By Chris Newth, PWTorch contributor

WWE Monday Night Raw
January 19, 2009
Upcoming PPV: Royal Rumble (last episode before PPV)

RAW STORYLINES AND FEUDS

Welcome to the seventieth 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)


As you may have read, this will be my very last Raw Storylines and Feuds. I've had a blast parsing WWE's three brands; some great storylines have been developed since I began 70 Raw articles ago. I hope you have enjoyed reading these columns as much as I've enjoyed writing for pwtorch.com over the past year and a half! And check out the final Smackdown Storylines and Feuds column, which will also be posted before the Royal Rumble airs tonight.


World Hvt. Champion JOHN CENA vs. JBL (w/ Shawn Michaels) (4 weeks)

Summary Quick Shots:

-Lawler supervised a contract signing for the World Heavyweight Title match at the Royal Rumble. Both Cena and JBL signed the document, making it official.

-Cena then said that he didn't want to talk to JBL because he was a scumbag. He turned instead to HBK, trying to dissuade him from helping Layfield. JBL interrupted by saying that he pays Michaels very well.

-When it was HBK's turn to speak, he told JBL that he wasn't proud of helping him, but he will continue. He was even harsher on Cena, screaming at him for the criticism because Cena doesn't know what Michaels's situation is.

-Cena said that he doesn't believe Michaels will help JBL win the World Heavyweight Championship. Suddenly, Michaels flinched and JBL threw a punch at Cena, felling the current champ. HBK then attempted a Super Kick, which missed Cena, but Layfield landed his Clothesline from Hell.

Analysis:

The dialogue in the main event feud's segment of the show basically served to cement what viewers had suspected for weeks. Michaels's words and actions against John Cena were not what fans want, but they don't necessarily indicate some kind of heel shift for his character. Obviously, he's still being victimized by JBL, despite the good pay. He's internally conflicted about his financial situation, and he admittedly hates working for the nefarious Layfield. At the same time, he emphasized the dire strain in which he currently finds himself. You can see the unhappiness explicitly etched onto his face while JBL and Cena were chatting. Michaels was completely unflappable during the segment until he grabbed the microphone.

As for Cena, he was relentlessly impassioned in his attempt to dissuade Michaels from continuing his business arrangement with JBL. In fact, even after Michaels had admonished him harshly for criticizing him, Cena never backed down—never retreated from his firm belief that HBK doesn't have to live like this because he can accomplish anything in the ring. This storyline has slowly grown from a far-fetched narrative to a fairly substantial one thanks to the people involved, most notably Shawn Michaels. He may have yelled at Cena in order to make the case that he needs money from Layfield, but in reality he was also screaming at fans, urging them to believe this story as it stands, no matter how implausible it still may seem for HBK to be broke. Now that the primary elements have been thoroughly established, I think the logical progression in this storyline is to enhance JBL as a heel who's truly benefitting from this business acquisition.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 9.5 [up 0.5 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

Raw General Manager STEPHANIE McMAHON & MR. McMAHON vs. RANDY ORTON & CHRIS JERICHO (4 weeks)

Summary Quick Shots:

-Randy Orton met with Stephanie after getting word that she may fire him. Stephanie told Orton not to worry; she went further by saying that he could stop sucking up to her. Orton indignantly struck back by saying that she would be a nobody without her last name, so she slapped him across the face.

-Stephanie walked into her office to find Chris Jericho relaxing on her couch. She demanded that he leave, but he informed her that Mr. McMahon had allowed him to come to Raw and plead his case.

-Mr. McMahon invited both Jericho and Stephanie to the ring. He announced that he and Stephanie would be running Raw and that Stephanie's decision stood unless she wanted to give Jericho a second chance. After making him apologize to her and the crowd while on his knees, Stephanie told Jericho that she'd see him at the Rumble.

-Randy Orton then came out to complain about Stephanie's slapping him earlier in the night. He called her worthless since giving birth to two children, which infuriated Stephanie. Mr. McMahon decided to handle it and ask for an apology, but Orton refused.

