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WWE Monday Night Raw
October 1, 2007
Upcoming PPV: No Mercy (1 episode left until PPV)

RAW STORYLINES AND FEUDS

Welcome to the eighth edition of Raw Storylines and Feuds.

For those wondering about the Intrigue Level system that I employ, you can refer to the numbers as follows:

10 (excellent), 9 (great), 8-6 (very good, good, pretty good), 5 (decent; has its good and bad qualities), 4-3 (needs work, poor), 2 (bad), 1 (terrible)

Last week's storyline jumble resulted in a seemingly endless variety of potential feud emergences. Monday's Raw, however, accomplished a bit of housecleaning as WWE paved a clearer path to No Mercy. Despite the more lucid narrative structure this week, storyline overlapping was still exhibited in a few rivalries, namely the ones involving Mr. McMahon and Triple H. With this consideration, the Triple H-Carlito rivalry will now be transferred and analyzed under the McMahon-Triple H heading. Furthermore, because McMahon has brushed Hornswoggle aside as of late, a Little Bastard's section will comprise the week's leprechonian (that's a cool made-up adjective) antics.

WWE Champion JOHN CENA vs. RANDY ORTON (11 weeks)

It's a shame that John Cena suffered an injury that was serious enough to result in surgery and extensive recovery time. Now the WWE Title has been vacated, and a new WWE Champion will be crowned at No Mercy. Furthermore, the Raw brand just lost its top performer, the guy that overwhelmingly receives the most cheers.

Obviously, injuries in wrestling are very problematic. They can sideline top talent and hinder big storylines. However, there are some benefits for WWE here. Now other stars on the roster get a chance to vie for the top position. Once Cena returns, he can get involved in a fresh feud with a more bolstered set of top wrestlers.

Another positive here was the fact that the audience got some good TV in the last two months because of this feud. Look at how strongly Randy Orton's character has been enhanced. He's become the most vicious, arrogant, and hated person in all of WWE because of his interaction with The Champ (and Cena's dad to an extent). It's too bad that we will never see a clean victory by Orton over Cena at No Mercy. It looked as though it was Orton's time to get that single victory over the top babyface and emerge with newfound importance and credibility. The writers have established a solid character for him, and all that was needed was a clean win to prove that he's a force to be reckoned with in the ring.

It's nice to see that WWE took advantage of the untimely injury by placing the blame on top heels. Ignoring the possible fault of heels in injury scenarios is a terrible mistake unless the injury is too severe to write a storyline around. The strange part is that the company didn't quite specify who was really to blame in this case. Vince McMahon's segment on ECW Tuesday night was revealing in that it wasn't revealing.

After explaining the situation to start ECW this week, McMahon said, "You might ask yourself: how did this happen? Who is responsible?" A video montage of Raw recapped the events that took place, events that are relevant not only to what is currently occurring in WWE, but also to what is going to happen in the near future for the company. Interestingly, the video package displayed very little in terms of the main event featuring Cena and Mr. Kennedy. Even more interesting, the quick clips of that match were edited in such a way as to almost disguise the exact time the injury took place. Cena looked almost perfectly healthy, even during his STFU finisher.

What does this tell us? Well, it certainly implies that most of the focus was intended to be on Randy Orton. Even if they can't actually credit Orton with inflicting the injury, they will clearly be emphasizing the fact that he may have worsened it, a notion that isn't difficult to believe. WWE could try to dispense the blame—and consequently, the benefits—of the incident evenly between Mr. Kennedy and The Legend Killer, but Kennedy's clean loss on Monday suggests that the company isn't quite ready to really push him yet. That is, of course, since last week. With Cena's extended absence, Kennedy may soon find himself as one of the few wrestlers on Raw that get substantial character development.

As far as No Mercy is concerned, the Cena injury dealt a major blow to WWE. This was their hottest rivalry on any brand, and it really propelled Cena and (more dramatically) Orton to new heights. Now the main event is almost nonexistent. With no clear hype as to the plans for the WWE Championship match, the PPV might be headlined by the Batista-Khali Punjabi Prison gimmick match for the World Heavyweight Title. Then again, WWE has announced that history will be made at No Mercy, and assuming the events are actually newsworthy, they may end up concluding the show with the match that will crown a new WWE Champion.

