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WWE Monday Night Raw
November 26, 2007
Upcoming PPV: Armageddon (third-to-last episode before PPV)

RAW STORYLINES AND FEUDS

Welcome to the sixteenth 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)

Well, it's time again for your storyline ideas heading into Armageddon! If you have an interesting idea to spice up any ongoing WWE feud, let us hear about it. A winner for Raw, ECW, and Smackdown will be chosen, and their idea will be posted on next week's Storylines and Feuds columns. Please be sure to not surpass 600 words. Beyond that, you are free to write however you'd like.

This week's Raw, for the most part, did a nice job maintaining the current rivalries as well as pursuing new endeavors and angles, such as the Hardy-Triple H and Ric Flair storylines. Jericho's steam heading into this week's episode seemed to be dramatically reduced, but the overall show was well-rounded and worked nicely for what it was.

WWE Champion RANDY ORTON vs. CHRIS JERICHO (2 weeks)

This week, Randy Orton, who ostensibly had Jericho in the back of his mind, appeared during the Ric Flair segment to announce that he wanted to be the one to end Flair's career. What a feather in his cap that would be! Jericho, on the other hand, made a far less exciting appearance in the middle of the show to a surprisingly nonexistent crowd reaction.

Mocking Orton's inability—which, in actuality, can probably be written off as cowardice—to recognize his desire to hold WWE gold, Chris Jericho pieced together one of his little visual aids in order to further make his point. He abbreviated his request for a title match to four words: me want title match. Each of these words was linked to a picture to help Randy Orton understand exactly what he wants. In response, Santino Marella came out to confront Raw's newest acquisition.

After having an interesting verbal joust with Santino, Y2J beat him in a match. Randy Orton, however, never appeared. At the end of the show, Orton faced Ric Flair, but thanks to a timely distraction by Jericho, The Nature Boy was able to utilize one of his dirty tricks (a low blow) to score the victory against the WWE Champion.

This week was basically the final week of keeping Orton and Jericho separated enough to tell the story of how Jericho wanted a title shot and how Randy Orton didn't want to give it to him. Next week, this feud is bound to pick up speed heading into Armageddon. It will be interesting to see how WWE plans to create more tension with a unique angle to their Raw main event.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 7.5 [up 0.5 from last week]

Previous Feuds
Chris Jericho: n/a
Randy Orton: Dusty Rhodes, Cody Rhodes, John Cena, Shawn Michaels

THE JEOPARDOUS ULTIMATUM FOR RIC FLAIR (1 week)

Ric Flair made his return to Raw this week in his hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina so that he could make a big announcement. Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler speculated that it would be his retirement, although they publicly admitted that they hoped it wouldn't be. When Flair entered the ring for his promo, things got emotional. He held the mic, knowing this is probably his last major run as a full-time wrestler with WWE.

With teary eyes, the Nature Boy turned the tables on the fans by announcing that he was not retiring and that he would never retire. Then Mr. McMahon's music hit, and the Chairman of the Board walked out to rain on Flair's proverbial parade. He promptly gave Ric an ultimatum: the minute Flair loses a match in WWE, his career is finished.

With that stipulation hanging ominously over Flair's head, Randy Orton approached the ring to announce that he wanted to be the man who ended the legendary career of Ric Flair. In the main event, Chris Jericho provided a ringside distraction to help Flair score the pinfall after hitting the Legend Killer in the crotch. Raw ended with some nice development in the Orton-Jericho feud and with the Nature Boy's career in tact.

This is an ingenious storyline for Ric Flair. It's different, it's relevant, it's newsworthy, and it's exciting. For those who may not be the biggest Flair fans, this angle provides enough intrigue to make his appearances thoroughly memorable. We are about to witness the final stages of the Nature Boy's storied career. The stakes are as high as they can be, and it will be entertaining to see how WWE attempts to pull the story along in the months ahead, especially if they plan to hold the culmination of this storyline at Wrestlemania 24.

By far the best segment on Raw was the backstage meeting between Shawn Michaels and Ric Flair. HBK was giving Flair a pep talk, reminding him that he's the best there is. He went on to say, "I don't care what Randy Orton brings against you. To be the man, you've gotta beat the man, and tonight, I don't think he can do it." Flair responded by saying that the worst case scenario would have him going out in a blaze of glory.

That's when WWE hit the mark to perfection! As Flair left the room, the camera stayed on Michaels, whose smile had dissipated as he retained a look that is unmistakable: doubt. Brilliant. They are intelligently providing small doses of reality here.