-Just as Mr. McMahon was about to declare his famous "You're Fired" line, Orton slapped him to the ground. Orton then followed up with a kick to the head before punting McMahon right in the temple. Stephanie dashed back to the ring and called for medics to tend to her father as the show closed.

Analysis:

Sometimes it's strange to see WWE promote TV-based storylines over their main event feud the week right before a major PPV, but this case may have warranted it for several reasons. First of all, the PPV Sunday night is the Royal Rumble, which sells itself. Most people are presumably buying that PPV based on the Rumble Match itself and not on the World Heavyweight Title match. Secondly, the Cena-JBL feud is likely to stretch out until at least the next WWE pay-per-view event, so this week's contract signing segment was just a standard way to continue the rivalry without putting too much weight behind it just yet (even though the Michaels-Cena dynamic got more interesting).

Thirdly, this McMahon segment led to a truly compelling new twist for Randy Orton's character. After kicking Mr. McMahon right in the temple, he reacted with sudden but faint regret. His emotional state after the punt was an intriguing mixture of fear and enjoyment. It was as though he couldn't even believe what he had just done, yet he didn't break down into an apologetic state. If I had to guess, I'd say that Orton wins the Royal Rumble so that he is legally owed a World Heavyweight or WWE Title match at WrestleMania. That would almost force the McMahons to keep him around. The only other reason for the McMahons to keep Orton on the roster would be to punish him with various matches and stipulations.

And finally, this segment probably deserved to conclude the last Raw before the Royal Rumble because it will likely drag viewers back to the USA Network next Monday night. Not only will people be tuning in to see the big PPV results, but they will also want to know where this intense storyline is heading. It looks like Chris Jericho has reluctantly made amends; he fell to the pressure of the McMahons. However, Orton refused to be humiliated—refused to apologize for his heinous comments. The direction of his character will be greatly determined by how he acts at the Royal Rumble. But perhaps even more important will be how he acts on Raw next week when the issue will undoubtedly be discussed in some kind of fashion.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 9.5 [up 2 since last week]

Previous Feuds
Stephanie McMahon: n/a
Mr. McMahon: Bobby Lashley, Triple H, Hornswoggle
Chris Jericho: Randy Orton, JBL, Jeff Hardy, Money in the Bank, Shawn Michaels, John Cena
Randy Orton: Michaels, Jericho, Jeff Hardy, Cena & Triple H, Triple H, Cody Rhodes, Batista

RANDY ORTON'S FACTION (4 weeks)

Summary Quick Shots:

-In Raw's opening contest, Randy Orton, Ted DiBiase, Cody Rhodes, Kane, Santino Marella, and Kofi Kingston faced off in an Over-the-Top-Rope Challenge. The match ended when DiBiase helped Orton win by knocking Kane out of the ring—and eliminating himself in the process.

-Orton met with DiBiase in the back, reminding him that he should do the exact same thing at the Royal Rumble. DiBiase had no problem agreeing as he told Orton to count on it. Then Cody barged in to inform Orton about a strange rumor that Stephanie was going to fire him.

-Goldust met with Cody Rhodes backstage to hand him WWE's latest DVD release: Starrcade. Goldust told Cody that he could learn more in one night with that DVD than he could in a lifetime from Randy Orton.

-Cody handed Goldust the DVD back and said that he'd be sure to send him the Cody Rhodes DVD when it comes out. Goldust was surprised to see Cody acting like that.

Analysis:

Raw's opening match served a great purpose: It showed what could potentially happen if Orton's Legacy faction worked together in the Royal Rumble to help Orton win. If superstars belong to tag teams or multi-person factions and are fortunate enough to be in the Rumble Match with their partners, the obvious strategy for all of them should be to help each other eliminate everyone else and then fight each other only when they're the only people left. In this case, Orton wants Cody and DiBiase to help him at all costs, even if it means putting their own chances at winning in jeopardy. In fact, he wants them to take the fall since he's their leader. DiBiase showed that he's willing—or at least he's pretending to be willing. (I still see a DiBiase babyface turn down the line).