Because the immediate termination of this feud is all but inevitable, it would be fruitless for me to analyze this week's events on Raw through a storyline perspective. John Cena won't be appearing for months. Randy Orton has been left without an opponent and without a storyline. No Mercy has been left without a main event. It looks as though the rumors about Chris Jericho's return have some weight. And when that happens (which might be sooner than expected), the obvious placement for him would be on Raw. If it was uncertain before, Cena's absence likely cements that placement choice.

Overall, this was a great feud with a lot of hidden potential. It grew steadily over the last few months and ended with Orton looking very dangerous, despite not getting an in-ring victory over Cena for the title. Hopefully, WWE will continue where they left off with another top babyface struggling with Orton's distasteful, self-indulgent, and vile nature.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): n/a [but it would have rebounded to a 10 this week]

Previous Feuds
John Cena: Bobby Lashley
Randy Orton: Dusty Rhodes & Cody Rhodes

McHORNSWOGGLE (4 weeks)

So because Hornswoggle wasn't as big a draw as WWE anticipated, the Little Green Bastard has been brushed aside. There's only so much they can do with him. He can't participate in regular high-quality matches at the top of the card and is therefore relegated to maintaining a comedy role.

This week, McMahon put the chore of supervising the Leprechaun in the hands of Raw GM William Regal, who had a difficult time from the very beginning. Many of Regal's segments had him searching for the mischievous little Irishman. After successfully evading the General Manager, Hornswoggle basically attacked Melina under the ring and stripped her of her clothes. An angry—and naked—Melina was left waiting for some assistance as she used the ring apron as a shield against millions of prying eyes.

The problem with this week's events is twofold. First, there was a lot of contradiction in the details between Hornswoggle and Melina. J.R. explained that Melina now has earned an upcoming Women's Title match. Okay, good to know. Then, when recapping last week's episode, he said that Melina was supposed to take Horny on a date, but when McMahon's Shortest Son overheard what she had told Jillian, he stalked her in the shower and tore off her towel. Alright, so if he overheard Melina, they mustn't have gone on the date. So how is she getting a title shot? It seems as though this is a case of the announcers not really knowing for sure what the unspecified and poorly written situation was.

The other problem with Hornswoggle's role this week was the lack of continuity from the prior week. There was no continuation on the idea that Hornswoggle wields a lot of power as a McMahon. It's a major element in his character, and WWE dismissed it this week. Mr. McMahon didn't mention it, and Hornswoggle didn't even try to use that leverage again, even to a small degree, on Raw. How are we supposed to buy into things like this when it varies from week to week based on convenience?

Before writing a show, the booking team should be asking questions: Based on Hornswoggle's actions last week, how can we have him act or what can we have him do to accomplish this week's purpose while maintaining continuity? What do others think about any new developments revealed this week? What would I do if I were Hornswoggle? Does it make sense for him to refrain from using his power as a McMahon this week for some reason? If so, how can we express this logically? This kind of rational thought process should be applied to multiple characters on all of WWE's brands. It's basic narrative writing principles.

I've been a supporter of Hornswoggle's moderately entertaining character, but this week's show deviated from logic to such a degree that the negatives clearly outweighed the positives. Hopefully, they can rectify the clumsy ambiguity that pervaded Raw this week.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 5 [down 1.5 from last week]

Previous Feuds
Hornswoggle: Jamie Noble
Melina: Candice Michelle

MR. McMAHON vs. TRIPLE H (6 weeks)

It is the second week into the physical portion of the feud between The Game and The Chairman of the Board. There were many positive points to note here. In fact, nothing too negative stuck out on the surface.

Mr. McMahon began the show with three men of varying talent but no credibility with the WWE audience in a triple squash to reestablish the returning Umaga as a monster heel. The segment was actually done very well, reminding viewers about Umaga after a month-long hiatus. If Triple H beats him cleanly at No Mercy, The Samoan Bulldozer could benefit with another run of squash matches that might include some talent lower on the Raw totem pole but more noteworthy than nameless jobbers. Hell, squash matches with Umaga could help offset the lack of selling that Triple H might be doing to protect his character.

