By Chris Newth, PWTorch contributor

WWE Monday Night Raw
October 20, 2008
Upcoming PPV: Cyber Sunday (last episode before PPV)

RAW STORYLINES AND FEUDS

Welcome to the sixtieth 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)


World Heavyweight Champion CHRIS JERICHO vs. SHAWN MICHAELS vs. BATISTA (29 weeks w/ 4 weeks hiatus)

Summary Quick Shots:

-Chris Jericho cut a promo about how he isn't respected as Champion. Batista interrupted to explain to Jericho that respect was to be earned, not demanded. He said that Jericho can earn respect if he manages to beat him at Sunday's PPV.

-Raw GM Mike Adamle walked to the stage to tell Jericho and Batista that they will be competing in a Gauntlet Match against three surprise opponents later in the show.

-In Raw's main event Gauntlet Match, Batista and Jericho first faced William Regal, followed by Mark Henry, followed lastly by Kane. Batista was able to defeat all three opponents, while Chris Jericho only beat William Regal.

-Jericho hoisted his World Heavyweight Title over his head as he stared down Batista from outside the ring to close the show.

Analysis:

The overriding theme of this week's main event storyline, if it wasn't obvious, seemed to be respect. If this theme extends beyond Cyber Sunday and into the next few episodes of Raw, it could become an interesting pivot point for not only Chris Jericho's character, but also for the potential feuds he may have with either Batista or Shawn Michaels. The other interesting element of Cyber Sunday is where the Jericho-HBK feud goes from here. If the likely scenario plays out and Steve Austin wins the vote, we may have to wait until Raw to find out where Michaels fits into the future of the storyline. Whether it continues on or fades away quietly, one thing is certain: WWE had ingeniously formulated the Jericho-Michaels feud from the beginning and cultivated it over time to make it continually entertaining, despite its exhaustive length.

As for this week, it didn't do much beyond setting low expectations for the World Heavyweight Champion. At the end of the show, Michael Cole asked, "Has Jericho's confidence been completely shattered?" With Jericho's multiple losses in the Gauntlet Match as well as the idea that the two most likely choices for the special guest referee at Sunday's PPV will be anti-Jericho, it does put him in a situation where he could possibly rebound in a big way with a big win. If Jericho narrowly escapes Cyber Sunday with a lucky win—or if he loses to Batista—his effectiveness as a top-tier character on Raw may be in question. This week didn't help Jericho; the extent of its negative impact will probably be determined Sunday night.

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

Previous Feuds
Chris Jericho: Randy Orton, JBL, Jeff Hardy, Money in the Bank, Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels: Randy Orton, Mr. Kennedy, Ric Flair, Batista & Jericho
Batista: Great Khali, Undertaker, MVP, Umaga, Shawn Michaels, Edge, CM Punk, John Cena

REY MYSTERIO vs. KANE (11 weeks w/ 1 week hiatus)

Summary Quick Shots:

-In what was deemed a "warm up" match by Michael Cole prior to Cyber Sunday, Rey Mysterio fought Snitsky. The match saw Mysterio quite easily defeating his larger opponent after hitting the 619, followed by a splash for the win.

-Kane participated in the main event Gauntlet Match; he was able to beat Chris Jericho but lost within seconds to Batista thanks to a well-timed spear.

Analysis:

Rey Mysterio's "warm up" match against a man who rarely appears—and when he does, frequently loses—on Raw didn't do much for Rey's struggling feud with the Big Red Machine. It seemed more like just a way to keep Rey Mysterio on television the week prior to his upcoming Cyber Sunday bout with Kane. The thought by those booking Raw may have been that if Rey Mysterio could beat someone of Kane's height and stature, it would end up being a plus for Rey. But Snitsky, despite his size, is on the Raw roster's lowest tier. How did this week's episode of Raw do anything for the nearly three month long Rey-Kane rivalry? The answer is that it only stole focus from the feud and downplayed the storyline's importance.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 3.5 [down 1 since last week]

Previous Feuds
Rey Mysterio: Chavo Guerrero, Finlay, MVP, Edge
Kane: Shelton Benjamin, Chuck Palumbo, Chavo Guerrero, Miz & Morrison, Mark Henry

JOHN MORRISON & THE MIZ vs. CRYME TYME (5 weeks w/ 1 week hiatus)

Summary Quick Shots:

-John Morrison and The Miz faced CM Punk and Kofi Kingston in tag team competition. The match ended when Miz blind-tagged Morrison before rolling up an unsuspecting Punk for the victory.

