By Chris Newth, PWTorch contributor

WWE Monday Night Raw
January 5, 2009
Upcoming PPV: Royal Rumble (third-to-last episode before PPV)

RAW STORYLINES AND FEUDS

Welcome to the sixty-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)


World Hvt. Champion JOHN CENA vs. JBL (2 weeks)

Summary Quick Shots:

-Orton and Jericho kicked off Raw with a formal complaint about how JBL and Michaels worked together last week to win the Fatal 4-Way Elimination Match. JBL and Michaels confronted them, which led to various personal attacks: Michaels said that at least Orton and Jericho wouldn't get title shots, and Jericho said that Michaels has proven him right by becoming a sell-out.

-Stephanie McMahon determined that because HBK was pinned after a Clothesline from Hell (not by simply lying down), the match result stood. She then booked Orton/Jericho vs. Michaels/Cena to test Michaels's integrity.

-An overly excited JBL talked to Michaels in the locker room about how great the whole main event situation is. Layfield laid out the plan: HBK needs to superkick Cena so that Orton and Jericho can pick up the pieces with an RKO, a Code Breaker, and a Punt Kick. Michaels wasn't happy, but JBL promised big bucks for it.

-John Cena spoke with Michaels in the locker room, trying to figure out if he had to fight two or three people in the main event. Michaels snapped at him when Cena called him JBL's puppet. HBK then asked what history tells Cena about what to expect (meaning that Cena should probably expect Shawn to turn on him).

-In Raw's main event, Shawn Michaels and Cena defeated Randy Orton and Chris Jericho after Michaels gave Jericho Sweet Chin Music for the win. There was some mid-match tension between HBK and Cena, but Michaels never superkicked Cena like JBL wanted.

Analysis:

The opening segment with the formal complaint by Raw's top heels was handled well with three people—Orton, Jericho, and JBL—all gunning for Cena's World Heavyweight Championship. Stephanie continues to be a rational thinker who makes fair and competent decisions on the show. The internal fear her eyes conveyed upon hearing the news of her father's upcoming return is something that hasn't yet been fully explained to viewers. Her character hasn't been some power-hungry heel authority; she genuinely wants the show to be fair and entertaining because her own reputation depends on it (and Shane predicted otherwise). So the fear she emitted when learning that Mr. McMahon was coming back means something else—perhaps she didn't know what her father's condition was or she thought it was the opposite of what it actually is. Could it be that she fears that her father will think she and Shane capitalized on his absence? Didn't someone have to step in and fill in managerially?

The JBL-Michaels dynamic continues to grow in intrigue. Layfield's reasons for employing Michaels have gotten much clearer: he just wants someone to help him win the World Heavyweight Championship again, and he's using HBK in various ways to cut corners in reaching his goal. The plot this week where JBL described an ideal situation where Michaels would turn on Cena in order to allow Orton and Jericho to destroy The Champ even more was fitting and devious. JBL does his best work on the mic as a clever heel with a businessman's outlook. This current storyline, although initially unbelievable with HBK's financial situation, is doing wonders for Layfield's character, who has recently fallen behind other top heels like Orton and Jericho in the last few months. The best thing coming from the current main event feud on Raw is Michael's internal struggle. It's really compelling TV.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 8 [up 1 since last week]

Previous Feuds
John Cena: Edge, Umaga, Lashley, Orton & Triple H, JBL, Triple H, JBL, Batista, Chris Jericho
JBL: Chris Jericho, Finlay, Triple H & Orton, John Cena, CM Punk

RANDY ORTON'S FACTION (2 weeks)

Summary Quick Shots:

-Randy Orton met with Cody Rhodes and Sim Snuka backstage, congratulating them on passing Phase 1 last week. He told them that if they win their matches this week, they are officially in the group.

-Manu then showed up asking for another chance to be in Orton's group. Orton scolded Manu, belittling him as an unknown and underperforming second-generation wrestler who isn't in Orton's league. Orton then left; Rhodes and Snuka followed him.

-Cody Rhodes and Sim Snuka collectively defeated Cryme Tyme in tag team competition when Cody used a new corkscrew faceplant finisher on JTG.

-Rhodes and Snuka met with Orton backstage. Orton congratulated Rhodes, but told Snuka that he was ousted from the group because he didn't make the pin in the match. Sim made the point that only one person can pin in a tag match, so Orton asked Cody if Snuka had a point. Cody sided with Orton and left an aggravated Snuka behind.

Analysis:

Orton has made the conscious decision to cut ties with both Manu and Sim Snuka this week. I guess the "group" now consists of two people. The week's events evoke a few questions: Where does this leave Snuka and Manu? Could a babyface tandem now be formed with the exiled second-generation superstars that Orton rejected? What will this mean for Ted DiBiase's return? Can an Orton/Rhodes team last? All of these questions should be fleshed out in the next few weeks as WWE continues to build on this storyline. It's still too early to analyze what's happening, but the way it's been handled thus far has been strong.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 8 [same since last week]

Previous Feuds
Randy Orton: Michaels, Jericho, Jeff Hardy, Cena & Triple H, Triple H, Cody Rhodes, Batista
Cody Rhodes: Santino Marella & Carlito, Ted DiBiase, Jr., Cryme Tyme, Randy Orton

Intercontinental Champion WILLIAM REGAL vs. CM PUNK (7 weeks w/ 1 week hiatus)

Summary Quick Shots:

-Todd Grisham interviewed CM Punk backstage about his upcoming Intercontinental Title match. Punk noted various wrestlers from years past that he widely respects who have won the IC Title. He showed a lot of confidence about his match against Regal.

