WWE Raw Reax - January 12, 2008 edition

Art "Bucky" Blarr of Buffalo, N.Y. (8.0): Best Match: Michaels vs. Cena. Worst Match: Regal vs. Punk. This was a decent Raw which is beginning to set up various angles including a wild turn for Chris Jericho. The outcome of the Kane vs. Orton match has me wondering if referee Scott Armstrong will play a part in the Legacy angle as he's a second generation player himself. The Miz vs. Rey match was a pretty solid match but I would've liked to see Morrison at ringside. The attack on Melina was done well and it was a good build-up for their big match at the Royal Rumble. The Regal vs. Punk match was a bit aggravating once again with an early DQ finish but it was a good build up for next week's Raw which by the look of all of the storylines should be one hell of a show. As much as I don't really care for the Michaels/JBL angle, the main event match between Michaels and Cena was a great PPV-caliber match. Michaels proved once again that he is the "Showstopper."

Michael S., Holloman AFB, N.M. (7.0): Best: Shawn Michaels vs. John Cena. Worst: The IC Title match. Raw was surprisingly entertaining tonight. I totally see Jericho returning next week due to Vince McMahon somehow. I liked DiBiase rejoining Orton and Rhodes, since I never saw Manu fitting initially. Now Manu and Sim Snuka have potential as a new Samoan tag team? Yes, the IC Title match was crap, but considering next week is in Chicago, they're lining up Punk to win there in my opinion. Kane is really being wasted. So much for "going back to destroying people." I can see Rey vs. Mike Knox in the near future, just hopefully NOT at the Rumble. I liked the edge in aggression given to Beth Phoenix, but it could've been saved for a post-match segment, instead of going to all the trouble of hinting at a match. Finally, like some other readers, I half expected a DQ finish with the main event, but a clean win by Shawn simply adds to the intriguing story. Will he allow JBL to win at the Rumble, and then take his championship? It makes sense to me. By the way, WWE, I freaking get it already, Kennedy has a DVD out! FYI, it makes me want to watch it less the more you show the ad, and I really wasn't interested in the first place.

Terrie Neilson of Las Vegas, Nev. (8.5): Best: Michaels vs. Cena; video packages. Worst: "pick me" Royal Rumble segment. Lots of tainted moments in this show, but since I was expecting some dirt, I wasn't angry about the content. Jericho is fired. If he is truly leaving, then all the ends are tied and the exit is clean. Am I expecting him to be gone, with Vince's return looming? No. Crowd cheered him leaving, but didn't give him a big send off, so don't think they believe it either. Besides, Steph had very heel intentions behind a babyface-accepted action stemming from last week's announcement that Vince was returning. It would have been obvious that Regal would have been booked to get himself counted out, so instead a lame DQ by Punk
happens. And I do mean lame. Unlike Kane's case of shoulder going up out of ref's view, Punk doesn't get another angle or view to know for sure. After a hot start, the Punk-Regal feud is sputtering. After first I was confused by DiBiase's return and turn on Manu and Sim, and too-easy forgiveness of Orton for the punt. But the turn plays into DiBiase's double-crossing character. Caldwell and Keller wondered aloud how JBL could be putting himself in a position to want people to wish his ass being kicked. The obvious would be to beat down John Cena after his incredible match with Shawn Michaels. But that card has been played so many times that the alternative is Shawn becoming proxy to the reason why JBL gets his ass kicked. Meanwhile, JBL plays guilt cards instead of beat downs. ("Jericho may have been fired but he still has money.") Despite pleas by Shawn to be left alone to fend for himself in a match he's been able to handle in the past, JBL did push the rope closer, furthering his "I'm scratching your back" leverage. What Caldwell and Keller didn't note was Shawn's venomous protest to JBL. There was a technical dirty finish in that Shawn still tossed Cena at JBL, but that could be looked at two ways (anger at JBL or using JBL right back). Abuse doesn't necessarily have to be overt physical abuse, and even the most subtle of abuse can break someone if coping with it long enough. JBL moralistic "Tough Love" sympathy toward Shawn is what will get him in the end.

We welcome your 0-10 score and comments on this show for a "WWE Raw TV 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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