WWE Superstars TV Report
January 21, 2009 - Week 41
Taped the Week of January 18
Report by James Caldwell, Torch assistant editor

The WWE show started with Raw announcers Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler introducing the show with a main event to come of Chris Jericho vs. Kane. Jillian Hall then hit the ring to sing us a song or two. The crowd naturally tried to boo her out of the building before Kelly Kelly's music hit. On with the opening match.

1 -- JILLIAN HALL vs. KELLY KELLY

Jillian took control early on and stretched Kelly's back with a surfboard stretch ala tag partner Chavo Guerrero. Kelly tried to fight back, but Jillian cut her off by smashing Kelly's face into the mat. Jillian then went back to the stretch, but Kelly made a comeback including her signature spinning head scissors move. Kelly then hit a handspring elbow in the corner before nailing a step-up leg drop for the pin and the win. Post-match, they focused on Kelly celebrating the win to give her some extra time to shine.

WINNER: Kelly Kelly in 4:00. Basic, fundamental divas match building towards Kelly signature spots that generated a good response from the crowd. Just a showcase opportunity for Kelly. (n/a)

[Commercial Break]

In-ring: Shelton Benjamin came to the ring for the ECW brand's offering on the show. ECW's Josh Mathews and Byron Saxton broke down the video tape on the Benjamin vs. Vance Archer feud going back to three weeks ago when Archer snapped on Shelton. Still no clip from the Homecoming battle royal last week on ECW to reinforce the point. Vance Archer then came out to get a piece of Shelton.

[Q2]

2 -- VANCE ARCHER vs. SHELTON BENJAMIN

They locked up with a tight collar-and-elbow lockup to set the tone for an aggressive encounter here. Shelton then fired off a right hand and Archer responded with a right hand before Shelton landed a knock-down elbow smash. They kind of ran into each other moments later, then traded haymakers before Shelton tackled Archer and landed right hand blows. Archer then tried to come back with his finisher, but Shelton countered with a small package for a two count. Shelton then skinned the cat after Archer tried to throw him over the top rope and Shelton trapped Archer to flip him headfirst over the top rope to the floor. Archer sold intense agigation as they cut to break with Shelton in control.

[Commercial Break]

Back from break, Archer had Shelton in an intense neck vice as the announcers recapped Archer being undefeated on ECW programming. Shelton tried to break free, but Archer reapplied a loose chinlock. Archer then stomped on Shelton before rubbing his neck across the middle rope. Archer followed with a running smash as Shelton was draped across the rope to score a two count. Archer then fed Shelton his foot and Shelton delivered a Dragon screw legwhip to mount a comeback. Shelton followed with a spinkick and a German Suplex with a bridge for a two count. Archer then reversed a whip and shot Shelton into the buckle before hanging Shelton upside down in the corner. Shelton then kicked Archer in the face while hanging upside down and he followed by rolling up Archer for a three count to give Archer his first ECW TV loss. Post-match: Archer rolled to the outside and held his head in frustration. Shelton sold pain to the head as well in the ring. After a recap of the match, Archer growled and sold the loss by pulling his hair.

WINNER: Shelton in 12:00. WWE gave them a chance to have a long-form match and it was okay for the most part. The first-half was strong with the aggressive approach helping build a match that felt like a real fight and not a going-through-the-motions WWE-style match. The second-half was slower paced and lost the audience near the end. If they could have maintained the aggressiveness in part two, it would have been a stand-out match. (*3/4)

[Commercial Break]

[Q3]

Superstars Profile: Some more love for The Miz this week with a lengthy video package on Miz's recent run on Raw. ... Announcers: Smackdown's Todd Grisham and Matt Striker were shown on-camera to break down the Royal Rumble PPV line-up.

In-ring: Chris Jericho's music hit to bring out Jericho for the main event with 25 minutes left to go in the show. Time to fill some time before the match actually airs.

DVD plug: They rolled the Best of Raw 2009 DVD plug focusing on the big moments of the year last year. Lots of focus on The Miz, worth noting.

[Commercial Break]

In-ring: Kane came out for the main event and Jericho casually rolled to the outside to avoid Kane before the match. Good heel move from Jericho. After the announcers hyped up the match, the bell sounded with 18 minutes to go in the show.

3 -- CHRIS JERICHO vs. KANE

Jericho walked around the ring to avoid a lock-up with Kane. They set a slow pace to start things off and stretch out the match in the main event slot. [Q4] Kane settled into a mathold on Jericho working over the left elbow and shoulder to keep Jericho on the mat. Jericho fought back to his feet and knocked Kane to the outside. Plenty of over-the-top-rope spots lately on WWE TV to subtly hype the Royal Rumble. Jericho then hit his running dropkick off the apron to take out Kane going to break.

[Commercial Break]

Jericho was in control coming back from break and he briefly lost control trying ten punches in the corner. Kane fired off an uppercut, but Jericho came back with a dropkick for a two count. Jericho then went back to work pounding on Kane before playing to the audience. He then went to a sleeperhold on Kane, who sold he was fading out until he lifted Jericho into the air to ram him into the corner buckle. Jericho then met him with an elbow smash before both men fell on the mat with Jericho attempting a bulldog. They reset and Jericho nailed a bulldog on a second attempt before attempting a Lionsault that Kane avoided before hitting a big boot for a two count.

Kane then teased the Tombstone, but Jericho escaped and set up the Walls of Jericho. Kane flung him away, though, and blocked the codebreaker. Kane teased the chokeslam, which fired up the crowd, but Jericho slid out of the move and ran to the outside. Striker thought Jericho was just looking to compose himself, but Jericho ran clear up to the top of the entranceramp. Jericho took a knee on the stage as the ref made a ten count. Jericho waved it off, saying he wanted no more of Kane, who was declared the winner. "What's wrong with you?" Kane shouted from the ring. They closed with a shot of Jericho selling the effects while Kane sold frustration in the ring.

WINNER: Kane via countout in 16:00. After the match, Grisham suggested Jericho sacrificed this match for the greater good of the Rumble. That gets to the point of why this match even happened to begin with. Why should anyone take a match before the Rumble? Unless there are consequences for actions or some sort of reward/penalty system, no one should exert energy in the ring before the Rumble. WWE doesn't want you to think that hard, but it insults the audience asking them to invest in a wrestling match that has no consequences. The match itself was fine, but not memorable. It's the beginning of a potentially good feud if WWE stretches it out, though. (**)

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