The Goldust-Cody scene will make more sense for people who know that they are related. It's probably better for WWE to use Goldust this way as opposed to relying exclusively on his overly flashy gimmick. The serious tone with which he spoke to Cody this week was a nice change of pace for his character. It was also a great way for WWE to subtly plug their latest DVD release. Overall, the scene was strong because it let Cody show how arrogant he is. The haughty suggestion that he would have his own DVD coming out in the future was a nice touch, and Goldust's reaction was just as good. Where that relationship is headed, however, is anyone's guess. Could a Goldust-Cody rivalry be in the making?

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 9 [up 0.5 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
Ted DiBiase, Jr.: Hardcore Holly & Cody Rhodes, Cryme Tyme

Intercontinental Champion CM PUNK vs. WILLIAM REGAL (w/ Layla) (9 weeks w/ 1 week hiatus)

Summary Quick Shots:

-In their third title match on Raw, CM Punk finally defeated William Regal to become the new Intercontinental Champion after hitting the Go 2 Sleep for the big victory.

Analysis:

This Punk-Regal rivalry was Raw's in-ring only feud. The storyline had nothing to do with anything beyond what was happening in the ring; there was no supportive narrative to go along with it. It's equivalent to the Undertaker-Benjamin feud that's taking place on Smackdown at the moment. Although the match was strong and the characters basically carry themselves, it feels as though there's something missing.

This is one of those cases that proves that storylines and issues outside of the ring can greatly enhance the emotion and the excitement and the intrigue that happens inside of the ring. With Punk and Regal both being articulate guys on the mic, it would have been nice to see a deeper rivalry. After losing this week in what was essentially the rubber match between Punk and Regal, it's hard to picture a case where it can continue with fervor. If I were writing the story, I'd have Regal eliminate Punk from the Rumble Match later tonight, which could help bring this feud back to life. It's been solid, but nothing more.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 7.5 [down 0.5 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 (3 weeks)

Summary Quick Shots:

-Before the Mysterio-Knox matchup, Todd Grisham had an interesting conversation with Knox. When asked what Knox has against Mysterio, he said he didn't know. When Grisham followed up with a question about why he continually attacks Rey, Knox said that he doesn't have a reason.

-Rey Mysterio technically won his match against Mike Knox one-on-one after Knox refused to stop beating Rey in the corner. The referee disqualified Knox, but Rey continued to suffer at the cruel hands of Knox.

-The attack ended abruptly after Knox delivered his corkscrew faceplant finisher on a helpless Mysterio.

Analysis:

The premise of this storyline—that Knox has no idea why he's attacking Rey Mysterio and that he has no conscious motive for his continual attacks—is either an ingenious play on WWE's part or a ridiculous copout. I've pointed out the need for WWE to explicitly explain why various superstars have issues with one another since I began writing these Storylines and Feuds articles. When they threw a rivalry out into the open with no explanation as to why the two people were fighting, I believed that they were ignoring an all-too-relevant aspect of the story. Now WWE throws a proverbial curve ball by introducing a new character trait for Mike Knox. The guy apparently has no idea why he's attacking Rey Mysterio; there's no clear reason for the continual assaults.

Does this make any sense? Perhaps it will over time, but the dubious nature of the storyline's premise is enough to spark some serious intrigue with me. So Mike Knox ruthlessly targets one particular person on a weekly basis, yet he doesn't have a reason for attacking that individual? Is Rey Mysterio just in the wrong place at the wrong time every week? That would be too coincidental, although Knox has attacked people like Kofi Kingston and Evan Bourne in the past too.

The leisurely way Knox answered Grisham's question was truly different. I'm just wondering if there's something really unique about this character—a new strategy WWE is employing with him—or if this is just a copout so that WWE can cover their tracks because they don't have a good reason. I'd guess the former simply because if they had no good reason to give, why bother bringing up the issue at all? Why bother having Grisham ask the question and bring it to everyone's attention? This storyline will definitely need a few weeks to grow before any kind of insightful analysis can be reached, but WWE's tactic here is certainly curious.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 8 [up 1.5 since last week]

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

World Tag Team Champions JOHN MORRISON & THE MIZ vs. CRYME TYME (1 week)

Summary Quick Shots:

-Miz and Morrison challenged Jim Duggan to a match so that they could beat the first man to win a Royal Rumble Match.