The confrontation between Triple H and Umaga this week was also well-done. Triple H took a brutal beating by Umaga, one that lasted long enough to give the impression that No Mercy isn't going to be a cakewalk for The Game. Hunter's use of the sledgehammer as a last resort tactic against the Samoan Bulldozer was also a smart move. It almost reiterates the idea that Triple H needed a weapon to take Umaga out last month, and without it, he may be in trouble.

Umaga's contemplated retreat wasn't a bad idea either. No one in their right mind—not even monsters—are going near a sledgehammer-wielding Triple H. That in itself doesn't make Umaga look weak. Now WWE has taken two stars and pitted them together in a match that seems much more balanced than the Carlito-Hunter rivalry. Speaking of Carlito, his presence on Raw helped to further tip the scales against Triple H while also showing Umaga as a frustrated but focused machine.

Altogether, this was one of the better parts of Monday's Raw, and hopefully each of these characters can get a little more development once No Mercy passes. Until then, it should be one of the more anticipated matchups on the PPV card.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 6.5 [up 1.5 from last week]

Previous Feuds
Mr. McMahon: Bobby Lashley
Triple H: King Booker

CODY RHODES vs. HARDCORE HOLLY (2 weeks)

This is still entertaining for what it is. As I predicted last week, Rhodes suffered another expected loss to Hardcore Holly, but that is exactly what needs to happen for the specific storyline that is unfolding here.

The story is simple: Cody Rhodes is an amateur looking to make a name for himself. He wants to become a better wrestler. So far, he has fought Randy Orton in two separate matches, losing both of them. Then he beat Daivari for a few weeks to show that he can at least handle some nominal challenges. Enter: the wrestling veteran.

So, to juxtapose Cody's young, amateur status, WWE brings in an established mid-card ring veteran—Hardcore Holly. The two play off of each other well, and Holly's subtle post-match reactions are useful. This rivalry is certainly not going to get Mr. Holly back into upper-midcard status like he seemed to be reaching in ECW months ago, but it's provided a watch-able little program on Raw.

As for how this thing should work, Cody can become increasingly frustrated at his numerous losses, while Hardcore Holly starts to show some sympathy to the kid for trying. At some point, Cody will get really close to winning, but will fail yet again. This is where announcing will be of the utmost importance. And finally, Cody will claim a clean victory over the ring veteran and prove himself as a strong babyface wrestler.

Of course, there are other directions it can take. They could have Cody's eventual victory be a tainted one. Maybe his frustration leads him to cheat in order to obtain the win, but I'm not sure how effective that would be. I would suggest, however, that no matter which path they choose, this story should be more character-based. They need to give more backstage interaction and promos between these two because of this story's simplicity and inherently clichéd nature. Good advancement, though.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 5.5 [up 0.5 from last week]

Previous Feuds
Cody Rhodes: Randy Orton
Hardcore Holly: n/a

PAUL LONDON & BRIAN KENDRICK vs. World Tag Team Champions LANCE CADE & TREVOR MURDOCH (5 weeks)

This week, it seems like WWE pulled the plug on the heel turn by The Highlanders. Last week, it was the main focus of the tag team segment. The Highlanders purposely attacked London and Kendrick for no apparent reason. This week, they responded by telling William Regal that they declined a match against The High Fliers because all they want to do is get a World Tag Team Title opportunity. They aren't interested in fighting anyone else.

That seems quite contradictory. There had to be some reason for their attack, yet it wasn't disclosed on Raw. The promo they gave to Regal hardly made sense given their actions the week prior; it just felt as though WWE was trying to clean up a mess they spilled (and the stain didn't go away).

Jeff Hardy teamed with London and Kendrick to take on Shelton Benjamin, Lance Cade, and Trevor Murdoch in a match that was very exciting. Is WWE considering more of the same in the coming weeks? Can this be the start of a new kind of London/Kendrick gimmick? Because of how infrequently the company has booked matches that get into action that rapid, perhaps they are now deciding to give viewers a taste. It certainly heightens the effect of such a match. There still isn't much reason for this feud though. And when do London and Kendrick get their title shot?

