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WWE Raw Reax #3: "I only tune into Raw about once or month or so, and this is the same show I saw last time." Jul 1, 2008 - 1:03:21 AM
Mark of Washington D.C. (9.0): Best: Opening 25 minutes. Worst: Jericho vs. Kingston finish. So much for all the talk of Smackdown being the new "A" show. I wasn't around for the Attitude Era, so this may not be saying much, but this was easily the best television show I've ever seen. The first twenty-five minutes were just perfect, and the show kept moving at such a quick pace. I was impressed at how they worked so many wrestlers into the show without it feeling like there was too much going on - they really maximized their roster. The comedy (Santino, Noble) was sparse and actually funny. The actual in-ring time was low, but there was plenty of action to keep things exciting. And C.M. Punk walking out the champ was a real surprise. What a great night for Raw.
Adrian Finley of Oklahoma City, Oklah. - Desktop Analyst (9.0): Best: Opening Segment, Worst: Tag Match (although, that was pretty quick). I just got back from the show and all I can say is... wow! Seriously, they put on the best show in my opinion since the Gold Rush tournament in 2005. The night was full of surprises: Edge's appearance, CM Punk cashing in his MITB briefcase ironically against Edge. I've criticized the WWE these last few months about the quality of the product, but C.M. Punk's title victory and the overall show made me a believer again. P.S. You want to talk about a heel getting heat? Look no further than Edge's J.R.-hater moment and JBL's martial law against Cena. After the cameras went off, JBL proceeded to seranade the OU strong crowd with the Texas state song which got him an FU for his troubles. He recovered by throwing up the Longhorns sign to massive boos and said "You'd never treat me like this if I was Vince Young, we beat your asses four years in a row," which brought C.M. Punk to give him the GTS and the crowd went ape. The crowd was super hot tonight and I'm glad I was able to witness history!
Michael Moore of Casper, Wy. (5.0): Best Match: Main event (by default). Worst Match: Mickie vs. Jillian. Wow, I can't believe the reviews this show is getting on the Torch. I guess giving the belt to an Internet favorite like C.M. Punk will do that. In all honesty, WWE deserves credit for keeping the belt on Punk the entire night. I thought for sure it was just a swerve to transition the belt back to JBL. Nice touch for the straight edge guy who thrives on competition to steal the belt in a few seconds. They could have at least brought up how it was poetic justice, seeing as Edge did the same thing twice. I don't see what people thought was so great about this show. It was still a lot of talking, more two-minute matches and at the end of the night, the top heels on Raw were JBL and his security. Do we really need MORE of Cena vs. JBL? It was a nice for a little shock value to put the belt on Punk, but how long it lasts remains to be seen. He got a good initial pop, but nothing after that. If they keep the belt on him for any PPVs, I bet they end up as triple threats with another babyface like Cena involved to help people actually get interested. It's impossible to take Cody Rhodes seriously, heel or face. He looks like some weird combination of Sean Astin's character in "The Goonies" and a roided up Steve O from Jackass. I only tune into Raw about once or month or so, and this is the same show I saw last time: still absolutely no heels beyond JBL and Jericho, lots of talking, minimal wrestling and not much hope of getting away from Cena vs. JBL in the main event, even if Punk has the title for now.
We welcome your 1-10 score and comments on this show for a "Raw Reax" feature in the Torch Feedback section of PWTorch.com. Just to add a twist to this feature, include not just your hometown, but also your occupation (mechanic, lawyer, stay-at-home-dad, college student, etc.) so readers get a flavor for what everyone does as "day jobs." To contribute your thoughts on Raw, click here.
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AND NEW FOR 2009! Monthly "Vintage Audio Torch Talks." We are releasing for the first time ever audio versions of our text Torch Talk updates, the historical first series of insider interviews ever. Wade Keller's newsmaking in-depth interviews with wrestling's biggest names are now being made available exclusively to VIP members. But you must be a member each month, as these are not archived, so they are replaced with a new one each month! This debuted in January 2009 with a 68 minute interview with the late "British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith. Who's next? Hulk Hogan? Eric Bischoff? The Rock? Goldberg? Jeff Hardy?
