WWE Monday Night Raw 4/16/2012
The O2 Arena London, England
1. No Disqualifications WWE Title: CM Punk© vs Mark Henry
I really enjoyed this match. Anyone who thinks CM Punk is too small to work with Lesnar, needs to open their eyes. Punk is great in these kind of matches. He draws so much sympathy from the audience and is able to get the crowd into the match better because of it.
I really dig the Bryan "Yes" chants. Every time Punk hit Henry the crowd chanted my new favorite word. The crowd is really with it and it gives the show a more energetic feel. But this was in London, next week's crowd might sit on their hands like they did at last week's show.
I think Punk works really well with hard hitting opponents, so this one was fantastic in my opinion. I predict this will end up being the match of the night.
Update: It was...but Kofi vs Bryan was a CLOSE second.
The Finish: Henry runs head first into a chair that had been positioned in the corner. While Down, Punk grabs the chair and hits a Randy Savage elbow, driving the chair into Henry's face.
Winner and Still WWE Champion: CM Punk©
Post Match: Jericho continues to screw with Punk's head. He shows a video of Punk leaving a London Pub and their rematch is made official for Extreme Rules in a 'Chicago Street Fight'.
2. R-Truth is backstage dressed as Sherlock Holmes and he is searching for a job for Teddy Long. Did the Three Stooges join the Creative Team?!! This is just dumb.
3. United States Title: Santino© vs David Otunga
Dear God.
The Finish: Otunga got the visual pin, but Santino's foot was on the bottom rope. Santino goes on to hit The Cobra to end it.
Winner and Still U.S. Champion: Santino©
4. Brock Lesnar Speaks out.
I like what he is saying, but the man needs Paul Heyman as his mouthpiece, and I really hope WWE sees the same thing that I am seeing. The Brock Lesnar that I loved wasn't concerned about talking, he was a destroyer, just ask Zack Gowen.
5. Kane vs Zack Ryder
This match never started as Kane booted Ryder off of the ring apron into the announce table.
Somebody get Zack a gurney. I mean seriously it's like he has become Kane's personal chew toy. This match, much like Zack's chances to become a main event guy in WWE, never was.
Winner: No Contest
Post Match: Kane gets on the mic and says...stuff.
6. Cena promo time.
I am not kidding, take everything Cena has said over the last year and replace Rock with Brock, same promo. Although I will give Cena credit for putting Lesnar over as a monster heading into Extreme Rules.
Big Johnny comes out and puts Cena in an Extreme Rules tonight against a mystery man, and next week he has his contract signing with Lesnar.
We all know that Brock Lesnar isn't in London, so this was all just to prolong their program until next week's contract signing. Meh.
7. Kofi Kingston vs Daniel Bryan
I officially believe that WWE is trying to kill the 'Yes' chants. Renaming the LaBell lock, the 'YES! Lock', Ok. But, the segment with him chanting 'Yes' over and over in Kofi's face, was obnoxious, and I'm a fan of the chant. I really think that they are worried that this will become the new 'What', which I understand. One month ago the fans did the 'What chant' at The Undertaker, The freaking Undertaker. There is no excuse to show a veteran that level of disrespect.
Bryan picked Kofi apart in this match, really good heel work as well. I will also say that it's weird that Cole is all up on Bryan's jock now. Guess they are splitting the rent now or something.
Finish: Kofi misses a Crossbody and that gives Bryan an opening to sink in the YES! Lock.
Winner by Submission: Daniel Bryan
Post Match: Bryan goes back on the attack, which brings out Sheamus. Daniel Bryan thinks better, and high tails it.
8. Brodus Clay vs Dolph Ziggler
Ziggler gets his first singles match in weeks. To quote Daniel Bryan, "YES! YES! YES!"
...And its over in less than a minute, after Swagger causes a DQ. "NO! NO! NO!"
Winner by DQ: Brodus Clay
9. Non Title Match: The Great Khali & The Big Show vs Epico & Primo©
The tag team champs get a match on Raw...in a non title match. Wha...?!!
This is a perfect example of how dead tag team wrestling is in WWE. I have no words for how much this bothers me. I love Tag Teams. I grew up with The Hart Foundation, The Rockers, The Brainbusters, Demolition, LOD, The Hollywood Blondes, The New Age Outlaws, and so on. To see what the division has become hurts. And even more than that, confuses me. They have plenty of Mid-card talent on the roster that they could stick together to create new teams, Hawkins & Reks anyone? Sometimes in wrestling, it isn't even worth asking why they do these things.
Finish: Big Show with a Chokeslam and Khali with the Punjabi Plunge, followed by the pin.
Winners: The Big Show & Khali
10. Extreme Rules: John Cena vs Lord Tensai
I remember when these two fought years ago on Smackdown. Yeah, I didn't like that match either. No, this wasn't AS bad as it looked on paper...but almost.
Finish: Otunga runs in and takes an Attitude Adjustment. This gives Tensai the moment he needed to spit green mist in Cena's face and hit the Baldo Bomb.
Winner by Pinfall: Lord Tensai
Flat ending to a lackluster show. Still better than last week, I guess.
Flashback: Cena vs A-Train in 2003.
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