Now, Flair did say that if he doesn't win, he'll be going out in a blaze of glory, but it might behoove WWE to play on the aspect of the Nature Boy believing that he's just as good today as he was in his prime. This way, those around him (like HBK) can have two sides. It's perfect. Let me explain.

Okay, so I'll use Michaels in this example, but it can apply to multiple people. He is good friends with Flair, and he respects him greatly. But he realizes the situation. If Flair loses a match, his career is over. So Michaels is forced to tout Flair's ability and legacy to the Nature Boy's face in order to try to keep the confidence going. HBK knows that if Flair doesn't receive confidence boosts, he may not have any chance. Yet at the same time, Michaels knows that Flair isn't what he used to be and that bad things are looming. His expression at the end of the segment was a blatant expression of doubt.

So perhaps WWE can play on this idea. Maybe after about two months of Flair continuously winning, Michaels's doubt suddenly fades, and he begins to buy into the idea that Flair can actually do it. That, of course, can quickly be shattered when Ric Flair loses that retirement match in the future. It's such an interesting premise that WWE can work with in the coming months. They have a real storyline with a real hook here.

So I would structure it in such a way as to make Flair really confident. In fact, he's overly confident. The constant victories build steam behind his journey, and he eventually loses all consideration when it comes to losing and having to retire. After all, he just beat the WWE Champion. Flair believes that he's still the greatest that's ever lived. He may be right, but he can't possibly be the current greatest wrestler. And fans can recognize that he's not at the top of the roster. We are willing to believe he can win even the biggest challenges, but suspending our disbelief to the point of thinking that he can easily stay on top for a long enough time to win the WWE Championship (and, if he does, retain it) is impossible to do.

Hopefully, Flair gets to spend a lot of his time on Smackdown too; I can't help but feel annoyed at the thought of Flair staying on Raw. Smackdown always seems to get the shaft (does anyone remember the last WWE Draft?), and Flair should stay on the show to which he was assigned, even if his storyline is one of the best in all of WWE. That coupled with the Edge-Vickie angle over on the blue brand will make Smackdown relevant once again.

Overall, this storyline is terrific all around. Ric Flair is back on television with more of a purpose than he's had in years. And if WWE plays their cards right, every Flair match, even those that may not be against people at the top of the card, will produce an edge-of-your-seat feeling for viewers. And if you're looking for the "nutshell" of the storyline, look no further than the pep talk segment between HBK and Flair; the last ten seconds of that scene told the whole story.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 7

Previous Feuds
Ric Flair: n/a

FINLAY vs. MR. McMAHON (2 weeks)

This week, Mr. McMahon had no direct confrontation or conversation with Finlay. He did, however, book The Fighting Irishman in a match for Armageddon against The Great Khali. This didn't stop the Chairman from trying to set his son up for another beating, though. He sent Hornswoggle to go get him an ice cream sandwich. In a scene that was certainly coincidental, the Little Bastard noticed a door that advertised ice cream sandwiches.

When Hornswoggle entered the room, Carlito slammed the door shut behind him, and the two stood in an otherwise empty room. Carlito had a threatening look about him, and Hornswoggle didn't want to wait and find out what was about to transpire. So the Leprechaun took out a can of black spray paint, sprayed an area that resembled a door or hole, and ran through it. Of course, Carlito, whose character was structured after Wily Coyote this week, quickly attempted the same feat to no avail.

I'm not as quick to judge these (literally) cartoonish Hornswoggle segments. In terms of storyline advancement, they clearly don't do anything. Personally, I think they should throw a month's worth of these extremely cartoonish segments together and then write the "magical powers" part of Hornswoggle's character out of the story.

People tend to get annoyed when WWE routinely (although infrequently) tries these kinds of skits. If they had this one the week after the "Coach being blown up under the ring" sketch, it would have been better for continuity's sake. I'd be interested to see how many weeks they can continue to pull these kinds of stunts off successfully without being repetitive, but I can also understand how some people would find it annoying and ridiculously stupid.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 4.5 [same as on Smackdown]

Previous Feuds
Hornswoggle: Jamie Noble, random authority figures
William Regal: n/a
Jonathan Coachman: n/a

Intercontinental Champion JEFF HARDY & TRIPLE H vs. UMAGA & SNITSKY (2 weeks)

Raw opened with their scheduled main event, a tag team contest featuring the team of Triple H and Jeff Hardy competing against the monster duo of Umaga and Snitsky. It was a strong match that seemed to accomplish multiple purposes.