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 4.5 [up 0.5 from last week]

Previous Feuds
London and Kendrick: no notable feuds since being drafted from Smackdown
Cade & Murdoch: The Hardys

Women’s Champion CANDICE MICHELLE vs. BETH PHOENIX (6 weeks)

Okay, this was an easy, clear-cut week for the rivalry between Candice Michelle and The Glamazon. Beth has a little spat with Lilian Garcia, which quickly escalates to a choke on Raw's ring announcer. Candice enters to make the save.

If you felt like this was just a way to fill some obligatory time for this feud the week before their PPV matchup, you were probably right. Other than hyping Lilian's new album, the only thing this segment achieved was letting the audience hear Phoenix's promo. She's actually quite good on the mic. She seems calm and relaxed out there. More promos and backstage vignettes would be promising to her character. She has the ability to speak well, so give her more to work with.

As for the feud itself, it certainly didn't peak this week. In fact, its plateau has been in effect for weeks now. It's time to change things up and let both women move on after No Mercy.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 5 [same as last week]

Previous Feuds
Candice Michelle: Melina
Beth Phoenix: n/a



The pairing of Hardy and Benjamin is intriguing on an athletic wrestling level; however, WWE has withheld all information regarding why these two have been consistently fighting. Benjamin received a random Intercontinental Title shot a few weeks ago, lost the match, and then started feuding with Jeff. Their matches seem to have been unfocused and thrown together in the eleventh hour. In the last few weeks, they have been patched into tag team matches that fuel other storylines.

Last week, Hardy and Benjamin teamed with Candice and Beth Phoenix respectively; this week, they teamed with the people involved in the tag team program on Raw. Their rivalry seems like nothing more than an enhancement used to marginally bump other midcard feuds. As for the match this week, it was exciting and new, as I've mentioned in the London/Kendrick-Cade/Murdoch section already.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 4.5 [down 0.5 from last week]

Previous Feuds
Jeff Hardy: Umaga
Shelton Benjamin: Paul London & Brian Kendrick

SANTINO MARELLA (w/ Maria) vs. VAL VENIS (1 week)

Well, Santino Marella may be done with Ron Simmons after all, despite not having a clean victory (or loss) in his match last week. Santino is the best comedy heel in WWE at the moment, but he needs to garner more credit in the ring. Since Simmons no longer wrestles regularly, this was the perfect opportunity to give Marella a pretty decent win. Unfortunately, WWE didn't think similarly. Ron Simmons is clearly more important. I guess they wanted him to retain his tough guy image since he was helping to hype Steve-O's new USA show this week. Yeah, let's go with that.

On the bright side, they brought out another potential opponent this week: Val Venis. If they pull the same ending with that one—where Santino isn't given a clean win over Venis—they will have really done a disservice to the Santino character. Surprisingly, there could be a lot of value in this pairing. Venis, who is best known for his adult film gimmick in WWE, can really exploit (no pun intended) that character against the haughty Marella.

This feud can take many directions, and Maria will become a very important piece to the proverbial puzzle as Venis continues to tout his movie business and widen the chasm between the Not-So-Happy Couple. It also forms a strong link to Santino's impending feud with Stone Cold Steve Austin and the whole movie theme. Maybe they can continue it by having Maria help tend to Venis's sore knee, which would probably upset Mr. Marella. Let's see how it plays out next week and then rate it accordingly.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 5

Previous Feuds
Santino Marella: Umaga
Val Venis: n/a

FEUD CONCLUSIONS

(1) Mr. McMahon vs. Hornswoggle?
(2) Triple H vs. Carlito?
(3) Santino Marella vs. Ron Simmons?

POTENTIAL FEUDS

(1) Santino Marella vs. Steve Austin?

Thanks for reading, everyone. If you have any suggestions or comments, feel free to email me at newthtorch@hotmail.com. I appreciate all the feedback I receive.

Send feedback on this article to pwtorch@gmail.com and we'll regularly publish reader feedback in the "Torch Feedback" category on the Main Listing.

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