensai and Sakamoto. Nothing important happened.
Brock Lesnar interview feature. He talked about being an NCAA Champion, 3-time WWE Champion and UFC Champion. “The only reason Cena’s where he is, is because I left.” He said Cena was scared of him and he had piss running down his leg. “I’m not a superstar. I’m an ass kicker. I am Brock Lesnar. What makes me happy? Beating people up. That makes me happy.” Excellent stuff.
Kane vs. Zack Ryder ends in No Contest
Kane destroyed Ryder on the outside, then chokeslammed him in the ring before the match even began. He cut a short promo about the Orton/SmackDown stuff before leaving
Backstage, Kofi Kingston is talking to AJ. Daniel Bryan walks in with his “YES!” shirt. Bryan yells at Kofi for hitting on AJ. “Just because I don’t want her doesn’t mean it’s open season.” He says he’s changing the finishing move from the LeBell Lock to the “YES! Lock” and started yelling “YES!” in Kofi’s face for about 45 seconds. The crowd is doing it with him.
John Cena cuts a promo to begin the second half. Replay of Cena/Lesnar stuff. He talks about Lesnar’s return, and says Lesnar is trying to take him out to become the face of WWE. He says Lesnar’s return the most anticipated event in the company’s history, which probably isn’t true. He plugged Lesnar’s dominance and says he’s won everything there is to win, and Lesnar’s sole purpose is to replace Cena through destruction. He says at Extreme Rules on April 29, he will fight, even if he gets his ass whipped, “I WILL FIGHT!” John Laurinaitis’ music hits and says Cena will have an Extreme Rules match tonight, but won’t name the opponent because it’s better that way. Also, on next Monday’s 3-hour Raw (oh God), there will be an official contract signing. Overall, Cena’s promo was actually pretty good and very passionate, especially at the end. No Lesnar, no problem.
Daniel Bryan d. Kofi Kingston (C)
Fans are chanting “YES!” to every Bryan attack as well. Even with a windup. “Ohhhhh, YES!” when the move took longer. Bryan dominated early, but Kingston made a comeback. Kofi missed Trouble in Paradise, but Kingston countered the YES! Lock with an SOS for a nearfall. Nicely done. Both men climbed to the top for a superplex, but Kingston landed a headbutt to knock Bryan off. Kofi missed a cross body off the top, and Bryan applied the YES! Lock for the submission at 10 minutes. Post-match, Bryan applied it again before Sheamus ran in for the save, as Bryan bailed. A nice match, but it could’ve been so much better with more time.
Brodus Clay d. Dolph Ziggler via DQ (F)
Clay started dominating and was saved by Jack Swagger. Clay gave him a headbutt for the DQ at less than 30 seconds. Post match, Vickie knocked one of the dancers down on the outside. The other one chased her in the ring, and Vickie screamed and bailed when Clay stared her down. Brodus and the girls danced to end the segment.
Backstage, Ace is talking to Otunga. Eve comes in and asks to talk to Ace, and all three go into his office.
Video package for the late Chief Jay Strongbow, who died last week. He was 84.
Backstage, R-Truth is still trying to help Teddy find a job. He said he could be the GM of SmackDown, but Teddy says he just got fired from that. What a waste of bloody time.
Big Show & The Great Khali d. Primo & Epico (D-)
Abraham Washington watched from the ramp. Primo and Epico got smashed and tried to leave, but Show threw them back in the ring. Khali gave them both chops to the head. Show gave Epico a chokeslam and Khali gave Primo the Punjabi Plunge for the synchronized pinfall at 2 minutes. Another waste of time that could’ve gone towards Bryan/Kofi.
Extreme Rules Match: Lord Tensai d. John Cena (C)
Tensai dominated early as the crowd is lulled to sleep. Cena made his usual comeback, but got chopped hard when he tried for a 5-Knuckle Shuffle. With a pressure hold on his shoulder, Cena reversed it into a Cripper Crossface that Michael Cole called an STF. He’s way off. Otunga ran in, and took an Attitude Adjustment. As Cena turns back around, he takes a green Tajiri mist to the face, followed by a Baldo Bomb for the pinfall at 8 minutes. Post-match, Cena is complaining he needs water because he can’t see. Wimp. Tensai spit into his hand and Ace celebrates on the outside as the show fades to black.
Three Stars of the Show
* Daniel Bryan
** CM Punk
*** John Cena
Final Grade: C+
Punk/Henry and Bryan/Kofi were well done with good finishes, but the end of the second half took a major nosedive. Cena’s storyline progressed a bit, and the Lesnar feature was well done, but the main highlight was London crowd that was hot throughout the night.