It further solidified Jeff Hardy as a main event player; viewers can now begin to see a pattern where Triple H and Hardy appear in the same segments. Triple H's presence was also helpful to everyone else in the match, particularly Snitsky. Being involved in a tag team match against The Game is much more useful for Snitsky's career than sticking to the ineffectual squash matches that haven't worked for him in the past year.

The match's ending (with Triple H handling the bulk of the work but letting Hardy hit the Swanton and earn the victory) was reminiscent of what WWE has been doing with the Jesse and Festus tag team on Smackdown and ECW. In that case, Festus looks like a monster in the ring, clearing house each time he gets the hot tag. Because he's able to look so rabidly fierce during his short in-ring time, the team always finishes by having the "weaker" member of the tandem win with the Festus-launching-Jesse flying elbow maneuver. It works out great because Jesse takes the beating for the majority of the match, Festus is allowed to enter and show his largely unstoppable nature, then Jesse can regain his momentum by finishing the reeling heel off and scoring the pinfall for his team. The same tactic is being used with Triple H and Jeff Hardy as of late.

The storyline got a lot more interesting when William Regal stepped out from backstage and announced that at WWE's next PPV, Armageddon, it will be Jeff Hardy in the match of his life against Triple H (without the Intercontinental Title on the line). The two babyfaces' victory celebration was immediately halted with that sobering news.

It's an odd matchup for Armageddon. On the one hand, it's great to have Jeff Hardy featured in a singles match with The Game himself. On the other hand, it's not likely that he can be put over Triple H cleanly in that bout. This is WWE's chance to finally push Hardy into the main event slot after being stuck on the periphery for so long. A win over Triple H would certainly do it, but is it possible? If The Game pins Hardy after a strong showing, it will ultimately hurt Jeff's credibility (even though Triple H is one of Raw's biggest stars). Furthermore, if there's some type of interference which can help Hardy achieve a victory, it may not be promising enough to Hardy's roster status.

In terms of the storyline, however, it's great. These two guys have been working really well as a team lately. They were the only two people left on the babyface side of the Survivor Series Traditional Elimination Match. This week, they were able to beat Umaga and Snitsky in a tag team match. As the semblance of a friendship was beginning to formulate, Regal drops an interesting bombshell where teamwork is now out the window.

What makes the Armageddon match so intriguing is that this face-face combination is not the result of a title, nor is it a result of a personal conflict; it's simply a General Manager who is making things difficult by putting one veteran and one rising star (who can be considered a veteran at this point too) in the ring together.

Later in the show, Jeff and Triple H met backstage again. It's amazing to see how much extra mic time Hardy gets now that he's in a program with Triple H. Remember how aggravatingly little he got in his rivalry with Mr. Kennedy, whose speaking time played a huge role in propelling him to the top of WWE?

It remains to be seen whether Umaga or Snitsky will continue to play a role in this storyline now that a new angle has been established, but this is the start of a great storyline overall whether heels exist within it or not.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 7 [up 1 from last week]

Previous Feuds
Jeff Hardy: Umaga, Mr. Kennedy
Triple H: King Booker, Umaga
Umaga: Jeff Hardy, Triple H
Snitsky: n/a

CODY RHODES vs. HARDCORE HOLLY (10 weeks w/ 2 weeks hiatus)

This week Cody Rhodes and Hardcore Holly, working as a team along with Super Crazy and Hacksaw Jim Duggan, beat the four person team consisting of Lance Cade, Trevor Murdoch, and The Highlanders (who are apparently playing heels again this week). The match was kept short and saw Hardcore Holly earn a win for his team with the Alabama Slam on Robbie.

This week's booking really did a disservice for Cody Rhodes, Hardcore Holly, Lance Cade, and Trevor Murdoch. In terms of the Cody-Hardcore feud, it's getting that somewhat forgotten feeling at this point as its irrelevance is beginning to show. WWE has the foundation down, but when they set up a pointless match like this, viewers tend to ignore the segment.

It might seem as though the notion of "the more stars, the better" is true, but this case proves that it isn't. In fact, just having Hacksaw Jim Duggan and Super Crazy in that match made it feel less important. People who haven't made meaningful appearances in months and are usually used as jobbers ultimately hurt an ongoing rivalry. Here's hoping WWE gets back on track with Cody Rhodes and Hardcore Holly next week.