-The Intercontinental Championship match ended when Punk hoisted Regal onto his shoulders for the GTS, but Regal grabbed the referee's shirt, which resulted in a disqualification. As Regal celebrated with his title, Stephanie determined that he would be forced into a rematch with Punk where a DQ results in a title change.

Analysis:

The DQ finish of the Intercontinental Title match was obviously a way for WWE to drag the tension of a title match out another week as well as to show Regal's heel tendencies. Punk's backstage interview did a nice job adding more prestige to the title with his references to past IC Champions and how much he respected them. Stephanie's decision to enforce a rematch next week put a temporary bandage on the situation as viewers await Punk's next shot. Because of the tournament-style of the initial stages of this feud, it almost feels too soon for a title match anyway, so this one-week extension may have been a smart move. It will be interesting to see if Regal finds yet another way to weasel his way out of the next bout with the title intact. Remember, a disqualification on Regal's part will result in a title change.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 8 [same since last week]

Previous Feuds
William Regal: Mr. Kennedy, Jamie Noble, Santino Marella
CM Punk: Elijah Burke, John Morrison, Chavo Guerrero, Morrison & Miz, Batista, JBL

REY MYSTERIO vs. MIKE KNOX (1 week)

Summary Quick Shots:

-Rey Mysterio and Kofi Kingston lost their tag team match against World Tag Team Champions John Morrison and The Miz after Morrison caught Rey with a kick to the chest for the victory.

-After the matchup, Mike Knox stormed the ring and brutally attacked a helpless Mysterio. Kofi tried to help, but Knox kicked him back to ringside.

Analysis:

The issues between Rey Mysterio and Mike Knox have been ongoing now for a few weeks, but this was the first time that it felt official. For whatever reason, it seems as though Mysterio just took each assault and forgot about it the following week. It was as though nothing even happened. Rey never really approaches Knox or anyone in charge to set up an official WWE matchup. But after the attack this week, something tells me that Rey's character will have had enough of Knox's bullying ways. However, if this feud is going to be really strong between an established WWE veteran like Rey Mysterio and a relative newcomer who hasn't yet gained much traction yet in WWE like Mike Knox, WWE should probably go out of their way to explain why Knox is continually pinpointing Mysterio for these assaults. What is Knox looking for?

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 6

Previous Feuds
Rey Mysterio: Chavo Guerrero, Finlay, MVP, Edge, Kane
Mike Knox: Kelly Kelly, Tommy Dreamer, Evan Bourne, Finlay

WWE Women's Champion BETH PHOENIX (w/ Santino Marella) vs. MELINA (7 weeks)

Summary Quick Shots:

-Melina teamed with Goldust to face Glamorella in tag team competition. Melina caught Beth with a bridge pin to pick up the victory. After the match, Rosa, the disgruntled and agitated fan in the front row, launched her sign at Melina. She then jumped the guardrail and attacked Melina.

-When security officials carried Rosa through the crowd, Melina followed them to continue the fight.

Analysis:

WWE is doing a nice job introducing Rosa as their newest character. She almost reminds me of the way Mickie James's character was handled as the obsessive superfan of Trish Stratus. Stephanie banned Rosa this week due to her actions, much to the dismay of Beth and Santino Marella. The Beth-Melina rivalry probably will not continue onward without Rosa's involvement, so watch as WWE continues that incorporation. In and of itself, the Melina-Phoenix feud is strong, but adding the extra element of a new face and a new personality could make it even better. If they are going to debut a new diva, this isn't a bad way to do it.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 7.5 [same since last week]

Previous Feuds
Beth Phoenix: Mickie James, Maria, Mickie James, Melina, Mickie James, Candice Michelle
Melina: Mickie James, Candice Michelle, Beth Phoenix

KANE vs. KELLY KELLY (3 weeks)

Summary Quick Shots:

-Kelly Kelly beat Jillian Hall in a singles matchup after hitting a modification of her legdrop finisher.

-After the match, Jillian attacked Kelly, but Kane's pyro exploded on the stage. Jillian bolted as Kane entered the ring to tell Kelly that he would be facing Randy Orton next week.

Analysis:

This feud is an odd one, but I guess that fits Kane's character flawlessly. The relationship between Kane and Kelly hasn't really been defined. He basically kidnapped her one week, then attacked Miz to protect her the next. He also apologized to her, and she returned the apology. Then Randy Orton sort of got involved as the guy who viciously dumped Kelly on the air. And now Kane is out for Orton. Is Kane still a heel or is he a crazed and irrational babyface with good intentions? Who knows? Perhaps next week's Kane-Orton match will give us more of a clue.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 5.5

Previous Feuds
Kane: Benjamin, Chuck Palumbo, Chavo Guerrero, Miz & Morrison, Mark Henry, Rey Mysterio
Kelly Kelly: Mike Knox, Miz, Layla, Victoria, Jillian


CONCLUDED FEUDS

(1) John Cena vs. Chris Jericho
(2) Randy Orton vs. Batista


POTENTIAL FEUDS

(1) John Morrison & The Miz vs. Rey Mysterio & Kofi Kingston
(2) Melina vs. Rosa
(3) Randy Orton vs. Kane
(4) Randy Orton vs. Sim Snuka & Manu


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 "Hardcore Holly" so that I know it's not junk mail.

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