-Ted DiBiase, Cody Rhodes, and Manu callously engaged in a three-pronged attack on Cryme Tyme before their match officially started. With Shad and JTG seemingly unconscious, the match was essentially called off.

Analysis:

The absence of Cryme Tyme during the Miz/Morrison-Punk/Kingston segment was curious simply because WWE had been hyping their feud relentlessly over the past few weeks. It was actually one of the few storylines that crossed brand lines when WWE featured it on both Raw and ECW last week. Cryme Tyme did play some kind of role on Raw when they became the victims of a three-pronged attack by DiBiase, Rhodes, and Manu.

If Shad and JTG are not going to feud with Miz and Morrison anymore, WWE made the right move in choosing replacements. CM Punk seems lost in the shuffle at the moment, trying to garner some type of traction after falling from the main event spot as World Heavyweight Champion. Kofi Kingston similarly experienced a downgrade into uncertainty when he lost the Intercontinental Championship and found himself in Raw's midcard after seeing more prominent success over on ECW. It was interesting to note, however, that Punk (who was feuding with DiBiase) is now feuding with Miz/Morrison, while DiBiase (who was feuding with Punk) is now feuding with Cryme Tyme. So it's as if both of these rivalries were simply swopped this week.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 6 [down 1 since last week]

Previous Feuds
John Morrison & The Miz: Yang & Moore, Dreamer & Delaney, CM Punk, Finlay & Hornswoggle
Cryme Tyme: Ted DiBiase & Cody Rhodes

JBL vs. CHARLIE HAAS (2 weeks)

Summary Quick Shots:

-JBL complained about having to face a has-been impersonator: Charlie Haas. He continued his weekly rich vs. poor themed promo, but didn't delve into partisan politics this time.

-An abrupt interruption by Stone Cold Steve "Haastin" led to a match in which Layfield once again defeated Haas using his Clothesline from Hell. After the match, Layfield mocked Austin's signature catchphrase and angrily walked away.

Analysis:

This might be an attempt to put JBL back into a top spot on the show with some kind of rivalry with Austin, who has had his own problems with Layfield in the past. A prolonged feud between JBL and Charlie Haas probably isn't a great idea, particularly for JBL. Loss after loss by Haas isn't helping him all that much either, especially when you consider how downgraded JBL's role has been recently in WWE. So this feud looks as though it's likely coming to a close with some kind of bridge into another rivalry for JBL. Haas's character of the ever-changing image may be successful, but not if his gimmick is simply ridiculed and results in inconsequential losses all the time.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 4 [down 1 since last week]

Previous Feuds
JBL: Chris Jericho, Finlay, Triple H & Orton, John Cena, CM Punk
Charlie Haas: n/a


CONCLUDED FEUDS

(1) Chris Jericho vs. Shawn Michaels?
(2) Rey Mysterio vs. Kane?
(3) Miz & Morrison vs. Cryme Tyme?
(4) JBL vs. Charlie Haas?
(5) CM Punk vs. Ted DiBiase
(6) William Regal vs. Jamie Noble
(7) The Great Khali vs. Johnny Knoxville


POTENTIAL FEUDS

(1) Chris Jericho vs. Mike Adamle
(2) Santino Marella vs. Roddy Piper or Goldust or Honky Tonk Man
(3) Santino Marella vs. Hacksaw Jim Duggan
(4) Kelly Kelly vs. Jillian Hall
(5) JBL vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin
(6) Miz & Morrison vs. CM Punk & Kofi Kingston
(7) Rey Mysterio vs. Snitsky
(8) Kelly Kelly & Candice Michelle vs. Katie Lea Burchill & Jillian Hall


Thanks for reading, everyone. If you have any questions, suggestions, or comments, feel free to email me at newthtorch@hotmail.com. I greatly appreciate all the feedback that I receive, and I will respond to every email. Please insert a word in the subject line that deals with a wrestling topic or write something such as "WWE," "feud," or "Val Venis" so that I know it's not junk mail.

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