-Duggan didn't show up, but Cryme Tyme did. They offered a deal to Miz and Morrison: if they (Cryme Tyme) win a match against them, they could get a title shot. On the other hand, if they lose their match, they will not bother them or ask for another title shot again.

-Miz and Morrison accepted the impromptu challenge and swiftly lost the match after Shad hit his finisher on Morrison to pick up the win (and a future title shot).

Analysis:

Not much here. It looks like we're in for another Miz/Morrison-Cryme Tyme rivalry on Raw. The most intriguing thing about this is how Miz and Morrison are really the only two guys that show up on every single WWE show. They technically belong on ECW, where they brought the World Tag Team Titles, but they frequent Raw (where the titles originated). And, as you probably saw Friday night, they showed up on Smackdown to face Carlito and Primo, the WWE Tag Team Champions. Even more interestingly, the people and the feuds that Miz and Morrison often start on different brands rarely cross brands. For example, Cryme Tyme didn't make a Smackdown appearance to continue this feud with the self-proclaimed Chick Magnet and the Guru of Greatness. It's as though Miz and Morrison juggle different storylines on each show. As for where this rivalry stands, it's just begun, so more time will need to pass before things really pick up.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 5

Previous Feuds
John Morrison & The Miz: Cryme Tyme Evan Bourne & Ricky Ortiz, Cryme Tyme, Jesse & Festus
Cryme Tyme: Ted DiBiase & Cody Rhodes, Miz & Morrison

WWE Women's Champion BETH PHOENIX (w/ Santino Marella) vs. MELINA (9 weeks)

Summary Quick Shots:

-Beth Phoenix defeated Kelly Kelly quite quickly in singles competition.

-Cole and Lawler announced that Beth would face Melina for the Women's Title at the Royal Rumble.

-Santino congratulated Beth on her win. Then he decided to give her a present: Rosa Mendez. He said that he gave Rosa an exclusive internship. Rosa told Beth that she wants to become a diva and wants to learn from the best. Beth wasn't sure, saying that she'd consider it.

-Melina defeated Jillian Hall one-on-one after hitting a whipping sunset flip to pick up the victory. After the match, Santino whispered something to Rosa which send her into a rage. She mauled Melina, and the two began fighting.

-Beth pulled Rosa away and hit her finisher on Melina. She then angrily walked past Rosa and Santino, as if she didn't appreciate or need the help Rosa voluntarily lent her.

Analysis:

Again, this feels much less like a Beth-Melina rivalry and much more like a Rosa-Melina rivalry. However this week's events between Beth and Melina were a strong attempt to quickly revert the focus back to where it belongs before the PPV later tonight. I was wondering how WWE would incorporate Rosa after what had transpired in the past few weeks, but this internship idea using Santino Marella and a reluctant Beth Phoenix was a good one, even if we question whether Santino has the power to grant internships.

Rosa does seem like a crazy person, so her character's start in WWE is already intriguing. Also good is Phoenix's reaction thus far. It would be too easy and too lazy for Phoenix to accept Rosa with open arms as a protégé. Instead, there's additional intrigue in the idea that Phoenix isn't openly pleased about Rosa's current status, and that aspect of the story can be delved into over the next few weeks. It also gives Santino a more interesting role on Raw. Nicely done.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 8 [up 0.5 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 (5 weeks w/ 2 weeks hiatus)

Summary Quick Shots:

Nothing happened here.

Analysis:

Let's face it. This one's over, and if it isn't, it's in serious trouble.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): n/a

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) Stephanie McMahon vs. Chris Jericho?
(2) Kane vs. Kelly Kelly
(3) CM Punk vs. William Regal?


POTENTIAL FEUDS

(1) John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels
(2) Ted DiBiase vs. Randy Orton
(3) Cody Rhodes vs. Goldust
(4) Melina vs. Rosa Mendez
(5) Beth Phoenix vs. Rosa Mendez


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 "Jamie Noble" so that I know it's not junk mail.

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