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

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

WWE Women's Champion BETH PHOENIX vs. MICKIE JAMES (1 week)

Raw featured Melina versus Mickie James in a Number One Contender's match for Beth Phoenix's Women's Title. It's nice to finally see a clear contender, but if Mickie can't eventually pull this off, who can? I would almost prefer having someone else on the roster become directly in contention for the championship first, eventually lose to the Glamazon, then have Mickie come in with her own program and win.

Unfortunately, there aren't enough credible (or even semi-credible) female babyfaces on the roster to set up a plan like that. My best guess has Candice make an appearance during some future Women's Title match to help Mickie James win, only for Beth to take it back soon after. The biggest concern facing WWE at this time is how they will treat Phoenix's title reign. If Mickie James doesn't eventually win the championship, they may have to bring in another babyface diva or turn Victoria face to take the title to Smackdown for a short period of time.

Overall, if there is going to be a compelling divas' feud, it will be between Mickie James and Beth Phoenix. Let's see how this one plays out in the next few weeks leading to Armageddon.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 5.5

Previous Feuds
Beth Phoenix: Candice Michelle
Mickie James: Melina

SHAWN MICHAELS vs. MR. KENNEDY (2 weeks)

As mentioned before, Shawn Michaels participated in a backstage segment that became the highlight of the show. As for his feud with Kennedy, it was the heel who carried most of the load this week.

Kennedy began with a backstage promo using Michaels's new DVD. Honestly, it dragged a little. It seemed like the focus was off. Remember, these two basically started their rivalry last week when Kennedy appeared after HBK tried to get another shot at the WWE Title. Unless a new direction in the storyline is emphasized, they should be focusing on the title.

However, if WWE doesn't plan to have either man become Number One Contender, they must find another route, another reasoning for Kennedy to have this tiff with Michaels. It's too bland and boring to simply have Kennedy backstage cutting some kind of angry promo on a guy without any real reasoning behind it. And if no sound reasoning is given, how can the audience really buy into the idea that Kennedy feels that way? It's possible, but it's certainly not as strong.

Then there was what essentially became a squash match where Mr. Kennedy easy beat Brian Kendrick with a relatively new type of finishing maneuver. It was kept short, and its purpose was to keep the brash Kennedy rolling in momentum so that his next meeting with HBK means more.

Overall, this rivalry started out really strong. This week served more as a break, but the consistently antagonistic promos by Kennedy kept the feud in the mind of viewers. WWE has an interesting problem to work with because Mr. Kennedy has not reached main event level, yet he needs to prove that he can be a heel worth Michaels's time. It will be interesting to see how the writers structure the storyline from here to make Kennedy appear like a larger threat than he currently is.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 6 [same as last week]

Previous Feuds
Shawn Michaels: Randy Orton
Mr. Kennedy: Jeff Hardy

SANTINO MARELLA (w/ Maria) vs. JERRY LAWLER (3 weeks)

This week, Santino Marella decided to interrupt Chris Jericho's WWE Title match request, claiming that Raw's newest acquisition has no right to march in and demand a match against Randy Orton. Jericho proceeded to mock Marella by running down a list of random names that resembled "Santino."

The verbal confrontation soon led to a challenge, and Jericho was ready to fight. However, Marella quickly bailed to ringside and unexpectedly attacked Raw's Color Commentator. As Santino continued to rain punches on Lawler, Y2J apparently didn't feel the need to get involved. Lawler exacted revenge on Marella later (after the Jericho match), hitting his patented fist drop from the second rope onto Santino's head.

Overall, this feud is simply there. I'm not sure why Jerry Lawler should be in a protracted rivalry with anyone at this point. Santino's brilliance goes without saying; he can come out for any segment and turn it into a fun time. WWE, however, should add some fuel to this fire or find Marella a more competitive opponent.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 6 [same as last week]

Previous Feuds
Santino Marella: Umaga, Ron Simmons, Val Venis, Steve Austin
Jerry Lawler: n/a

POTENTIAL FEUDS

(1) Carlito vs. Hornswoggle?
(2) Carlito vs. Finlay?
(3) Triple H vs. Jeff Hardy?
(4) Cody Rhodes & Hardcore Holly vs. Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch?


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. Please insert a word in the subject line that deals with a wrestling topic or write something such as "WWE," "feud," or "Charlie Haas" so that I know it's not junk mail.

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